I've jumped at every DZ in my state now

[Zoso 2]

This year I decided I wanted to jump at least once at every DZ in Indiana just for the hell of it. I had a good time at every one. Thought I'd share a few comments about each one...

Skydive Fort Wayne (Angola, IN)

DZO AJ Hudson is as nice a guy as you'll ever meet. His website is right when it boasts of having one of the midwest's most scenic DZ's. There are too many lakes to count. AJ said two fellow skydiver's have C182's which sometimes run formations with his 182 so that they can do 8 or 12 ways.

Indiana Skydiving Academy (Goshen, IN)

Bo and Paula rolled out the red carpet for me and my fiance by letting us stay in their RV instead of a hotel as we had planned. We were also treated to pizza and some fine booze along with some of the DZ's regulars at Bo and Paula's home. My cup runneth over. Their DZ hanger gets my vote as the coolest layout for a small DZ. You can sit on a couch on the back wall and see jumpers landing. Step out of the hanger and you have the obligatory picnic table sitting on well kept grass. Very inviting, open and convenient. The airport taxi-way passes right along the hanger, just beyond the grass, for a chauffeur-like pickup for your load. Appropriately skilled jumpers can land within a short walk and students have an enormous landing area with a pit from which they are picked up in a truck. This DZ has 2 widebody C182s and is well worth visiting, just like Skydive Fort Wayne.

Skydive Greensburg (Greensburg, IN)

Everybody knows Bob Doherty (Think "Bob-Way" at Rantoul) so I'll let his notoriety speak for itself. Bob was very hospitable and gave Linda and myself the grand tour of his excellent facility. This guy has one fine layout. Not only is the layout great but I couldn't help but notice how good his signage was explaining all of his rules and training/progression info for students. Lot's of DZO's could take a lesson from Bob in this department. Of course their Caravan merits acknowledgement - enough said. lastly, Bob does a great job with his weekly emails to everyone about current going's on at the DZ.

Oh yea, be sure to check out the tree growing out of the top of the courthouse - it's freaky.

Skydive Wayne County (Richmond, IN)

Everybody knows about Richmond (THE Boogie). For those that don't, Richmond hosts the 2nd biggest boogie of the country every year. They have a Caravan on weekends and a small Cessna during the week. Sister Co-DZO's Jamie and Amy Stewart were both very nice as were all of the jumpers that I met that day. Rookie jumpers from small drop zones will appreciate this next observation: I did a solo from 13000 or 13500 and was struck by the fact that the airport took up almost my entire field of view while in freefall - it's HUGE. Not as big as Rantoul, but still huge.

Jerry's Skydiving Circus (Franklin, IN)

My home DZ and my skydiving family. The fun starts with DZO Richard Money. He's a character and everybody loves him. Richard now has 2 C182's for jumping and an excellent atmosphere for my favorite hobby. It's fun and it's safe. My fiance doesn't jump but she has been treated like family since day 1. This DZ has many experienced jumpers who will jump with new jumpers and help them free of charge. It makes you want to do the same whenever you can. I know many jumpers who could easily jump elsewhere but they are loyal to Richard and it's obvious why.

That concludes my report but I also want to mention Skydive Indiana in Frankfort (now closed) where I did my first 20 jumps. This was a great DZ and I'm still bummed I wasn't yet qualified to jump out of their King Air before they closed.

And for sentimental purposes, I have visited the site of two closed DZs that many friends have told me about. Morresville, where it all started for many long time jumpers in Indiana, and Anderson - home DZ of my friend "Crazy Dave" Marsh. Dave did his 150th jump there shortly before they closed and hasn't jumped since. Anyone have any Crazy Dave stories? (They called him "Malfunction Man")

Maybe someday I'll visit the old site of the other closed Indiana drop zones. If I do, I'll have a moment of silence and a smile while I imagine all of the good times.

[Unstable 8]

Ya Know, I once went and jumped at every DZ in the State of Kansas.... Then I realized I really hadn't accomplished anything.... It's kinda like swimming across all of the oceans in Oklahoma...
hey, congrats, and thanks for posting this! I hope to make it someday to some of those DZ's and check em out!!

=========Shaun ==========

[Zoso 2]

I know what you mean. About a year or 2 ago I read somewhere about a state that had no dropzones at all. The writer was sending out an open letter noting that his/her state was needing a dropzone.

Indiana isn't the Mecca of skydiving but at least we have 5 dropzones.

[Evelyn 0]

I think that's awesome that you've jumped at a lot of different DZ's. I have only jumped at one DZ and the only reason I will be jumping at a different DZ is to attend the Chicks Rock boogie. But the reason I haven't jumped other DZ's is cuz I was doing a demo program at my local DZ where I got free gear rental. I could have jumped other DZ's but would have had to pay to rent gear and it wasn't in my budget. My new, own gear is due in any day. Woo Hoo!

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

[Zoso 2]

Evelyn,

Tell me about this demo program. You must hold the record for most jumps on rental gear!

Congrats on the new gear. You'll feel liberated.

[wingnut 0]

Quote

About a year or 2 ago I read somewhere about a state that had no dropzones at all.

if i'm not mistaken i thing wyoming is one of em.......

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