Skydivedad
New member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2021
- Messages
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I'm a Service Connected Disabled Veteran of the Vietnam Era. Never sent to "Nam" many of us did duty in Europe or were other types of "Cold Warriors". I got injured pretty bad in a training accident in the late 1970's. I worked hard at rehab and used my GI Bill to pay for College. At first I didn't finish college as a new wife and child cme along instead. It was a short marriage ending in divorce. I got lucky and became a Trader in the Markets making great money on short hours!
This allowed me to pursue my 1st love in life (other than being a Dad) Skydiving, something I picked up in the Military. Skydiving is way different then Military Jumping and I absolutely pursued it with vigor. It's an incribly difficult skill falling out of the sky while maintaining relativity with fellow jumpers as we perform different formations. And Headdown Skydiving is sort of the pinnacle of the sport with speeds in excess of 200mph. (You've no friends at 200mph) Anyway, I got relly involved with the sport and got my 1st taste of Van Life! I purchsed a Ford Econ Conversion Van that was previously owned by staff at Chicagoland Skydiving. I spent almost 3 years living in that van along with a new wife and a couple of kids under 3 years old. I'd work at various dropzones up north and then head to South Florida with the van (Z-Hills, Deland, Pahokee, etc...) as a rigger or flew "meat on a hook" as a Tandem Instructor for tourist looking to make a 1st jump.
I loved the Dropzone life. I had access to toilets and water, power and free parking for however long we were there and great friends also working in the Skydiving world. The kids grow fast and I found myself taking them up to Suburban Chicago for school and since that time I haven't lived the life! The children's mother became really ill and eventually her care became to much for me to handle and we moved to North Michigan with her mother. She asked for divorce and I gave her one despite losing fulltime access to my children! Long story and I've said enough about that I hope. I fanalli finished Collge with a BS in "Compuer Information Systems" and MsC Computational Mathematics from Davenport University in Grand rapids, MI.
In 2007 I discovered in a very painful way that I had been born with a dibilitating spinal cord disease and I've been in that fight ever sense. Countless surgeries and procedures later including a major rebuild of my spinal cord casing, the implanting of a spinal cord stimulator and just last month the implant of a Pain Pump!
In the meanwhile the woman I met and should have married in 1988, well, we finally got together in 2011 and have been Happily Married ever sense. I adore my wife and I'm totally in love with her! It's hard to explain to people how amazing life can be when your spouse is unaquivicaly your soul mate! I'd take a bullet for her without hesitation.
Here is the rub. We own a nice 2 bedroom home in S. Florida and the pandemic has kept us hostage inside for over a year now, but with vacinations (both of us 2 shots of Pfizer each) we are starting to plan our Van Life. My wife Sharon works from home and will until she retires in June 2022! We'd like to rent out the house (should provide nice income) and hit the road together. I'm excited to share that life with my wife who hasn't seen very much of the country outside Chicago and S. Florida.
I plan on hopefully finding the right van and cargo trailor and working on that conversion as Sharon wraps up this finale year of fulltime employment. We've been saving for a few years now (including thos stimulous checks) and renewing some connections with various dropzones. Most dropzones because of my time in the industry will allow us to park and stay awhile as long as we contribute to the enterprise with Pay of course. Ive never lost my riggors card and will get paid well repcking Emergency Chutes which by law must be repacked every 90 days. Kinda built in customer base!
We also want to caravan and see other sights, meet other people and be happy enjoying our Lives together! My main concern is getting my pain pump filled by a Doctor every 45 -60 dy depending on settings. I imgine it will all work out and we look forward to meeting you guys somewhere out there, sometime!
All The Best
Paul & Sharon
This allowed me to pursue my 1st love in life (other than being a Dad) Skydiving, something I picked up in the Military. Skydiving is way different then Military Jumping and I absolutely pursued it with vigor. It's an incribly difficult skill falling out of the sky while maintaining relativity with fellow jumpers as we perform different formations. And Headdown Skydiving is sort of the pinnacle of the sport with speeds in excess of 200mph. (You've no friends at 200mph) Anyway, I got relly involved with the sport and got my 1st taste of Van Life! I purchsed a Ford Econ Conversion Van that was previously owned by staff at Chicagoland Skydiving. I spent almost 3 years living in that van along with a new wife and a couple of kids under 3 years old. I'd work at various dropzones up north and then head to South Florida with the van (Z-Hills, Deland, Pahokee, etc...) as a rigger or flew "meat on a hook" as a Tandem Instructor for tourist looking to make a 1st jump.
I loved the Dropzone life. I had access to toilets and water, power and free parking for however long we were there and great friends also working in the Skydiving world. The kids grow fast and I found myself taking them up to Suburban Chicago for school and since that time I haven't lived the life! The children's mother became really ill and eventually her care became to much for me to handle and we moved to North Michigan with her mother. She asked for divorce and I gave her one despite losing fulltime access to my children! Long story and I've said enough about that I hope. I fanalli finished Collge with a BS in "Compuer Information Systems" and MsC Computational Mathematics from Davenport University in Grand rapids, MI.
In 2007 I discovered in a very painful way that I had been born with a dibilitating spinal cord disease and I've been in that fight ever sense. Countless surgeries and procedures later including a major rebuild of my spinal cord casing, the implanting of a spinal cord stimulator and just last month the implant of a Pain Pump!
In the meanwhile the woman I met and should have married in 1988, well, we finally got together in 2011 and have been Happily Married ever sense. I adore my wife and I'm totally in love with her! It's hard to explain to people how amazing life can be when your spouse is unaquivicaly your soul mate! I'd take a bullet for her without hesitation.
Here is the rub. We own a nice 2 bedroom home in S. Florida and the pandemic has kept us hostage inside for over a year now, but with vacinations (both of us 2 shots of Pfizer each) we are starting to plan our Van Life. My wife Sharon works from home and will until she retires in June 2022! We'd like to rent out the house (should provide nice income) and hit the road together. I'm excited to share that life with my wife who hasn't seen very much of the country outside Chicago and S. Florida.
I plan on hopefully finding the right van and cargo trailor and working on that conversion as Sharon wraps up this finale year of fulltime employment. We've been saving for a few years now (including thos stimulous checks) and renewing some connections with various dropzones. Most dropzones because of my time in the industry will allow us to park and stay awhile as long as we contribute to the enterprise with Pay of course. Ive never lost my riggors card and will get paid well repcking Emergency Chutes which by law must be repacked every 90 days. Kinda built in customer base!
We also want to caravan and see other sights, meet other people and be happy enjoying our Lives together! My main concern is getting my pain pump filled by a Doctor every 45 -60 dy depending on settings. I imgine it will all work out and we look forward to meeting you guys somewhere out there, sometime!
All The Best
Paul & Sharon
