A New Geno Story

Written by Geno himself. Some slight editing by yours truly.


Don't Chute Me

This one time Bro, I was in Mississippi and I had the urge to get extreme. I had my 1985 H-D Dresser with me. As if riding the way I do isn't extreme enough, I took off in a direction I hadn't been before. It was a nice day, about 80 degrees with a light breeze. So I headed out into the country with cotton fields on both sides of the road. I look to my right and I see a small airport. Then a sign with big letters, ‘SKYDIVING‘. Needless to say I pulled that big two-wheeler into the parking lot right quick. I went inside and made arrangements to jump. I had at least a dozen jumps under my belt already. When they tell you that every jump is different, believe them. I always get an incredible adrenalin buzz as I'm putting on the gear and this time is no different. It’s understood, without a doubt, that you are putting your life on the line every time you jump. That's part of the allure.

Time to go! We load into the plane. Get up to 14000 ft. “Out you go” says the Jumpmaster. I do a Superman style dive out the door. Now if you've never done 120 mph or better on a motorcycle (without windshield), or jumped from a perfectly good airplane, you can only imagine the incredible RUSH you get at that moment. I do a few back flips, one of my favorite moves!!! Then I do some forward flips. Twisting and turning, I have myself a great time.

Now it’s time for me to get into a prone position and pull the ripcord. The chute exits my pack and just starts flapping in the wind. It looks like a bed sheet above my head. Now that will make you suck air!! After what seems like forever, the canopy finally opens with a thud. Now I look back up and my slider wont come down. There are alternate solutions to these problems.

Believe me, your mind races thru all of them in the microseconds before the slider comes down. I should tell you that the slider separates your lines and opens the canopy to full. Only now my lines are twisted, not a good thing. About the only way to unwind them is to go through a motion like you’re on a bicycle and go the opposite of the twist. So that’s what I do, for what seems like way too long.
Finally I get a full canopy! Now its time to fly. I like doing spins as I'm descending. The farther you pull one side of your brakes (they are the lines that you hold in each hand to steer and flair), the farther you will spin to that side. You can get a big outside spin going. The canopy and you are almost sideways in the sky. BIG FUN!!! As I look down, I see a red tailed hawk below me doing circles the opposite direction and gaining altitude. In a minute, without either of us changing direction, the hawk flies inside my circle. As we pass each other, .he cocks his head and our eyes meet. He looks at me like “what the hell are you?” ‘Way cool’ is all I can think!!!

Now, just as I’m getting over that, I look around and realize I’m over a cotton field. across the highway from jump zone. OOOPPSSS!!!! Not good. Again, there are solutions to situations such as this. Just not any good ones. I decided to pull both brakes to stall the chute. When you let them back up, you are lunged forward, gaining momentum toward the jump zone. This is a good idea as long as you have altitude. Wind helps too. My biggest problem, as I see it, was not enough altitude. And I’m coming down right for the highway. I see an early model station wagon heading in my direction. Now can you see this? Picture Wiley Coyote!!!!!! Front grill !!!.......You can almost see ACME written across the grill.....I’m looking at the car, and then looking at the road. Looking at the road, then looking at the driver!!!! He doesn’t see me!!!!! Perfect, I think Fits right in with the rest of this jump. I’m looking at the road, then looking at the driver!!! I have to stall !!!!!! Looking at the driver!!!! While I’m looking at the driver, his kids are pointing at me. The road is coming up quick!!! He sees me, hits his brakes I pull mine to my ankles. I hit the pavement, hard enough to put me in a HARD SQUAT!!! I felt like Wiley with my head following my feet into the pavement. Can you picture it? My body is like an accordion, only it‘s not intended to be. I catch my breath and see I’m directly in front of the car. The driver and the kids are staring at me with their pie holes wide open. The driver asks me if I’m all right. , I say “of course“, as I’m gathering my chute and waking away.

UNSCATHED again.!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A RUSH!!!!!!!!!!

I have to tell you, even I don’t know how he does it. I’m just glad he does.