sonofapope 0 #1 July 12, 2014 I was just young kid in the early 70's having fun playing in the pool. My dad was jumping and my mom was training to be national judge. My dad went up on a rw load. As I always did when my parents were in the air I watched the jump. It was a 8 person rw jump. I watched the free fall part and did my usual count canopies there were only 7 and my dad's wasn't any of them. It turns out it his main never left the container and when he pulled his reserve his main came free at the same time. Now both canopies are entangled together and he is screaming towards the earth. But as luck would have it the streamer snagged a limb of a oak tree .The only tree in the area. He came to a stop with his feet about 6 inch off the ground. Then the branch he snagged broke and landed at his feet it was about 8 inch in diameter. Prefect stand up. As any good skydiver would do he borrowed a rig and was on the next plane to altitude Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #2 July 12, 2014 Outstanding. Wow... I might have wanted to sit down and relax for a bit too coming THAT close... but one time I had a leg strap come undone after snagging on someone else as a floater on exit. I didn't know it was loose until breakoff when I started tracking and felt it flapping. With 120sf main and reserve canopies, I felt it was imperative that I get that leg strap cinched tight. So I did, and found myself in the saddle under my main at about 700 feet."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
377 20 #4 July 13, 2014 I remember that. Your Mom was Linda right? I jumped with your folks mostly at Livermore. I jumped Pope but wasn't there when your Dad had that absolutely miraculous save. Mark (377)2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonofapope 0 #5 July 13, 2014 Mark 377 Yes my mom is Lynda Ballard. What's your last name? I grew up on the Livermore dz starting at age 3 and the cal club people were all my family. EFS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
377 20 #6 July 14, 2014 I'll send you a PM with my name etc. I started jumping at Livermore in 68, FJC from Perry Stevens. Was on John Lewis's last load in 73, jumped with Roy Starbird and Paula Peterson. John crashed right in front of us just after we landed. Snap rolled into the ground during a high speed buzz job. I was first on the crash scene hoping for a miracle. It was horrible. I remember many Cal Club jumpers: Bill Stanley, The Haleys, Pete Kaltov, Eric Anderson, Paul Laput, Merle (big guy, cant recall last name) The Soles Bros., and many others. Got to jump with Bill Stanley, Theresa Stanley (Haley) and Allen Silver at WFFC a few years in a row. Do you know any details about Norton Thomas? Some think he is a good DB Cooper suspect. Reportedly vanished on a trans Pacific Twin Beech ferry flight after the crime. No trace ever found. I saw the tree that saved your Dad. One in a million luck. So much barren ground, so few trees, and he had no control over his landing point. Are your folks still around? 3772018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonofapope 0 #7 July 14, 2014 377 My dad pass in Oct 2013 died in his sleep. My mom is doing great she hasn't jump sense early 90's. We will be at the old friend reunion in Oct up in Jackson ca. There will be a good group of old cal club an other northern cal skydiver there. Blur skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
377 20 #8 July 14, 2014 Sorry to hear that your Dad passed but glad your Mom is still around. I used to jump at Monterey a lot about 13 years ago. Mike Eakins told me Lynda dropped by but I missed her. Your Dad's tree save has to be one of the closest calls in skydiving history. One lone tree in the middle of barren ground and he nails it dead center, it arrests his fall and does not injure him. Truly incredible. 3772018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonofapope 0 #9 July 14, 2014 Over the many year of being on the drope zone I've seen and learned so much. I've lost a few close friends and have made so many new ones. Only if they had cell phone when I was a kid the things I could have recorded EFS If your not on the edge your taking up to much space! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
