eyeinthesky 0 #1 April 11, 2003 i am in KY and a group of us are heading out to california in july to see the kickoff of the Steely Dan tour. its just south of LA. a guy we are meeting up with wants to skydive for the first time, so i plan on me and him going while we're out there. can you tell me a couple of dropzones within 2 hours of LA? beach and/or mountain diving would be cool! thanks! doughey, i was stupid before stupid was cool! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Albatross 0 #2 April 11, 2003 Perris Valley, Jim Wallace, and Skydive Elsinore are all within 2 hrs of Downtown LA. SOme of the biggest and best DZs in the country.Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,063 #3 April 11, 2003 Oceanside would have been closest but that's closed now; it was a tandem factory anyway. Closest now would be Elsinore or Perris, less than an hour from Orange County. Otay is about 2 hours from Orange. Cal City is about the same I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betzilla 56 #4 April 11, 2003 Skydiving and Steely Dan -- what more could you ask for? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dgskydive 0 #5 April 11, 2003 Perris Valley is the closest to South Los Angeles. Oceanside is farther south then Perris. If you are going to the concert while it is at the Pond in Anahiem then Perris id the closest. Take the 5 Freeway South to the 91 North (riverside) Exit at Van Buren turn right until you reach the 215 head south. Exit at D Street. Go striaght until it dead ends. You will se a sign for the airport, turn left. Turn right at Goetz Rd. The DZ entrance will be on the right hand side about a mile or so up the road. You can't miss it once you turn on Goetz. Just look for the three Twin Otters and the Sky Van. Also by that time of the year you will see part of the Wind Tunnel.Dom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eyeinthesky 0 #7 April 14, 2003 QuoteSkydiving and Steely Dan -- what more could you ask for? hell yeah! talk about a vacation! doughey, i was stupid before stupid was cool! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eyeinthesky 0 #8 April 18, 2003 whats the geography like when you exit the plane at Perris? is it beaches or land? doughey, i was stupid before stupid was cool! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weid14 0 #9 April 18, 2003 Quote whats the geography like when you exit the plane at Perris? is it beaches or land? doug well, technically a beach is land, but since Perris is in the high desert, you get sandy land... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #10 April 18, 2003 On a clear day you can see the beach does that count? (Hell, on a really clear day you can see Mexico!) But, um, technically, I guess you'd have to say that Perris is a desert drop zone.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weid14 0 #11 April 18, 2003 Quote On a clear day you can see the beach does that count? (Hell, on a really clear day you can see Mexico!) But, um, technically, I guess you'd have to say that Perris is a desert drop zone. ya mean when the smog clears? isn't it to windy to jump then? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #12 April 18, 2003 You absolutely would NOT belive what it looks like right now. Oh and winter/spring in SoCal has the some of the absolute clearest skies anywhere on the planet. No kidding, you really can (sometimes) see Mexico over 100 miles away in freefall and under canopy. We've had a really nice rainy season and EVERYTHING is green or better yet flowering and in beautiful color. It's really amazing. Take a look at this shot from two weeks ago and tell me if THAT looks like a desert! quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #13 April 18, 2003 Okay, you can land at the beach at Elsinore; well, not legally. The lake is ~2 miles away. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #14 April 18, 2003 The closest DZ to South Central LA is, well in South Central LA. Skydive Compton is only a short tazxi ride from LAX and if the taxi driver likes you, he will slow down to 80 mph before opening the door. Be forewarned that Skydive Compton has all kinds of restrictions on wing loading, exit weights, exit order, altitude, hours of operations, drug consumption on the DZ, which clicque you are allowed to "hang with," etc. While the DZO of Skydive Compton may seem a touch narrow-minded, he makes DZOs in hillbilly states look like veritable "liberals!" Hee! Hee! You will be reasured to learn that the DZO is far friendlier than the neighbors. Spotting is very important at Skydive Compton. I am not understating when I say that decent spotting is a matter of life and death. If you land out, it is not so much a question of whether you are going to have to deal with Farmer McNasty, rather it is a question of which Farmer McNasty. If you land out, it is not like some European DZs where you can miss a country. If you land out at Skydive Compton, you will wonder if you missed the North American Continent! Sweet talking your way off Farmer McNasty's 'turf is not an option unless you speak ebonics or barrio Spanish. If sprinting and gun-fighting are not part of your training regiem, they should be, Oh and it is considered impolite to bring a hook knife to a gun fight in Compton. Hee! Hee! For a more relaxed skydiving atmoshere, drive straight south out of LA until you hit the Ortega Highway. Turn left and follow the Ortega Highway through the Cleveland National Forest. Pause to enjoy the view of Lake Elsinore when you come over the crest. Just before you splash into Lake Elsinore, turn right and drive to the DZ at the south end of the lake. There you will find a Twin Otter or two and will be welcomed by a skilled and friendly staff. For a more competitive and posher DZ, drive another 20 minutes east to Perris where they have more shiny Twin Otters, coaches, competitors, team rooms, pubs, swimming pools, etc. than you can shake a stick at. Either mainstream DZ will treat you well Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #15 April 18, 2003 A little early in the morning for even light racism isn't it? quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dgskydive 0 #16 April 18, 2003 It's always to early for racism! Very bad taste and ignorant! Don't we have enough wrong with this world without stupid ignorance! We will see how pleasent your trip is to Perris next time when I make a bunch of Canadien stereo type jokes about you. How does that sound? On second thought I won't stoop to your level. I'll just smile in your face and laugh behind your back! Dom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ECVZZ 0 #17 April 19, 2003 Quote On a clear day And that happens when? G. Jones "I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around, the more I think it might not be a bad idea." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #18 April 19, 2003 A little early in the morning for even light racism isn't it? Point taken. Racism is frowned upon on dz.com. Racism is frowned upon even if you pick on blacks, hillbillys, liberals, latinos, taxi drivers and yuppies all in the same piece. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #19 April 20, 2003 Racism should be frowned upon by everyone, everywhere! No class. Driving to the Ortega Hw. to get to Elsinore for L.A. takes you about 60 miles out of your way. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
