Rumbleseat 2000

By Lisa Briggs

A southern California tradition was reborn at Perris January 8th when the Rumbleseat meet was held at Perris.

The first 10-way competition, the Rumbleseat meet started as a bet between Elsinore's The Group and Arvin's Good Guys in 1967. Five dollars was riding on which team could build another 10 way star first - to date each group had completed only one. Garth Taggart drafted a set of rules and Carl Boenish, Scratch Garrison and Jerry Bird reviewed them. Once word got out another team wanted in on the action. Taggart realized he had a real competition on his hands and talked skydiver hangout the Rumbleseat Inn in Elsinore to sponsor a trophy.

The meet was held at Taft because they had the only airplane big enough to carry 10. Arvin completed two back to back stars to win the trophy and $5. The other two teams didn't complete a 10 way. It was 1969 at Elsinore before Rumbleseat was won by time, with two teams completing stars. Jerry Bird's All Stars won that meet with an average time of 41.10 seconds.

Rumbleseat was held nearly every year until 1992. Local jumper Peter Godbold missed the meet and with the help of Perris management put together Rumbleseat 2000. The meet was to be four rounds of no show, no hold exits out of a DC3. Teams were to build a star as fast as possible, with the first and second jumpers out the door required to hook up before the rest of the jumpers could dock.

Eight teams gathered on the creeper pad Saturday morning for the briefing. DZO Melanie Conatser started by apologizing profusely (she even mentioned free beer!) for the dz's lack of planning… there was only enough 100LL fuel on the airport for two DC3 loads, so two rounds would be held from Otters. Godbold and Judge June Urschel explained the rules and the first round was on a twenty-minute call.

After a fast ten way star with his team "You can talk but can you dock" James Martin had a main line get caught on a grommet on his container. Unable to free himself from the mess, he pulled his reserve. Unfortunately the reserve wasn't able to clear the trailing mess and he died on impact. The drop zone became a sad, quiet place as the news spread.

A captain's meeting was called shortly after to find out if the competitors wanted to continue the meet. Five of the eight teams decided to go on; Martin's team and two others withdrew.

The German's ended up winning the meet, although there was some controversy over whether their exits were really single file. Mike McCarthy's team from Elsinore took second and Peter Godbold's team AJX placed third.

At the awards presentation that evening, Conatser suggested that Martin be remembered by adding his name to the Rumbleseat meet; an idea that was met with hearty applause.

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