When Anne and I moved to Chicago in 2010 we had not competed in 4-way formation skydiving (FS) since 2007. We were living in Virginia, and it was not easy to find competitive skydivers in the area around that time. The wind tunnels were a long drive and the economy was in a downward spiral. Backpacking in the Shenandoah made a lot more sense on the weekends. Based on a friend's recommendation, we started jumping at Chicagoland Skydiving Center (CSC) in Hinckley when we moved to Northern Illinois that summer. Getting back to competitive skydiving was something we wanted to do but it would take a couple more years before we had the time to dedicate.   

I drive four hours to skydive at Chicagoland Skydiving Center (CSC). I do this every other weekend (or more), for most of the midwest skydiving season. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana, so CSC is not the closest dropzone to me, not by a long shot. I make this drive because it is worth it to me. And I’m not the only one that drives this far.

There is plenty to think about as a new jumper. The world of skydiving opens up once you earn your A License, and your life really is in your hands. One of the most fun things about having your license is the ability to travel to new dropzones and attend events with other licensed jumpers. Of course, this adds new issues to consider than you may be used to.