Nov 8, 2007, 2:46 PM
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California City Stories
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Hey, folks. So you've probably heard, Skydive Cal City is closing its doors as of November 25th. My friends and I (who all started jumping there) have been pretty bummed about it since hearing the news yesterday...and for me, the only thing that's really taken the edge off is reading some people's good vibes and memories from the thread in the General forum.
So since the firepit at the DZ will soon be dark, I was just wondering - anyone have any good/crazy/scary stories from back in the day they feel like sharing? I'm always amazed at how much history there is up there...and I know I haven't heard anything close to all of it. Since I won't be able to hear the stories sitting around at Foxy's on a Saturday night anymore, I thought I'd ask. Perhaps it'd be a good 'memorial' to the DZ to collect some of them here. I'm curious about it all - what planes they used to fly, the 2 DZ's thing, what it was like jumping rounds in Cal City winds, the shooting range, the Peckerheads, crazy movie shoots, memorable jumps...just about anything, really. The place has seen a lot of changes in the sport.
(oh yeah, & if it's something for which that the statute of limitations isn't yet up, y'know, feel free not to post it ...sure there's a few stories like that...)
Of course, if you'd rather, you can always post it to the thread in the General forum, too...but if you've got a good memory to share, please do me a favor and share it. The bonfire isn't going to be around much longer, and history is lost when it's not told.
Nov 8, 2007, 3:24 PM
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Re: [LloydDobbler] California City Stories
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We tried to do a night 20-way once. The dive was a total zoo and I lost altitude awareness. I tracked off into the blackness and started to get ground rush from the runway numbers. I pulled and had about a 45 second canopy ride. Not wanting to get in trouble, I grabbed up my canopy and started running towards the target circle. As soon as I saw someone else starting to gather up their canopy I waited a little bit and then walked up behind them and said "Damn did you see that guy that went low!!! I wonder who the hell that was!". Since the only way we saw each other at all was the chem-lights I got away with it. I'll let some other people post and then I'll tell the story of almost bouncing in front of the town council.
Nov 8, 2007, 8:03 PM
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I am so sad about this.
So many stories, so many pictures, so much fun. Thank you Cal City for introducing me to AFF.
Van and Roberta, thank you!!!
As well as Soko, April, Joey, Janell, Kenny. And of course Bob and Judy for letting everyone crash at their house. And Mima. Tony...well, you are tons of fun.
Robert, thank you for the great meals. Keep all of those kitties safe.
Nov 8, 2007, 10:32 PM
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Re: [LloydDobbler] California City Stories
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It is really sad to hear that Cal City will be closing!! I made my first jump there in 1985. This drop zone was a magical place!!! When I was only 13 My Dad "Mac" Mckinney jumped there and I was the DZ bratt. Later when I was in the Navy stationed in San Diego I would drive past Perris and two more hours to get to Cal City it was like coming home!! Van and Alberta, Judy and Bob, Ian Bellis (R.I.P. my friend) Lisa and Kim our DZ babes!! and my many other friends I miss those days!!!
I remember there was a "tree party" one year where skydivers caravaned in the middle of the desert to party under a lone tree. The party went into the early morning. I was on the first early load. There were thousands of sheep in this pasture where some drunken skydivers had not yet risen. Van had this huge smile on his face as he proceeded to stampede (buzz) the sheep over these to poor guys. I can only imagine the horror of looking up and trying to focus on the sight of these sheep flying over you!! In some places here in the south some might think that would be heaven!!
My friend Doug and I jumped the Blue Angel Demo today in Pensacola, Florida and we raised a toast to all of you in Cal City!!!
Nov 9, 2007, 8:17 AM
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Quote:
My friend Doug and I jumped the Blue Angel Demo today in Pensacola, Florida and we raised a toast to all of you in Cal City!!!
Is that "Doug" as in "Doug Morrow" ???
If it is, tell him there's nothing in the Beer Rules that lets him skip out on the Beer he still owes us in Cal City just because the place closes! He still has to pay up!!
Anyway... ah yes... the sheep herders that drive their flocks past the DZ every year... you'd think they would have learned by now... anyhow... we don't want too much talk of skydivers and sheep around here! Let some stories die!!!
Nov 9, 2007, 8:29 AM
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Hmmmm... anyone dare bring up the "Q-Ball + Nudity + P___'s Motorcylce" incident?
Anyway... no shit, there I was... remember the Sat or Sunday morning when a bunch of us were standing around bright and early... well it wasn't bright, but it was early... and the ceiling was around 3000' and it was spitting rain... we were trying to decide if... 1) hang out to see if it cleared up... 2) go home... or 3) start drinking now??? Van said lets load up and go over to the Silver Saddle for breakfast. So we all load up into the Otter and hop over to the Saddle for breakfast. By the time we get done and come out the ceiling has dropped a thousand feet or so and its raining for real, but we load back up to head back to the Cal City airport. As we head West from the Saddle back to Cal City... the ceiling that way is even lower... by the time we got back close to the Cal City airport, well, we were low... I was starting to worry about telephone poles... . Anyway, made it back and now its one of those "no shit... there I was... thought I was gonna die... that wasn't so smart" stores that get told over and over after a bunch of beers.
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Nov 9, 2007, 8:30 AM)
Nov 9, 2007, 8:52 AM
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Remember any of this? 1. The bear on the runway, and then ran thru the experienced landing area we were all inside the milkvan thing! 2. And who could ever forget Y-DIVE (300 static line jumps in 1 day), also, the sewer line or something broke!
Nov 9, 2007, 9:36 AM
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Well, since it's almost over, and there were so few involved to rat each other out, I guess it's OK for me to ask...
Anyone gonna bring up a small group sneaking the Cessna out of the hanger after midnight for some unmanifested night loads? And the pilot not wanting to get busted using the radio to turn the runway lights on is OK too, until the landing light burns out, and the landing has to be done by sense of smell! Well?
Nov 9, 2007, 10:37 AM
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there was the time when Danny Binge (his real name) passed out. He got stripped naked, shoved in his sleeping bag, the end tied shut and dumped at the end of the runway, the next day he woke up to the sound of the jump plane buzzing him, Reminds me of a pilot named (rotten) Roger, he loved the buzzed the top of people sleeping out in the desert. at about 2 feet above the top of your pick-up
Nov 9, 2007, 4:21 PM
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Re: [GARYC24] California City Stories
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Well, since it's almost over, and there were so few involved to rat each other out, I guess it's OK for me to ask...
Anyone gonna bring up a small group sneaking the Cessna out of the hanger after midnight for some unmanifested night loads? And the pilot not wanting to get busted using the radio to turn the runway lights on is OK too, until the landing light burns out, and the landing has to be done by sense of smell! Well?
BASE359
Remember any of this? 1. The bear on the runway, and then ran thru the experienced landing area we were all inside the milkvan thing! 2. And who could ever forget Y-DIVE (300 static line jumps in 1 day), also, the sewer line or something broke!
I remember borrowing the 210 a few times for drunked night dives alone with a hot little AFF student pre training with a night tamdem,
1. yes, and Scott going after it naked on a ATC 2. yes, 351 gay jumper in one day. and the first guy went Free fall when the static line broke. and the cess pool backed up.
(This post was edited by rapter on Nov 9, 2007, 4:26 PM)
Nov 9, 2007, 5:55 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] California City Stories
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Just sitting here thinking about Cal City....it was the place I attended my first crater party. Some guy frapped off the end of the runway and later, after dark, me and some of the locals walked down to the crater with some beer. It was quite an eye opener for a fairly new jumper with 150 jumps. Just some of the stuff you never unload.
Yeah, I've seen 2 fatalities and 1 suicide during my time jumping at Cal City. The Lord willing and with just 3 weeks left to go, their won't be any more there.
Anyway... on a happier note... there's been at least one wedding that I know of that took place at Cal City Skydive.
Here's a pic of Philly and Patti's wedding in the back yard.
Nov 11, 2007, 5:15 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] California City Stories
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If it is, tell him there's nothing in the Beer Rules that lets him skip out on the Beer he still owes us in Cal City just because the place closes! He still has to pay up!!
Quote:
Yeah, yeah, I know. Next month when I'm out there I'll pay up. Again, you're the only guy who calls someone on beer from 2000 miles away. It's quite a unique gift you have. I'm still trying to find a way to steal a beer truck and not get kicked out the Navy...
But back to Cal City stories, Tim, what about all of Geoffrey's Mikey-isms? You probably remember more than me, but I'll start it off:
Mikey: Man, there's no one here today!
Tim: Then why did you just have to share a seatbelt for takeoff?
After much laughing at his expense, Mikey responds: Man, fuck you guys. You know what I mean.
(This post was edited by hornet2006 on Nov 11, 2007, 5:26 PM)
Nov 12, 2007, 7:51 AM
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A lot of people have forgotten the Beech-18 we had between the 206 and the Otter. The heating ducts had been pulled out and the person sitting third from the front got the full blast on his/her butt the whole ride up. I thought my harness was going to get hot enough to melt sometimes. It was a pre-serial number Beech so it was also really old. Greg Senger put a little piece of velcro on one of the nav lights just behind the door and was actually able to rear float with one foot on it. Exits were tough because the door wasn't modified and still had the original oval shape so the floaters all got their feet squeezed together at the bottom. After Van bought the Otter it wasn't jumped much and I heard it was eventually sold to a guy from Washington state. Anybody got a picture?
I was working at the "other" Cal City DZ with Bob & Judy when Mark Hewitt and Nannette were working for Van. We really did try to keep it friendly but would always shoot the finger at each other when taking off just for laughs. But, I'd go over and visit Mark some nights as we knew each other well from B.A.S.E. jumping. I had a motorcycle that I left outside the hanger and one night, what's his name, I can't even it remember it now, took it and went screaming up and down the RWY with it. He lived in a van across from Van's hanger and we had a big to do about stealing my bike. A few days later he comes over to the Bob's DZ to apologies and I blew him off. And about a week later, and unrelated to anything I did I'm sure, he took a gun and blew his brains out in his van.
Cal City was the weirdest place I ever worked, and that's saying a lot . . . I liked Robert though, he had every Frank Zappa album ever released . . .
We'd also, because of the WX, we'd start jumping at first light and be drinking by one o'clock when the winds started to blow. I fully understand the loyalty in this thread from jumpers who consider it their home drop zone, but man, you guys should travel more.
We always secretly admired the fact you guys had an Otter as we struggled along with barge of the week. Mostly small C-172s and 182s and that death trap C-401 we had for awhile. But DZ politics aside there was a good group of jumpers up there, Philly, Harry, and the Air Force guys from Edwards. Van had a better LZ than we did too. We were kind of moving around a lot, getting kicked out from this place and that. But man, backing up under tandems in that blowing desert wind trying to avoid washing machines and refrigerators dumped all over the place was a real education for me.
Cal City had a strong Japanese student connection and we'd spend windy afternoons out in the desert letting the little Japanese girl's fire big hand guns. It was really worth it hearing them squeal with delight when the guns went off. We shared a hanger with Wally who rebuilt vintage airplanes and who didn’t really like skydivers, but used us to help pay his rent. He was refurbing an L-29 jet and one night I went over and drunkenly climbed into the cockpit. Cal City, at night, can be really boring.
I closed the glass canopy and I heard it lock. I sat there pretending I was over the 'Nam dropping napalm and zooming around until I needed another beer. But the canopy wouldn’t open. I pushed and pushed and it wouldn't open. I was freaking trapped. I pushed on the "canopy lock release" lever, but it wouldn't budge. There wasn't anyone around and I realized I was really screwed.
I looked down between my legs and there was the ejection handle. I didn't think the seat was actually armed and thought maybe pulling the handle would, at least, release the canopy. I was just drunk enough to give it a go, but I really thought about for awhile. I really didn't want the last thing I ever accomplished to be a smoking hole in the hanger roof. Then I had to pee. So I gritted my teeth and yanked up on the handle. There were a bunch of clicks but when I opened my eyes I was still sitting there. So I fell asleep.
I woke up hearing voices. Bob was up teaching the first jump course, and probably wondering where the fuck I was because that was my job. I tapped lightly on the canopy glass trying to get his, and certainly no one else's attention. It was only when he was demonstrating a hard arch that he threw his head back far enough to see my frantic waving. He smartly sent the class on a break and the next thing is he and Hank Asciutto are staring down and laughing hysterically at me. They pulled the outside canopy release lever and I was finally free. And except for teaching the rest of the AFF class, taking a level one, and doing a few tandems that was finally the end of that day.
I was never so happy as to leave Cal City eventually. And when I went back to Perris/Elsinore, with all the problems I "thought" existed there, a lot of old hands asked, "Did you learn your lesson?"
NickD BASE 194
(This post was edited by NickDG on Nov 12, 2007, 11:36 AM)
Nov 12, 2007, 5:10 PM
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Dude..... Andy here.... Haha..... I have lots of these badboys.
Heres a recent one but a good one about "Campsite Area 51"
So there we were kickin' back by the "Alien Egg Shaped" fire pit. A semi long day of skydiving and more booze than a licquor store. (Like any of us needs a better excuse to party it up) We had gone to dinner Ramone's... there had been a call out between a Naval Officer and a Air Force NCO. Being a man of fair game I assisted the 2 with a gallon of Jim Beam. Who was gonna drink the other under the table? The night was young. Both contestants braved shot after shot. Chasing each drink with a beer. OK So I have the Airforce on my left and the Navy on my right. Everyone is kickin having a good time, when SOMEONE tosses a Bic lighter into the fire. (which amazingly goes unnoticed by all) Moments later..... There is a sudden burst. Everyone jumps, except the culpret who tossed the lighter in. As the blast occurs.... the guy on my left goes straight back in his chair. We look over and he is holding up his beer. Proudly proclaiming that he hadn't spilled a drop. As we jump to our feet to assist our fallen brother, we notice there is a burning piece of coal on his belly. We pull him up and brush of the coal that had gone through 4 layers of clothing. As everything quiets down a bit, the Air Force guy is standing over on my right.... The Naval Officer who is wildly losing the drinking contest, is in his face about how the Navy is still gonna kick the Air Forces ass that night. She instantly passes out falling face first into the Air Force guy, which takes them both down on to a chair which promtly explodes. She was laying right on top of him, and we were all dude you OK? Immediatly, thrust both thumbs straight up in the air. Which was a freaking crack up... Needless to say the Air Force won that night.
These are some of the stories that will keep memories alive about one of the coolest dropzones around.
Nov 12, 2007, 7:39 PM
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I only made a few jumps at Cal City over the years, but I flew DC-3s and Otters up there a number of times in the early 90s. It was always a good party and great folks. Three things stand out in my mind about flying there, like the time Matt and I were flying Skip Evan's 3 along the mountains to the west of Cal City. Matt was flying and we were circling in a thermal getting 2400 feet a minute in climb when we stuck a wing out of the thermal. The wind shear wrenched the yoke right out of Matt's grasp with enough force to injure his shoulder. I showed up in a Twin Otter one Friday afternoon to find 45-knot plus winds 90 degrees to the runway. After two exciting tries at getting the Otter down on the runway and hearing no response on the radio on Unicom, I landed into the wind on the taxiway right in front of Van's hangar and parked there. I figured I'd get my ass chewed for landing there, but there wasn't a soul on the airport that I could find, so I taxied the plane down to parking and tied it down. The third was flying that same Otter, 915SM, when the girl riding in the co-pilot's seat stood up on jump run. turned to go in the back and snagged both fuel levers on her rig and shut off both engines. In the sudden quiet, I called out that this IS jump run, everybody out on one pass. After a few seconds of building panic in the back, a voice asks, "What direction are we going?" The jump run was into the wind and groundspeed was pretty slow, but the altimeter was unwinding steadily, so I answered, "Well, mostly down right now." The airplane emptied remarkably quickly.
Nov 13, 2007, 4:00 AM
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I had a motorcycle that I left outside the hanger and one night, what's his name, I can't even it remember it now, took it and went screaming up and down the RWY with it. He lived in a van across from Van's hanger and we had a big to do about stealing my bike. A few days later he comes over to the Bob's DZ to apologies and I blew him off. And about a week later, and unrelated to anything I did I'm sure, he took a gun and blew his brains out in his van. NickD BASE 194
His name was Art. Don't recall his last name. It is quickly closing in on 10 years since that event.
BASE359
(This post was edited by JSBIRD on Nov 13, 2007, 4:12 AM)
Nov 13, 2007, 8:41 AM
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Andy Anderson. He had a good heart but a troubled soul.
Roger that... plus an in-human tolerance for the quatities of Captain Morgan's he could consume and remain vertical as well as feet tougher than an elephant's... I don't think I ever saw him wear shoes... even when skydiving and landing in the desert... we used to call him "Art - ATF"... All Terrain Feet.
Nov 13, 2007, 9:08 AM
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Roger that... plus feet tougher than an elephant's... I don't think I ever saw him wear shoes... even when skydiving and landing in the desert... we used to call him "Art - ATF"... All Terrain Feet.
The first time I saw Art, I was getting on the Otter with a bunch of Japanese students. He boarded the aircraft barefoot, with a camera helmet on, and about 6 inches of wild hair sticking out all around. It was mid-December.
Nov 13, 2007, 9:58 AM
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Yes, it was Art, thanks for the memory jog. And I now recall him drinking me under the table with that rum on several occasions . . .
On another Cal City note I remember it was my birthday and I had the day off. So I drove my truck out into the desert (not much to do in Cal City if you aren't jumping) and had myself a little solo picnic. It was October 14, 1997.
Off in the distance there was a F-15 flying around which isn't strange as Cal City is very close to Edward's Air Force BASE. The jet came pretty close to where I was camped out and he was low and slow so I stood up and waved and I know he saw me because he gave me a little wing wag.
He then hit the burners and went straight up and I thought, wow, a little private air show for my birthday. A few minutes later I heard the double tap boom of the sound barrier being broken.
It wasn't until later that night back in a hangar I learned who was flying the F-15. That day, October 14th 1997, happened to be the 50th anniversary of the sound barrier first being broken. And the pilot who gave me the wing wag was none other than Chuck Yeager himself. He was there to celebrate by breaking the sound barrier again.
That was pretty cool, just me and Chuck, partying together out in the desert . . .
Nov 13, 2007, 1:35 PM
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I was just thinking about the first time (Shut up! The beer has long since been bought) I went out to Cal City.
When I came to the desert for work, at work I meet a co-worker & skydiver / became friends with Rollin and also then meet Chris and Karen and Dr. Dan, also skydivers from up this way "back in the day." When talking to them, probably at some happy hour drinkin' beers, about skydiving and saying, "I want to do that and I've heard about this Cal City place down the road"... of course, they said something along the lines of "okay, put your money where your mouth is and lets get you out there this weekend!"
Well, I don't know if it was that next weekend exactly, but it was pretty soon, Saturday morning July 17, 1993... real early... I followed them down to the DZ at Cal City. When I got out of the car, a full Otter load had just unloaded, some folks were already open some were opening. I paused in the parking lot before going inside to see what I needed to do to sign up, pay my money etc, and watched folks open, fly their canopies & land. Of course I knew about ram air canopies, had seen pictures, but probably had never seen ones in operation that close up before. Most folks on that load landed at the old experienced pit just on the other side of the Dog Jail and others way out at the Student Circle. Anyway, no clue who all was on that load, although I'm sure if I could go back and somehow find the manifest sheet for it, I'd bet I now know many of them... but I watched them fly their canopies, land, wonder what that flapping sound was (sliders before the days everyone had kill-lines on them), what that stuff was trailing behind, etc. etc.... all that stuff that is oh so familiar to me now.
And now, here, 14 years later... 3 rigs (only know where two of them are )... 3 reserves... 5 mains... 2 AADs... half a dozen jump suits... 5 altimeters... 3200+ Jumps/tickets... a rigger's license... went through the course and became a SL jumpmaster... a broken ankle back in 98 (don't turn low)... lots of driving back and forth to DZs all over SoCal and Arizona... and lots and lots of beer bought (and drank) ... do the math... maybe I should have just got back in the car and have rather bought a house by now or saved for retirement?
Nov 13, 2007, 4:13 PM
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That was pretty cool, just me and Chuck, partying together out in the desert . . .
That's incredible. I've heard a couple of stories from people about hanging out in the desert, watching the space shuttle pass by on its way to Edwards...but that takes the cake.
These are the sort of stories I just don't hear about from other places...
Nov 13, 2007, 4:36 PM
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Andy Anderson. He had a good heart but a troubled soul.
Roger that... plus an in-human tolerance for the quatities of Captain Morgan's he could consume and remain vertical as well as feet tougher than an elephant's... I don't think I ever saw him wear shoes... even when skydiving and landing in the desert... we used to call him "Art - ATF"... All Terrain Feet.
Andy and Art are two different people, Andy had a plate in his head from a car crash( he drank alot too), he Capped himself in one of the apartments out at the airport around 86 or 87, Nick Greb and Dan "blackdeath" Bardwell found him in his sleeping bag with the A/C on in the middle of winter to keep himself "fresh". Andy was my first ash dive, we used a paper bag. Dano told the story that when he went to Bakersfield to pick up the ashes there were 4 boxes on the table, not knowing which box was Andys he shook the first one,nothing, shook the 2nd. one, again nothing, picked up the 3rd and shook it, "thump", 'thump", thump", he knew he found Andy, (the plate) Art, on the other hand, lost or won, depending on how you look, playing Russian roulette.a habit he had when drinking, out at the far shooting range.
One of many friends who ashes were set free above Cailfornia City
(This post was edited by rapter on Nov 13, 2007, 4:56 PM)
Nov 13, 2007, 5:24 PM
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Art... Andy... oops... two different folks. Sorry, my bad.
Anyway... like Carey said, reportedly Arty "liked" to play Russian Roulette when drunk... the story went on that he got bored with just putting 1 round in the cylinder, giving it a spin, putting it to his head and pulling the trigger, so, he put 3 in the cylinder the, well, last time he played.
Nov 13, 2007, 5:31 PM
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Actually, thats me behind you in the yellow helmet. I had an old Paralert on it that was set to go off it was dropped. I never was able to hear it anyway. The red helmet might? be Dave Leclerq.
Nov 14, 2007, 2:16 PM
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I made a couple of jumps there in the early 80's. It was (if I remember correctly) a 4th of july weekend, and we went and watched the shuttle land. The next bit is stretching my memory but I seem to recall a vampire (I think) fighter passing us on the climb, a little later it was reported that the vampire had crashed (anyone remember or am I losing it?). Later that weekend we did a demo jump into the start of a motorcycle race. Sound like a busy weekend. (I think we also did a night jump) and slept on the
Nov 15, 2007, 9:38 PM
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Flying for Joe the last couple years of his life, I got to listen to a lot of his stories ... and Cal City was a place he always spoke of as special to him.
Nov 16, 2007, 5:51 AM
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I have a picture of Joe and Rose in the same shot before they even knew each other. Rose and I were students together. One of the best years of my life was when I was work at AirAffair for them on the dropzone.
Nov 23, 2007, 3:34 PM
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Seems like a good time to pick on Rapter. Ask him about the time he spotted a cross country load that was little off, like about 5-6 miles. Van Pray watched us land and actually managed to find an open patch to land the 206 in. We all loaded up but we didn't see Cary anywhere so we took off and flew back to the airport. We went out looking for him but he finally wandered in on his own about 2 hours later. I recall drinking a few beers that day!
Nov 23, 2007, 4:42 PM
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ah yes, the para-hike, my worst spot ever, miles from the dz, but you fallowed,....you rat-bastards left me out in the desert to die, I landed out at the farm due north of the airport. when you said "looked" for him, does that mean you stuck your head out the door of the loft and said, "nope don't see him, get me another beer"
(This post was edited by rapter on Nov 23, 2007, 4:46 PM)
Nov 23, 2007, 5:46 PM
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Re: [rapter] California City Stories
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A list of short stories for Cal City regulars:
The swimming pool made from Rapter and Greg Senger's pick-ups parked back to back and lined with tarps?
Danny Binge spotting a night load and instead of using the airport beacon as reference used the radio antenna out on Cal City boulevard?
The meteor shower boogie and party!
Terry Domini borrowing my second rig and having a malfunction, cutaway and malfunctioned the reserve. She landed under a line-overed 26' LoPo and strained her back. Strong offered to give me a discount if I wanted to replace it because it had large line burns all over it. I replaced with a 28' Phantom that ended up being recalled for acid mesh.
Sleeping in the Otter to make sure I didn't miss the early bird load.
Leigh Webb. Thanks! Enough said!!
I'll post more later. I would love to be there this weekend but I have a litter of puppies that would get really hungry while I was gone!
Nov 23, 2007, 7:07 PM
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Re: [jimjumper] California City Stories
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There's alot of Danny Binge stories out there, all are true. Don't know if you know it Jim, but Danny was killed in a car wreak a few years ago. Remember the time Billy Reed and Dennis Huff both burned up there cars at the same time on the airport ? Billy was useing his to push an old sofa over to the trash dumpster. got the front of the car stuck on the sofa and buryed the rear wheels in the sand. Asked Dennis to use his car to push it back off the sofa, He too got it stuck and buryed the rear wheels. Then the exhaust pipe caught the sofa on fire. We saw the glow from over the loft and went over to see what was burning. We got there about the same time the Fire Dept. got there and both cars and the sofa were fully engulfed, Just another weekend at Skydive Cal-City.
Nov 26, 2007, 6:39 AM
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Yeah... I'm surprised the current lot of couches in the hangar didn't wind up in the fire pit Saturday or last night... we must be getting old... ... anyway... finally got to figure out who the hell LisaH is and see her tits too...
Nov 26, 2007, 6:57 AM
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And who'd of thought the Cal City Dump would have been closed on Thanksgiving... err... okay, the day after Thanksgiving... when we went to throw away Philly & Patti's old big screen T.V...
Nov 26, 2007, 8:24 AM
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Yeah... I'm surprised the current lot of couches in the hangar didn't wind up in the fire pit Saturday or last night... we must be getting old... ... anyway... finally got to figure out who the hell LisaH is and see her tits too...
All right Timmy, no babies hanging on the tit either, did you see the size on the log on the fire, there was no room to throw a couch on the fire, besides, that would have been to much work, I thought the sunset load worked as it should. Wow, a dump closed on Thanksgiving, someone should write a song about that,............ some old faces showed up, Tom Cambell, Joany Mahony, Mike Deluna, Ron and Carol Satina. So we hugged after the last load, I think Philly said it best, "i've been on ash dives of old friends and didn't cry like this,...." I will miss that Dropzone.
Nov 28, 2007, 3:11 PM
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Quote:
...some old faces showed up, Tom Cambell, Joany Mahony, Mike Deluna, Ron and Carol Satina...
Ron taught my 1st jump course and put me out on my 1st static line jump & while I'm at it, and if Ron doesn't mind me saying so, Carol is a damn good lookin' woman... and smart too...
Nov 28, 2007, 3:16 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] California City Stories
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...some old faces showed up, Tom Cambell, Joany Mahony, Mike Deluna, Ron and Carol Satina...
Ron taught my 1st jump course and put me out on my 1st static line jump & while I'm at it, and if Ron doesn't mind me saying so, Carol is a damn good lookin' woman... and smart too...
HAH ! I can beat that. I was in Boyscouts with Mike DeLuna in Vegas when we were kids.
Awwww are you keeping him? How is he getting along with the other one?
Oh by the way, I have a lot of pics from the weekend. I'll put them on a CD for you if you'd like. as long as the other dog and cat don't kill and eat him, and I love pictures
(This post was edited by rapter on Nov 28, 2007, 8:18 PM)
...oh, my bad. Hows Buddy Charlie Yoda Poncho Stevens doing at the new abode? Hows Charlie? You going to Georgies this weekend? HOW THE FOCK DO I LOAD PICS!!!
...I love playing drums at the fire pit. Thanx Tree! That jacket kept me pretty warm. The shot of the sunrise is amazing. I dont think I know who you are either LisaH.
...I love playing drums at the fire pit. Thanx Tree! That jacket kept me pretty warm. The shot of the sunrise is amazing. I dont think I know who you are either LisaH.
I jumped there 2 years ago.
Here is a pic of Van, Alberta and I. And a cute one of Robert's cats.
(This post was edited by LisaH on Nov 29, 2007, 7:09 PM)
Dec 2, 2008, 4:56 PM
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I just came across this Cal City thread and had to post. I did my AFF here in 1987 and hung out with Jay, ursella, Danny, Bob and Judy, etc. I was there when we laid Danny at the end of the runway. Talk about fun stuff.
Their was another night that we were hanging out late in the hanger (the old hanger) playing some stupid drinking game. Danny lost a round and started jugging, before he was done he had thrown up in the cup and still finished it all off, vomit and all...NS I have it all on tape. later that night about 30 of us pursued into a pie fight that left the place an absolute mess. Leave it to Mark Hewitt to get things started.
Sorry to hear about Danny.
Another time Mark Hewitt, Mike Brown, Paul Stagner and myself left the DZ in two cars after a fun jump weekend headed back for LA. We started playing bumper tag in our cars driving along highway 14. we had our lights off in the dark and the object was to sneak up behind the other and tag the car, hence your it. Things got out of control and we started passing one another while the passenger would try to do stupid skydiver stuff to impress the other car. Mike and I beat out Mark and Paul when someone in our car got out on the hood buck naked at 100 miles per hour as we flew by the other car. Good thing we have all grown up over the last 20 years.
(This post was edited by cjsitfly on Dec 2, 2008, 7:09 PM)
... old raw footage of The 1995 Rat Roast Boogie at Cal City... some really bad skydives... Dunno if its a good thing or a bad thing that I can still remember some of those jumps. I must have had less than 200 jumps back then.
Jul 8, 2009, 3:12 PM
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Re: [LloydDobbler] California City Stories
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I think I finally figured out how to post photo's so lets see! This picture was taken over Cal City about late '88 or early '99. Anybody see themselves or someone they know? I will post later with a group shot in front of the Otter.
Sep 20, 2009, 11:40 AM
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Cal City Refugees at Taft 19 Sept 2009
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Here's a photo taken at Skydive Taft on Saturday, 19 Sept 2009, of some of the last of the Cal City grey haired bunch that still get in the air once in awhile... more Rogaine, less beer and more time on the tread mill for these guys...
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Sep 20, 2009, 11:40 AM)
Sep 20, 2009, 12:14 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Cal City Refugees at Taft 19 Sept 2009
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Here's a photo taken at Skydive Taft on Saturday, 19 Sept 2009, of some of the last of the Cal City grey haired bunch that still get in the air once in awhile... more Rogaine, less beer and more time on the tread mill for these guys...
Goodamn , i'm glad i'm not as old as that bunch of old farts.
Oct 25, 2009, 8:44 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] California City Stories
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No issues at all, in fact I'm glad someone is watching all that old crap. Here's some stills from those jumps. Amazing how much better stills make you look than video... By the way you'vegot waaaay too much time on your hands.
On my way out to near-point to go shooting with Bob, YoBo & Yong today, I stopped by the ol' Hangar at Cal City... the place still sits empty...
Although, that really is Jerry's truck in the parking lot in the 1st photo. Guess he was waiting for early-bird!??! Just kidding. He was in the area too riding dirt bikes with his son and friends and happened by the same time we did.
Jul 18, 2010, 9:45 AM
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Baltic divers find what they claim is world's oldest champagne
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Baltic divers find what they claim is world's oldest champagne in wreck near Aland islands
Published July 17, 2010
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world's oldest drinkable champagne, fishing a bottle of the centuries-old bubbly from a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea.
Dive instructor Christian Ekstrom says the champagne, believed to be from the 1780's, "tasted fantastic." Ekstrom said Saturday he's "98 percent sure" of the champagne's age, having conferred with experts.
About 30 bottles are believed to remain in the wreckage. Swedish wine expert Carl-Jan Granqvist says each bottle could bring as much as euro50,000 if the corks are intact and the age and authenticity can be proven. Samples have been sent to champagne laboratories in France for testing.
The bottles were discovered Tuesday near the Aland islands, in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden.
This reminds me of the time Robert was cleaning out under the stage at Cal City and found an old case of Budweiser... steel cans... pull tabs... many with surface rust...
Jul 22, 2010, 6:19 PM
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Re: [jumpwally] Cal City New Years Day 2010
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Well, the airport is a Municipal Airport.
As far as I know, the city still owns the 4 hangars at the west end of the airport and the acerage to the southwest of the airport that used to make up Cal City Skydive. I don't know if anyone is renting or has purchased the hangar or land. The hangars were still sitting empty the last time I went by there a few months ago and, althougth I haven't looked in awhile, I can find no commercial listing for the property being for sale.
Sure wish someone would re-open a dropzone there. Even if it was a Cessna operation and build it back from there.
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Jul 22, 2010, 6:20 PM)
Oct 8, 2010, 9:25 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Cal City Hangar 1 Oct 2010
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Anybody know what happened to one of Bob Celayas nephews, a kid by the name of Rudy? When I was working at Camp Mendenhall (a probation youth camp) I ran into this kid. I asked him what his name was and he says "Rudy Celaya" I asked him if he knew of any skydivers in his family (just a shot in the dark) He tells me "Yeah , my uncle Bob and aunt Judy" He was a pretty good kid, just had a rough family situation..
Oct 8, 2010, 5:33 PM
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Re: [fossg] Cal City Hangar 1 Oct 2010
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You don't mean Ruban (sp?) do you? Anyway, Ruban hasn't been a kid in many years, so that's probably not who you mean. Sorry, don't know about a nephew of Bob's named Rudy.
Oct 10, 2010, 5:39 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Cal City Hangar 1 Oct 2010
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the Reed boys had a disagreement with him, and they were fighting over a gun, the gun "went" off, the bullet went through the bill of the hat pulling his hair out the top of his hat,.. good times
Stop by the hanger today, it was open, they were having "the Mojave Film Festival" out there, no people, they were showing a movie.
(This post was edited by rapter on Oct 10, 2010, 5:44 PM)
Dec 16, 2010, 2:08 PM
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Re: [howardwhite] Anyone got 600K burning a whole in their pocket?
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Yeah, well, like I said on YouTube... technically, she's been "for sale" for as long as I've known her to be owned by Van Sr or Jr... everything has its price...
Maybe a bunch of us could pool our money... buy her... stick her on a pole at the Ol' Cal City DZ?
Dec 16, 2010, 4:40 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Anyone got 600K burning a whole in their pocket?
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There are already plans for an Otter in the museum. But it should be a crashed one, not one that still can fly. It's not the USPA museum; it's an independent entity, even though it will be next to USPA.
Dec 21, 2010, 9:37 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Anyone got 600K burning a whole in their pocket?
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When I die I'd like to be stuffed and placed into that museum. Maybe in a nice diorama. You know, beer in one hand a joint in the other and a crappy old trailer in the background . . .
All, I've been spending time while off for Christmas / New Year's scanning in A LOT of old Cal City East / West and Apple Valley Skydive photos. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with them all. I'd like to post them somewhere or do a web-site or blog to share them so folks can see them and maybe reconnect, but in the mean time, here's a few from Cal City... so old that color photography hadn't yet been invented... Enjoy.
Dec 31, 2010, 8:56 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] A few more pictures from here and there
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I drove by the old place yesterday and snapped this photo. I don't know if there's anyting going on inside. I could have wandered over to see, but just didn't feel like it.
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Dec 31, 2010, 8:57 AM)
Mar 31, 2011, 1:38 PM
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Re: [rapter] Anyone heard if 1PM sold yet
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You went low on the conversation there Cary...
I think HW was talking about 1PM maybe going to X-Keys, not Yong. Yong is at Snore, not 1PM, but maybe Youg will go to X-Keys at somepoint, if she hasn't already been there... ... okay, now I'm confused... DOH!
Anyone else spot riggerrob or Mr. Bunny in the video?
93 was around the time I started, but I don't remember the King Air or Sky Van (Casa? or was it the Scare-a-boo?) at Cal City around that time although a King Air and some sort of tail-gate appears in this video... along with N121PM and what looks to be N3927G?
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Apr 24, 2011, 2:10 PM)
I was listening to the Mark and Brian show this morning before work and Brian was still talking about skydiving out at Cal City, drinking beers afterwards and going out into the desert to shoot guns...
Geeze, its been what? 20ish years since the Above and Below Show?
Jun 28, 2011, 8:36 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Mark and Brian KLOS
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I was listening to the Mark and Brian show this morning before work and Brian was still talking about skydiving out at Cal City, drinking beers afterwards and going out into the desert to shoot guns...
Geeze, its been what? 20ish years since the Above and Below Show?
Anyway, was having some fun with Google Earth and going through what historical imagery I could find there.
Attached are some aerial photos of Cal City courtesy of Google Earth circa 1994, a couple from 2004, 2006 and 2008.
I'm not 100% sure if I buy the "imagery date" associated with each.
27 May 1994 was a Friday, it was the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend that year, but still seems a lot of cars in the parking lot. No jumps in my log book as this was during a brief hiatus for me between starting and finishing student status. Maybe someone else will happen by and check this date in their log book.
16 February 2004 was a Monday, President's Day. I would have been off of work that day, but couldn't find a jump in my log book for that day.
31 December 2004 was a Friday, New Year's Eve, but I couldn't find any jumps logged that day either.
29 April 2006 was a Saturday and I do have 6 jumps logged that day at Cal City.
The last pic, from 31 March 2008 was about 4 months after the DZ closed up.
<break><break>
Anyway, reportedly the city has rented the ol' skydiving hangar to a company that overhauls Gulfstreams. Last time I happened by the place, it looked like there was some activity; flags on the flag poles, a new gate across where one would drive onto the ramp and a dumpster outside like trash service was resumed or remodeling was underway inside. If so, hope the business works out well. Its been a shame seeing the place sitting empty.
(This post was edited by ZigZagMarquis on Aug 1, 2011, 11:40 PM)
Aug 10, 2011, 8:27 PM
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Re: [mjosparky] U.S. Navy Test Parachutists
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Yeah, well, I chose my "stupid" moments differently. /JOKING!
Anyway, I don't think that was Misty. Could have been, but I think that was a different gal.
Anyway... Misty... BSBD RIP, you did everything right, sorry you got screwed. I tiped a glass for you the day you left us and I hope to do so again with you some day, but not for some time, hold a slot for me though. Skies.
(This post was edited by quade on Jul 18, 2012, 9:23 PM)
Aug 10, 2011, 8:39 PM
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sorry you got screwed
Boy that is an understatement. No one even got an Article 15 out of the deal.
Sparky
Yeah, well, that's a conversation for a different time and place, but its one of the reasons I got my rigger's ticket. I figured if it was going to go to shit, I might as well do it to myself, or not.... so far... so good... 3 saves, and 2 of them are the most important person in the world... ME!
88 at Cal City was about 5 years before my time jumping there, but I'll take a stab at a few folks in that photo (besides Celaya) that I meet after I happend that way in 93... how about...
Dave Deis Jay Schumacher (sp?)... flipin' the downward bird Gary Koleghey (I'm sure that's spelled way wrong) Carol Bell Lida Weisenhunt (again... sure I messed up the spelling)
... did I guess any correct?
I'm surprised Philly isn't in that photo. No beers... he must have been off raidin' the fridge while it was unguarded during the photo op.
Mar 30, 2012, 7:17 AM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Lee Webb Photo circa 1988
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Not bad! I just saw Dave Deis a couple of months ago at Perris and that is Linda Wisenhunt. I haven't heard about her in a long time. Of the other 3 none are in the photo although Jay was jumping at Cal City around this time. The guy flippin the bird is Dennis Huff and the other female is named Julie although I can't remember her last name. Mike Mangold would know and he is standing next to her on her left. My logbook notes say that this was Dave Harder's 200th jump and Dave LeClerq's 500th and they are both in the photo. I don't have a name for the pilot though! If anybody knows let me know. This picture would have been taken just after moving to the big hanger. You can just see the old office and packing building behind the Otter that we shared with a carpet making company before Van built the hanger that everybody remembers.
That's the guy! But, I would have to say that Van Sr. had pretty good reason to dislike him!! Also, I may have been incorrect in stating the new hanger was up. When we moved out of the carpet factory we actually spent some time in the small hanger in front of the big hanger while the big hanger was being constructed. Since I went to Japan for 2 years after the photo was taken, and I left before it's completion, I'm pretty sure it wasn't in use yet. After moving into the big hanger the small hanger was used a gear store for a while.
The rumor-mill has it that "Jump Operations Commencing in 2 Min over California City Airport" and "Jumpers Away Over California City Airport" calls have been heard recently over Joshua?!!?
Think this is for real or just some old trons still floating around the verse getting bounced back via sun-spots or something?
Air Force test jumpers using the ol' landing area?
Apr 10, 2012, 4:48 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Jumpers Away Over Cal City!!??!
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I heard a wild rumour last week that a couple of guys have secured permission to do military freefall training there. I don't know if it's a U.S. or foreign military operation.
Jul 18, 2012, 8:47 AM
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It was Danny Benge (RIP) and I remember asking Dano wouldn't he wake up. Dano said "nope" and dropped a large trashcan right by his head and Danny did not wake up! So they put him on the stretcher we had, loaded him onto the DZ truck and put him on the numbers. Danny was not naked, but was sleeping in his tighty whities, and his sleeping bag had been sewn shut. He woke up on the numbers, had to hoof it nearly naked across the entire dropzone to the club. Lol, I asked him how he got back, "walked!"
Jul 18, 2012, 10:19 AM
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Re: [rapter] California City Stories
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I actually have a picture of the two cars after the fire was out. Hahaha! And sadly, Danny Benge was killed on his motorcycle in LA years ago. RIP Danny Lee! The reason there are so many Danny Lee stories is that he would always get drunk and pass out in public so early. Remember when we drew a mustache with a sharpie on his face! I remember the scream when he saw himself in the mirror! Or when he passed out on the packing table and we tied his shoelaces together? I remember the distinct THUMP in the middle of the night. And there are so many more, lol!
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There's alot of Danny Binge stories out there, all are true. Don't know if you know it Jim, but Danny was killed in a car wreak a few years ago. Remember the time Billy Reed and Dennis Huff both burned up there cars at the same time on the airport ? Billy was useing his to push an old sofa over to the trash dumpster. got the front of the car stuck on the sofa and buryed the rear wheels in the sand. Asked Dennis to use his car to push it back off the sofa, He too got it stuck and buryed the rear wheels. Then the exhaust pipe caught the sofa on fire. We saw the glow from over the loft and went over to see what was burning. We got there about the same time the Fire Dept. got there and both cars and the sofa were fully engulfed, Just another weekend at Skydive Cal-City.
Jul 18, 2012, 12:03 PM
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Fnd this while looking for another picture. Recognize anybody? Photo was taken by Leigh Webb Oct. 88.
Wow, thanks! In the front I see Dennis Huff (RIP), Mark Hewitt, Linda Whisenhunt, and Graham. Rear I see Dave Deis, Dano?, Joe Crotwell?, Dave Harder, Jim Phillips?, Dave LeClerq?, Danny Schell, Bob Celaya, and not sure of the others. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong! I am just wondering where I was that day?
Aug 3, 2012, 1:05 PM
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Re: [ZigZagMarquis] Jumpers Away Over Cal City!!??!
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I would, but I'm afraid the constant whining about the anemic climb rate of the old 0-300 would about drive me insane. Lots of jumps from a 172 really make you appreciate the power and space in 182...
Aug 3, 2012, 1:09 PM
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Re: [boyfalldown] Jumpers Away Over Cal City!!??!
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I would, but I'm afraid the constant whining about the anemic climb rate of the old 0-300 would about drive me insane. Lots of jumps from a 172 really make you appreciate the power and space in 182...
I hear that there's some guy in the midwest trying to put a PT-6 in a C206!!?!
Aug 3, 2012, 1:39 PM
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I would, but I'm afraid the constant whining about the anemic climb rate of the old 0-300 would about drive me insane. Lots of jumps from a 172 really make you appreciate the power and space in 182...
I hear that there's some guy in the midwest trying to put a PT-6 in a C206!!?!
Would make a great jump plane for ya!
There *was* a rumor floating around about that, wasn't there?
I missed it, but I heard told around the water cooler at work today that after 25 years (or so), Mark & Brian have decided to "hang it up". Tomorrow will be their last radio show, reportedly?
During today's show, so I was told, Brian was talking again about Cal City Skydive and the Flying Peckerheads.
Maybe in retirement Brian will get the itch to jump again and re-open Cal City?
You know what they say about making a small fortune at a Drop Zone!
I'm hearing that rumor out of control is Crouch and Jay are trying to organize a Cal City Skydive Reunion at Taft, maybe on 27 Oct and maybe if they can get an aircraft bigger than a Cessna 182 / 206.
... this Nov will be the 5th year since California City Skydive closed down.
Anyway, any info on the possible reunion at Taft?
Maybe Junior will have his PT-6 C206 done in time to bring it out for the reunion (if it happens) and fly a few loads!!??!
Well, Cal City Skydive may be long gone, but some of still get together and go shooting out in the desert, just like we used to after jumping back in the good ol' days.
This past Friday a few of us met for lunch at the airport terminal (Foxy's... aka Jamie's) and then went shooting out at Far Point.
While taking a walk, enjoying a fresh beverage and picking up unbroken clays to sling and shoot at again, I found this old beer can (see the photo labled "found in desert").
While rusted and very badly faded, it's amazing that its still in one piece, un-crushed and not perferated with bullet holes after being out in the desert at a spot where drunk skydivers have been shooting for several (skydiver) generations.
A quick Google without even having to leave Far Point (smart phones ROCK!) found that this can once held "Brew 102" made by the former L.A. Brewery.
It must have been some "good stuff" to go for 99 cents a 6-pack!
Anyway, the other photo attached (NewBrew) showes what the can we found probably looked like before being discarded and left to rust in the desert for 40ish years!
My friends and I (who all started jumping there) have been pretty bummed about it since hearing the news yesterday...and for me, the only thing that's really taken the edge off is reading some people's good vibes and memories from the 
...sure there's a few stories like that...) 
And Mima. Tony...well, you are tons of fun. 
. Anyway, made it back and now its one of those "no shit... there I was... thought I was gonna die... that wasn't so smart" stores that get told over and over after a bunch of beers. 
wedding.jpg
)... 3 reserves... 5 mains... 2 AADs... half a dozen jump suits... 5 altimeters... 3200+ Jumps/tickets... a rigger's license... went through the course and became a SL jumpmaster... a broken ankle back in 98 (don't turn low)... lots of driving back and forth to DZs all over SoCal and Arizona... and lots and lots of beer bought (and drank) 
I must have had less than 200 jumps back then. 
