Old Farts Reunion (regrouping)

[hottamaly 1]

Dear Old Farts, Dear Old Friends: This comes from Jerry Swovlin regarding the old farts reunion and it's somewhat passing into the sunset.



It’s Ol’ Fart #1 here, Jerry Swovelin, writing to let you know that the 14-year-long series of Old Farts Reunions has served its purpose well, but now we’re forced to declare victory and “track off into the sunset.” The OFR has been retired, at least in its previous form.



HISTORY: As you may know, Gary Douris founded the Old Farts Reunions partly because he was tired of seeing friends at only two places, DZ boogies and funerals. (And, of course, many people usually jumped only at their home DZ and “dissed” the other one!) Gary knew we needed to get out of the “same ol’ DZ” rut, to go somewhere that EVERY Old Fart would feel welcome. Of course, his brilliant idea was to create a private playground at a remote airfield, with our own private drop zone and our own Old Farts rules, then fill everyone with good food and beer, and let fly with movies and stories from The Good Ol’ Days of the sport! (Great idea Gary; it worked well for years!)



CURRENT STATUS: Unfortunately, due to liability concerns, parachuting has been banned from High Desert Airport, and now the field has been sold. Many of you helpful Old Farts have provided suggestions of other remote airstrips where we might be able to go jump. But, unfortunately, most locations are not really practical, due to high field elevation, too-remote location, questionable weather, and most important, liability concerns.



(For some darn reason, modern businessmen don’t seem to want to turn their airport and aircraft over to “a bunch of yahoos,” we skydivers who started jumping in the middle of the last century! Jeeze! Don’t they know that the Old Farts are the SURVIVORS, the ones who have done a darn good job of keeping out of craters; the Reunions have seen only three broken legs in 14 years, a great safety record!)



DROP ZONES NOT AN OPTION: In addition, we can’t repeat the “authentic Old Farts Reunion Experience” at an established DZ, because an essential core element of the event is to escape the DZ routine, to escape all the DZ rules and DZ politics.



GREAT MEMORIES: Always remember that we’ve had a GREAT run; every Reunion over the past 14 years has been a true success. But, it must be noted, the success of these events was never due to the organizers, nor to the all-volunteer staff. The real reason that we kept doing it, and the reason that you all kept coming back, is simple: WE ALL LOVE THE SKY-PEOPLE, the special people who made it all happen back at the birth of skydiving!



So, to YOU and to all of the Old Farts who have supported our Reunion weekends over the years, we say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of our Old Farts hearts!



FUTURE: We have several plans for the future of the Old Farts. First off, I’m going to try to organize another Old Farts get-together soon, but as a non-jumping event. We’re hoping that YOU and our other Old Fart friends will still want to come for the camaraderie, for the fun, for the food, for the commemorative mugs, and, most important, FOR THE SKY-PEOPLE THAT MADE IT ALL HAPPEN.



Another goal is to try to develop an on-line Old Farts Registry, so that we can keep in touch with our good, old friends!



Watch for further details and dates to be announced.



PHOTOS: Also, don’t forget that a veritable treasure-trove of Old Fart photos from the past two Reunions are posted on Pat Swovelin’s web site at: http://www.oldfartsreunion.com/index-2.html (Click on the “Set” button in the lower left corner of the Dytter, then point to a year, and then click on a photographer’s name.)



In closing, let me say once again how very proud I am of our success at every single Old Farts Reunion, how very proud I am personally to have been allowed the opportunity to work with, to jump with, and to party with my favorite people in the whole world, The Old Farts of Skydiving!



Thanks again! Blue Skies Forever,



Jerry Swovelin

Old Fart #1

Skydiving gave me a reason to live
I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live

[BIGUN 1,106]

Old Farts Reunion could relocate once a year to Oklahoma. We generally have one at Mike Sisemore's place where he puts on a helluva feed while we're jumping on to his property. [He gave it up in 1983(?) from weak knees from jumping the Wide World of Sports camera]

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[funjumper101 15]

Star Farms in Paso Robles, CA is an alfalfa farm and resort that has some really nice facilities. There is a boogie being held there in September. Take a look at the thread in "Events and Places to Jump". The Paso Robles airport is a short distance away. Come on up to the boogie and do a ground survey.

It might be a good place to hold an OFR. The folks that run it are pretty laid back. Plus it is only about twelve miles from my house. ;-)

I would be happy to assist in the organizing of an OFR. PM me if you are interested.

[warpedskydiver 0]

Camp Roberts was a MOFO in august back in the day.

[funjumper101 15]

Quote

Camp Roberts was a MOFO in august back in the day.

It still can be hotter than Hades. It depends on which way the wind blows. Last week I had temps of 110 in the shade at my house. Paso Robles made it to 115. This week it has been in the eighties in Paso.

If an OFR was to happen here, I would recommend scheduling it for mid to the end of September.

[GreenLight 5]

Ol Farts was traditionally held around Halloween time. After all, it gets hot out here in the high desert too.

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

[NickDG 23]

How about Ramona . . .

It's not too high at 1390-ft MSL and we had a DZ there in the early 80s. The manager is, I believe, Chuck Hall, the racing pilot (among other cool things) and he's okay with jumpers. There's a loft there too if anyone needs on-site support.

The airport identifier is RMN if you want to look it up.

NickD BASE 194