30 years at Cal-City

[rapter 0]

Congratulations to Van and Alberta Pray For 30 years of owning and running the drop zone at California City in Ca.
Many of us thank you for all the hard work in making Cal-City a world class facility.

Only the good die young, so I have found immortality,

[bodypilot1 0]

Congrats
I went there many times in the early 90's as a new jumper, when I was hard up for altitude , and just trying to get out of the valley fog!



Ed

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[Conundrum 1]

I've jumped at Cal City a handful of times. Interesting dropzone, much different than Perris.

[Fallndown 0]

and a Very Cool Place it is too....Home of the Flying Peckerheads I hear.....

[GARYC24 3]

Probably the same otter too?
I had lots of fun there!
Tell all there HELLO, from Gary Calhoun.

Also, that "Zappa" fan! har har

[Fallndown 0]

This One?

I know the Zappamiester as well....

I'll pass on the Hello....

[GARYC24 3]

That 's her!
Very special Otter there!
I think it has low serial #, and used to have floats on it, that's why the nose is shape the way it is.

[Scrumpot 1]

Serial # 0014 is my understanding. Was also the FIRST Otter to be put out into public/commercial service officially in the states. That is, if you believe Robert's constant "one-liners"

Definitely a CLASS operation, Cal City!

Thank you guys, for within only 2 days "visiting", making this traveling jumper feel more "at home" than anywhere, ever! Cal City... My new "left coast" home away from home.

-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[Fallndown 0]

S/N 0014 is correct, and those one liners are true, that airplane has a ton of official history....made my first jump out of that airplane....

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

I love Cal city and the guys there.

I´m gonna take a trip up there when I´m at Perris this April.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Aha, isn't that the ole Desert Express? Made my first jump outta that plane March 26, 1996. With a couple of the Flying Elvi! Whew Hoooooooooo!!!!!

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[jonstark 8]

It always mistified me as to why the owner allowed the a/c to sit while in need of an engine so he could save up for a new one. It seemed to me that he should have borrowed to buy one and flown the a/c to make up the money and keep the DZ going stronger.

What would I know tho...?

jon

[NickDG 23]

I worked at the "other" DZ at Cal City, but I'd visit the other side once in a while when Mark Hewitt was there . . .

Someone upboard mentioned Robert. He was also a Bevis and Butthead fan and had every episode on tape and lived in a trailer behind the hangar. Is he still there?

And what was the name of the big fellow, who also worked there, with the long dark hair and beard. He "borrowed" my motorcycle once without asking and went racing up and down the RWY in a drunken stupor. A few nights later he locked himself in his van and blew his brains out.

The main thing I remember about Cal City is being in the plane with students at (yawn) 6:00 AM and being winded by noon. I also got used to doing tandems in ridiculous wind speeds, and once after an aircraft problem and a precautionary exit my passenger and I landed some miles out. (Which is funny as all of Cal City is out!)

The wind was howling as usual and I told my passenger that with no one to help us we were going to get dragged so be ready for it. I popped open the RSL in order to cutaway after touchdown. We landed got yanked off our feet and went a ways before I managed to get rid of the main. (This turned out good as the dust cloud we kicked up was the only way they found us). We finally came to a stop and just laid there a second catching our breath. I looked to my right and there, just a few feet away, was an old refrigerator and a washer someone had dumped out there. "What the F%#K am I doing in this place," I thought . . .

NickD BASE 194

[kimgriffin 0]

Hey, that's one papa mike. Thanks for the flashback! I also did a bunch of jumps from her back in 92-95. Sooooooo many good memories from Cal City. My forever thank yous go to Bob and Judy Celaya, who were running CCSC (and are still there).

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

One of my many favorite Cal City stories was from a couple of years ago when I was helping Van and a couple of others R&R the #2 motor on 1PM and someone walked by and looked at me and said, "I didn't know you were an aircraft mechanic?"... to which I replied, "I'm not, but I'm an engineer, so its okay" and then I went back to turning wrenches.




Anyway... Rapter... how many times in the past 30 years have we been hangin' around Cal City on a weekend drinkin beers after jumping do you think ... I know I'm good for a lot of thems since 93...

[rapter 0]

Me,? drink beer? never. Ok maybe a few

Only the good die young, so I have found immortality,

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Me,? drink beer? never. Ok maybe a few

Yeah, right, you don't drink beer... neither does Philly...

[rapter 0]

You know, Philly was the first skydiver to get me to buy beer on the DZ, I had 25 jumps and for the sunset load, Philly said they would get me an SCR, but I had to buy beer. I was base for a 9-way out to of brick's beech.

Only the good die young, so I have found immortality,

[riggerrob 643]

Quote

That 's her!
Very special Otter there!
I think it has low serial #, and used to have floats on it, that's why the nose is shape the way it is.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The main reason One Papa Mike as a short nose is that she is an early (100 series) Twin Otter. Later models (200 series and 300 series) had long noses when on wheels, but short noses when they were on floats.

I have many fond memories of Cal. City that all started when Manley Butler phoned me out of the blue to offer me work in his parachute factory. When I arrived, Bob Celaya welcomed me with open arms and promptly put me to work doing tandems out of Van Pray's Otter. That was back in the days when Van Pray and Bob worked together.
I made a conscious effort to stay out of DZ politics and still like both sides of the debate.
Heck!
I even visited Joe Crotwell after he opened his own DZ in Apple Valley.

[squirrel 0]

i really like that place, but have one issue. no grass to land on. i know i know, its the desert, i live nearby. its just hard to see my canopy hit the dirt everytime landing there...so, sorry, we usually jump at elsinore. we actaully live right in between the two DZs. and i like the drive to cal city better.

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

You know, Philly was the first skydiver to get me to buy beer on the DZ, I had 25 jumps and for the sunset load, Philly said they would get me an SCR, but I had to buy beer. I was base for a 9-way out to of brick's beech.

... just goes to show... Philly will do anything for beer.

[mjosparky 4]

Quote

i really like that place, but have one issue. no grass to land on. i know i know, its the desert, i live nearby. its just hard to see my canopy hit the dirt everytime landing there...so, sorry, we usually jump at elsinore. we actaully live right in between the two DZs. and i like the drive to cal city better.

Easy fix. Land in the Peas!

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Quote

Easy fix. Land in the Peas!

Peas?? What Peas?

[squirrel 0]

are they out there? didnt see them when i went there. my bad?

________________________________
Where is Darwin when you need him?

[mjosparky 4]

Quote

are they out there? didnt see them when i went there. my bad?

ZigZag hasn't seen them either. Of course the last time he came close he broke his ankle.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals