Dan Rossi Stories

[RevJim 0]

I had been thinking recently about how dan would, on occasion, drop into rec.skydiving with a few quick witted comments, and possibly an amazing story. I used to love reading those stories, and actually wanted to re-read them, but searching in google is a pain. Thanks Jack for posting a link to Wendy's NCB site, and thank you Wendy for archiving those stories. Every single one of those stories are a worthwhile read to every single poster here. Really.
http://crwdog.servebeer.com/skydive/rossi.html

And my favorite: http://crwdog.servebeer.com/skydive/dan/beautiful.txt

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[livendive 8]

Quote

I used to love reading those stories, and actually wanted to re-read them, but earching in google is a pain.

Sweet! I've actually posted a few of Rossi's stories here. And I think some O'Connell stories too.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[mx757 4]

would love to meet the guy.. and have him jump with us deaf / amputee jumpers...gee the media would go nuts on that blind and deaf and amputees jumping out of airplanes....its fun to read of his adventures...

[RevJim 0]

Quote

Quote

I used to love reading those stories, and actually wanted to re-read them, but earching in google is a pain.

Sweet! I've actually posted a few of Rossi's stories here. And I think some O'Connell stories too.

Blues,
Dave

Ooooohhh, O'Connell stories.... I actually edited, formatted, printed, and framed one of those for my office wall (yep, still here...) It was the one titled "Going Home."

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[livendive 8]

Quote

Ooooohhh, O'Connell stories.... I actually edited, formatted, printed, and framed one of those for my office wall (yep, still here...) It was the one titled "Going Home."

Here's one

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[livendive 8]

Quote

Ooooohhh, O'Connell stories.... I actually edited, formatted, printed, and framed one of those for my office wall (yep, still here...) It was the one titled "Going Home."

And "Goin' Home", for those who haven't read it:

Quote

Job, weather, and circumstances had intervened multiple times
and I hadn't made a jump in weeks. I get "funny" when I don't jump
after that long and I had all but threatened the world if I didn't
get to jump come the next Saturday. So on this nice spring day
I got up a tad earlier and was there soon enough to make an
early load. I had made 4 pretty quick RW loads and was
having a ball and feeling quite good. Each landing was
greeted with a "damn, I love this sport" regardless of what
had been "scored" on the RW portion. But it was drifting
into the afternoon and many were splitting early to get ready
for some local wedding or some such. I found my day winding
down early and yet not wanting it to end.


There was a spot left on the plane, one that wouldn't be
filled by anyone who wasn't on one of the teams, or a tandem,
or willing to fly solo. I decided I needed one more shot.
So I filled the spot and decided to just go "see the world".


All the teams split and the tandems were crawling
down to the door when I stuck my head out into the breeze.
I looked to make sure all was clear and then I just rolled
out the door. No poised exit, no quick transitions, I just
rolled like one would into bed after a long day. A couple
of tumbles and I ended up on my back just watching the plane
rumble on. I find this position incredibly comfortable, like
sitting in an easy chair. It's what I would think "lying
in a cloud" felt like if I didn't already know what lying
in a cloud really felt like. I watched for a second and then
rolled over to look around.


For me, being "up there" is like being "home". I'm not
sure I'm that comfortable anywhere else in, or over, the
world. It's all so familar to me. The clouds, the
horizon, the light playing off of water and grass. All the
familar objects now so small. Forget the people, the CARS
look like ants. I spun slowly just looking around, like
one does when they've been away from home for a long time.
Looking, again, at all that's so familar. I tracked
towards a cloud, like I might step over to a family photo
upon which I have gazed before, but oh so long ago.


A few flips, a couple of rolls, goofing a tad with
really bad stand up and I start to become aware that
altitude is slipping by. The sky starts to look different
when opening time comes. It's that same feeling like
looking back at home when you know you'll be gone along time.
Every detail sharpens even as they become smaller. I roll
on my back one last time, so wonderfully comfortable, even
as I plunge those last feet towards earth. I know now it's
over and I must roll back and dump. It's not that I don't
like the canopy ride, I do, but this place, the place
I now see mostly above me, and getting further away, is
"home". It's where I want to be. I roll back, but my head
resists going along. I stare over my sholder as I throw
out the pilot chute. Even though I know this will bring
a narly opening, I continue to stare.


The opening was predictable, the flight to the ground
enjoyable. One more "damn, I love this sport" as I walk
to the packing tent. I too have evening prepartions to
attend to, and I've had a good day of jumping. Good byes
are made, bills are paid. Someone says as I part, "going
home"? "Sorta" I say. How do you explain that "home"
is up there? There are no walls. There will never
be Thanksgiving dinner there. Most of my family doesn't
even go there. But if one means that feeling of being
right where they belong, of being where everything is
so familar, and so warm, and so good, if they mean that
place you would know even if you forgot everything else,
then "home" is up there.


The gear goes in the back, the beer goes in the front.
It's now time for the drive back to the house. I hear
canopies opening so I pause and look up. And I see the
clouds, and I hear the wind, and I feel the sunshine.
It's like looking in the window of your own home. And
I feel myself lifting up onto my toes, my hands down at
my sides, and my whole body straining to just track off
the ground, and back up, home. And I close my eyes,
and I can see it all again. Then I truly know the meaning
of the words.


Why?


Skies call. That's all.


Kevin O'Connell

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[RevJim 0]

Thanks Dave.
The rec was good for some things, that's for sure.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[livendive 8]

I think I've found most of O'Connell's stories, but this isn't the thread to clutter them with. I'll post them in a thread with a more appropriate title.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[faulknerwn 36]

I'll be happy to archive em on my webpage as well if you send me a link! Kevin wrote great stuff - whatever happened to him?
W

[RevJim 0]

He's still there, posting as "me," though I tend to believe it's more lurking than posting, due to the Jerry-Snuffy-BigJim-Spoogeon factor.

Hell, I'm still there too, but I have to say I like the much more cival places, like, um, here!

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[brianbyrd 0]

Hi I'm not a skydiver, but I do know Dan Rossi. It could be that Dan hasn't been around lately because he is a lazy bastard. I know this because I am a lazy bastard. I am also the editor of The Explorer, the which is the newsletter for The Explorer's Club of Pittsburgh, hence how I know Dan.

Perhaps Dan will come back when someone puts together a raft dive, he talks about it constantly, either that or a jump in a national forest.

Btw if anyone wants to publish an outdoor related story send me an email at [email protected]. Word attachments are best.

[RhondaLea 3]

Quote

I'll be happy to archive em on my webpage as well if you send me a link! Kevin wrote great stuff - whatever happened to him?
W

The last time I saw him (and finally met Maggie, after all this time) was at Gus' memorial. He's still working in Orlando, jumping on weekends, and hanging onto his hat.

He posts occasionally on recdot, and he answers his email if you write to him.

rl

P.S. How you doin', Wen?

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[danrossi 0]

Hi folks,

Ignore Brian, he is just too much of a wuss to jump out of an aircraft. :-)
Another friend must have been searching out some of my stories and stumbled across this thread and
pointed me to it. I'm still out here but haven't been jumping.
After the world record dive in Sept. 2003 I got a bit shaken after the no radio landing.
Add to that that virtually no one from around here is driving out to Parkman anymore, it makes it kind
of difficult for me to get out and jump. Plus, I spent last summer and fall preparing
to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, which I did at the beginning of this year. Anyway, I've just spent
over 300 bucks to get my CYPRES 8 year check up and reserve repack, so I had damn well better
make a jump or 20 before the end of the season to make it worthwhile.

Thanks to everyone for keeping me in your thoughts. It is very flattering to know I have so many friends around the country.

Flare when you hear the crickets.

[livendive 8]

Quote

Add to that that virtually no one from around here is driving out to Parkman anymore, it makes it kind
of difficult for me to get out and jump.

That excuse doesn't fly Dan. Was it Kapowsin where you learned to drive? :-)

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[RevJim 0]

Great to see you out in the open, Dan. Feel free to post any more stories....and don't try and tell me you ran out... he he he

Him!

Him!

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[danrossi 0]

HA! Nope, I learned to drive way back when I was a teen. Did some driving
when I was jumping at Albany Skydiving. Had my first, and only, wreck at Parkman
back in the early 90s. Even managed to learn to drive a stick.
At a party at Parkman one night, a buddy jokingly tossed me his keys saying he was
going to be drinking so I should hang onto his keys. I pocketed them and eventually lost him.
I snagged a friend and she helped me steal his truck. I parked it at the end of the runway.
The announcement over the P.A. first thing in the morning was, "Lary! Get your damn truck off the runway! I've got students to take up!"

I work for Carnegie Mellon University and they are a leader in autonomous navigation. I keep
pushing them to let me have one of the vehicles but they won't give me the damn keys.

Flare when you hear the crickets.

[danrossi 0]

Thanks Rev. Much appreciated. I'll try and drop in when I can. I should write
up another story or two some time soon. I owe Brian Byrd, the editor of my outdoor club's news letter,
a couple of trip reports as well. I finally got the photographic proof of me on the summit
of Kili and so I now have to write about that trip. So many things to do and yet they still insist I show
up at work every damn day. SHEESH!

Flare when you hear the crickets.