bkoch

I've jumped at Byron the past two weekends and I really enjoyed the experience. I jumped there years ago and the positive vibe is still there, as it was then. Getting to land at the airport is nice. No van ride. Not having running water is the only drawback that I can see. I was told to always call before I make the 60 mile drive out to Byron from San Jose to check wind conditions, but that hasn't been a issue at all the last two weekends. The people are super friendly. It's a family friendly DZ too, as I brought my 18 month old with me the past two weekends and no one seemed to mind. All in all, it is a great place to jump. I'll be back there soon.

I started jumping again after some time away from the sport and chose Hollister to jump at for how close it is to where I live (just 45 minutes south of San Jose). What I have found is a great dropzone with really friendly people. It has some of the best scenery that Northern California offers, the Monterey Bay, the coastal range, the Sierras.
Perhaps one of the biggest selling points for me is the great weather. Nothing could ruin my mood more than an hour or two drive to a dropzone that it is too windy or foggy to jump at. At Hollister, if the weather in California is halfway decent, you can bet they are jumping in Hollister. I have never been winded out at Hollister...The weather at the landing area is in a nice little microclimate that keeps jumpers quite happy. I would bet Hollister has the most jumpable days a year of any Northern California dropzone.

There is a comfortable vibe at Hollister. Not a lot of egos or cliques as far as I can see...
It is a great place to jump. Check it out if you're ever in NorCal.