diablopilot 2 #1 August 15, 2008 As a tandem instructor I've experienced periods of jumping where groups of students seem to just wear you down with no end in sight. Sometimes it seems like all you seem to get are self absorbed types who want a "ride", ignore instruction, whine when you tell them "no flips", and the most important thing they have to say in their video's closing interview is to complain about how their ears hurt, or how the harness was too tight. They seem to come in waves, and all you can do is smile and try to remember that you're a professional, and find that one in a hundred that's there to actually have an experience and maybe learn something. Today was finally a break from those types, had a group of students over on an exchange program from Ireland, a few guys out on a motorcycle ride who asked all the smart questions, and had a ball, and a mother daughter and sister in-law out for a day of fun. But there was one student that turned out to be more special to me than most. This one I'll remember. Cue Alice. Alice is from Northern California and came out to visit her daughter who's going to school in the area. Apparently the daughter told them that she wanted to go skydiving so they made plans before even coming down to visit. I came back to the hanger with my 6th student of the day, dropped of the rig, de-geared the student, wished them well, and checked the board to see who my next student was. Introduced myself to Alice, started my briefing, sensed she was a little more nervous than most, switched to the "soft, sensitive" briefing, finished up, grabbed a rig and headed for the plane with student in tow. We were going up in the 206 with the daughter and her instructor and the husband would be on the last load. Somewhere between briefing and plane I find out Alice has jumped before with her father. Cool, not uncommon, based on the ages I assume a static line maybe in the late 80's. As we get in the plane I casually ask "how long since your jump with your dad?" She piques my interest when she says "we jumped when I was a teenager in the 70's". Wow. I'm impressed. So I run with that conversation since Alice is pretty nervous, asking about the gear she used, she seems surprised I know so much about it, especially the Capewells, and she definitely remembering her training from that previous experience. So I segway into the improvements in gear, explaining the three ring, RSL, AAD, why we have a drogue, and how the harnesses connect. I ask what part of the jump make her so nervous, and find out it's the "hanging off the edge", and falling feeling that seems to be the issue. We talk a little about her previous experience, and how she did several S/L jumps but was afraid to try freefall and my thoughts on "falling feelings" and she seems to relax. A little. A bit of joking, I surprise her by telling her she'll be opening the parachute today, reassure her that I'll make sure she gets it right, then it's time to get ready. Jump run comes, daughter, instructor and video exit, and now it's our turn. She shows real grit, slides into the doorway, puts in the effort to assume the exit position, and I give the count. I can hear her yelling in freefall enjoying the experience, point out her daughter's drogue, and canopy deployment, then guide her hand to the handle, and give the "pull" command. She does great. A little briefing on landing, adjust the harness, then play with the parachute, right turn, left turn, flare. She's having a good time. A few more spirals, then downwind, bas, final, and a tip toe landing. I flip a quick joke about "that's better than a PLF" and we load into the van to head back to the hanger. While in the van I tell the daughter how tough her mom had to be to make those jumps, and they both smile and blush a little. Mom says, "I'll have to get you to sign my log book, I still have my little red log book." "Sure, no problem" I say, it's not the first request like this. We get back to the hanger, de-gear, and show the hand cam videos while mom heads out the car to get her logbook. Call me a geek, but this is where it got really exciting for me. Mom hands me a little 3 by 5 inch red vinyl book with a snap closure. I open it and the first thing I see is an "Elsinore Parachute Center" decal still on its original backing. There are two. OHmygosh. I begin to flip through the pages; the first entry is June of 1973. She tells me the story. When she was 13 she saw a commercial on television featuring parachutists, and that year when dad asked what she wanted for her birthday, she said she wanted to go skydiving. Finally 3 years later she got that wish. She told me about finishing PLF training from a tabletop, and then the instructor informing her the winds were too high, they had to come back the next weekend. She made 5 S/L jumps over the next 2 years, the last one 4 months before I was born. They were from 2800 feet, on 28 and 35-foot mains, with 24 or 26-foot reserves. I start looking for names of instructors; don't recognize any, the last one being "Larry F." I regret not writing down the license or SCR numbers. I very humbly put my entry in as jump number 6, making sure to document her unassisted pull. There's a folded up certificate in the logbook and I ask if I can look at it. She says yes. I open it, and there is what I was hoping for. My connection. I've always thought of the community of skydivers I jump with to be a family of sorts, dysfunctional at times, but family all the same. Sometimes they seem to be separate family groups, the family I knew when and where I started at SkyDance, the one that was there 4 years later when I moved on, the Perris peeps, the Ranch Crew, my SBjumper friends, my internet community friends. But they have a common bond and love. On that certificate of Alice's there was the name of the pilot. Gary Douris. I haven't seen Gary in at least 3 years, possibly 4. But I've known of Gary since at least 2000, and met him in 2003. Gary may not remember me, but he always had time to talk to me on the DZ at Perris or Elsinore, and impart some of the vast history and rigging knowledge he's accumulated over the decades. Gary's name completed the full circle connection I had with Alice. Sure I had just made a tandem with her as her instructor, but Gary's name brought home the fact that I am part of a legacy, something far greater than I will ever be, but something I can contribute to. 16-year-old Alice stepped up to the plate and hurled herself into the wild blue, and now 30+ years later she did it again. Alice, welcome back to the family, in my book you're every bit the pioneer that Jacques-André Istel, or Lew Sanborn are. Thank you for letting me be a part of your skydiving life.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #2 August 15, 2008 Sounds like a great jump. Wonder when she'll be back for #7?"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #3 August 15, 2008 Thanks for sharing that JP! great job........Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SARLDO 0 #4 August 15, 2008 That's a great story. Thanks for sharing and thanks for caring."Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens MB#4300 Dudeist Skydiver #68 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #5 August 15, 2008 Great story JP . . . thanks for posting it.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #6 August 15, 2008 Quote "Larry F." Larry Fatino -- died in the 1992 Perris Crash He had been manager of both Perris and Elsinore at various times over the years. Did you by any chance photo copy that logbook page? If you didn't, any chance you can contact the student and ask her to make a copy? One of these days I've got to spend the time to scan all my old logbooks, just in case. Blue Skies! Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreaming13000 1 #7 August 15, 2008 I am growing to love this sport more and more every second of every day. Thank you for sharing that story. blue skies, jess"A man only gets in life what he is believing for, nothing more and nothing less" Kenneth Hagen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #9 August 15, 2008 Beautiful times ten . . . !!! NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catfishhunter 1 #11 August 15, 2008 Who are you and what have you done with JP? Just kidding..Very nice post MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #12 August 15, 2008 My post of the year nominee. Awesome post, JP. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Croc 0 #13 August 16, 2008 What he said."Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so." Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Usetawuz 1 #14 August 16, 2008 Really nice post! _________________________________________ The older I get, the better I was! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #15 August 16, 2008 Nice post ! I second the nomination for best post or top 10, at least. Six degrees of seperation comes to mind. In the skydiving community, it's probably more like 2~3. Kudos for being a cool TM! BSBD - Tom____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottmyers 0 #16 August 16, 2008 Amazing post. GREAT STORY! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us jumpers and one-time jumpers. Scott Myers Mineola, TX Gig em, Garland Owls! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #17 August 18, 2008 Nice post JP, You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitysurfer 0 #18 August 18, 2008 QuoteNice post ! I second the nomination for best post or top 10, at least. Hear, hear!! Thanks JP. aloha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #19 August 18, 2008 is that coming from the often so bitter JP!? did he forget to log out on a public computer!? nice post, cool story! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skootz 0 #20 August 18, 2008 JP, great story. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #21 August 19, 2008 Bitter? Naw, I'm just misunderstood. ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DescensionX 0 #22 August 19, 2008 Thanks! That was a great story. May I suggest you submit that story to Parachutist magazine, and they might publish it. It is of interest to all skydivers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airgord 1 #23 August 21, 2008 Thank you JP, kind of makes want to get my ratings back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 644 #24 August 21, 2008 Thank you for sharing. That was an awesome story and you told it artfully. Sounds like a wonderful experience! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #25 August 21, 2008 Quote Thanks! That was a great story. May I suggest you submit that story to Parachutist magazine, and they might publish it. It is of interest to all skydivers. I would have, but I don't think they can publish anything by me till after the election. ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites