dEd

May 29, 1980, me and Mike R. jumped it at night and I got ElCap #69 and NightCap#4 from Carl Boenish. Bullit Bob and BJ Worth were NightCap #s 1 and 2. Me and Mike went back a couple weeks later, 6-1-1980 with a photographer we hung over the edge on a rope and and jumped just after sunrise. Went back a third time a few weeks later and did a night jump with Charlie Hancock. When we got to the top there were three other Ghouls there, Mad Mark, Dead Fred and Tim Yeary. They said two women from So Cal jumped at sunset, but they only saw one parachute. The one woman had rangers looking for her friend who had opened into the wall and injured a leg landing in the talus slope at the base of the wall. Apparently, word slipped out that there were more jumpers up there and the rangers were waiting for us when we landed. That was just past midnight on a Friday and we all got to spend the weekend in the park's hoosegow. Went to court on Monday in front of the Honorable Judge Pitts who fined us each an additional $100 more than $250 going rate for being the first ones busted at night. After the trial was over Judge Pitts told us that he was in the meadow with some relatives from back east and had just told them about the crazy skydivers who would sneak in and jump off. He said the relatives wanted to see that, but he told them it was illegal and infrequent. Two minutes later the five of us jumped. I've still got the evidence sticker, case # 904557, they put on my rig in my logbook and I'll never forget the size of the barrel of the pistol the Chief Ranger pointed at me when he arrested me. I was one of many who sent Judge Pitts a card when he retired a few years later. He sent a nice letter in return. Zing Lurks

Using the altitude and wind speed noted it is unlikely that this is the first man to jump through the jetstream. In fact, I would say dozens, if not hundreds have done it previously. Check out the book "The Man Who Rode Thunder," about an Air Force pilot who ejected into the jetstream circa late 1950s. This is a media stunt blown out of proportion to the actual accomplishment ... in other words, fake news. Let us not be gullible.

A "hangload" at Coolidge on a DC-3 circa 1988 Quoteput out more jumpers than the Lockheed in Skies Call or on Caidin's JU-52. Dennis Jett, currently at Elroy has the photos.

I'll bump this one too ... C'mon Twardo, tell us another story.

The Albuquerque Turkeys made some memorable visits to Ghoulidge ... about the only things left from the old DZ are the main hanger and Bill & Mary's house.

Sad to hear. Flew with Damian a lot when no one else except us would fly at Perris. Maybe he'll finally find his dad.

Yah Yah Yah ... I heard he went in in Florida years ago. But, rumor has it he's still lurking around somewhere. Say high to MJ for me

Sorry to hear Elevator is gone. He was a good guy. Jerry, I put Elevator up to the fake engine problem at Lost Prairie. I was flying the Skydive Arizona Beech that year. He was supposed to dump the girls out over the Lumberjack Competition going on near the lake, but instead he put them in a wheat field down the valley. The first car to come a long was a country preacher with his wife and daughter headed to church for services. Personally, if I was on my way to church and came a cross a bunch of naked women, I'd assume my prayers had been answered.

Sad news ...

Talked with him the other night. He's still dEd. Now ... how about that story, Twardo?

The dropzone is Elsinore, California and the guy on the right side of the frame about three seconds in l;ooks a lot like GrubbMartin. The starred canopy is a Strato-flyer, aka Stratohammer, so that dates in the mid-70s.

Hey Twardo, Some guy who got his silly ass banned from here says you ought to tell us a story. That old ustawuz pilot said he'd love to tell some tales, except the statute of limitations hasn't run out yet. Hey Sparky .... guess who? To clear up a little detail posted up above. He's called dEd Dugan. I've known him for about 40 years and he's been dEd the whole time. Rumor-out-of-control has it that many years ago at the infamous Gulch, a cocky fighter pilot showed up and was known to engage in the performance of crazy stunts and other things that the denizens of the desert figured he'd eventually kill himself. He's still kicking and most of the folks who tagged him with that moniker aren't. Who'd a thunk it. C'mon Twardo ... tell us a story.