Double CRW Fatality at Lodi 9/13/09

[kkeenan 13]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3673578;page=unread#unread

[Madison 0]

Went to our DZ this past Thurs. and did a sunset memorial jump for them. I'll share this story just to 'lighten the load' a bit.

Razz, Linda Lu, and myself went up with bottles of Spotted Cow ( a good WI beer, figured passin a bottle of Jack in a stack wasn't too bright).

Razz had them in a flag bag with lanyards (line with a loop on the end) tied to them. I docked on Razz, we planed-up, Linda put a sweet dock on me, planed-up. While Razz was poppin beer caps they were whizzin by Linda's face, and then he lowered the bottle to me to lower to Linda.
Since I jump a 113 Lightning and Linda a 143 it started getting really funky, so I shimmied back up, beer in hand, thinking how the hell am I gonna get this beer to her now?

So with my left arm on her one redline, and a beer in my right, I told her to get light and I pulled myself down on the one line while trying to get the Spotted Cow to her with my right arm with a lanyard that was too short. Finally got it to her, zipped back up, grabbed my beer dangling in front of my face, asked Razz if he was ready with his, and then did the proper toast to Barb and then to Robby.

It was hard to yell while choking back tears, and hard to drink when crying, but it was a beautiful sunset, and we had our Cessna 182 circling our three stack.

I don't know how to deal with loss besides jumping....it made me feel better. It's sad to me that I'm quite experienced at CRW memorial dives. I'd much rather hand you a beer on the ground after a CRW jump, so please be safe all of you.

CRW Love Always,
April

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[Feeblemind 1]

Quote

Went to our DZ this past Thurs. and did a sunset memorial jump for them. I'll share this story just to 'lighten the load' a bit.

Razz, Linda Lu, and myself went up with bottles of Spotted Cow ( a good WI beer, figured passin a bottle of Jack in a stack wasn't too bright).

Razz had them in a flag bag with lanyards (line with a loop on the end) tied to them. I docked on Razz, we planed-up, Linda put a sweet dock on me, planed-up. While Razz was poppin beer caps they were whizzin by Linda's face, and then he lowered the bottle to me to lower to Linda.
Since I jump a 113 Lightning and Linda a 143 it started getting really funky, so I shimmied back up, beer in hand, thinking how the hell am I gonna get this beer to her now?

So with my left arm on her one redline, and a beer in my right, I told her to get light and I pulled myself down on the one line while trying to get the Spotted Cow to her with my right arm with a lanyard that was too short. Finally got it to her, zipped back up, grabbed my beer dangling in front of my face, asked Razz if he was ready with his, and then did the proper toast to Barb and then to Robby.

It was hard to yell while choking back tears, and hard to drink when crying, but it was a beautiful sunset, and we had our Cessna 182 circling our three stack.

I don't know how to deal with loss besides jumping....it made me feel better. It's sad to me that I'm quite experienced at CRW memorial dives. I'd much rather hand you a beer on the ground after a CRW jump, so please be safe all of you.

CRW Love Always,
April

I am sure Barb and Robby made sure you were able to pass those beers!!! I only met Barb, but I knew Robby. They were both wonderful people and I hope they look down on us from time to time and help keep us Safe!!

Blues,

Feeble

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked