New York or Boston To Missouri Road Trip - Essential DZs?

[IrishDave 0]

Hi guys,
Myself and a friend are going to attempt a one month road trip from either Boston or New York to Missouri. We'll probably start mid July but dates are flexible.

I'm not from the US and my US geography is a little sketchy so I'm hoping you can help.

On our trip, we're trying to fit in as many DZs and/Or boogies along the way. Summerfest is going to be an essential in late July.

Can anyone recommend an itinerary at this stage? Start in NY (The Ranch), drive up to Boston/Main (SNE) then across to SDC for Summerfest?

Any alternatives you think would be better? Any boogies in the July/August time frame that are absolute must attends?

Finally, is there ANYTHING around Missouri? Last time I was there, I called the "local" dropzones and there was nothing even remotely close to Springfield there.

The goal is to squeeze in as many boogies or different DZs in ~5-6 weeks. Bear in mind, we'll be driving, not flying. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

Any boogies in the July/August time frame that are absolute must attends?

It's quite a bit farther west than Missouri, but Lost Prairie in Marion Montana is a must do in early August. Worth the drive, I promise.

www.meadowpeakskydiving.com

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[PhreeZone 20]

Its not an event but look at swinging past Start Skydiving in Ohio. Plenty of loads even mid week and with a few Turbines they should get you in the air quickly.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[DiverMike 5]

+1 to Start Skydiving. I jump there almost every weekday in the summer. You can practically walk onto a load, and it is in your path from NY to Missouri.

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[IrishDave 0]

Thanks Everyone!

NWflyer, after Nicaragua, I promised myself I'd get to LP one day in the next two years. This might be my chance :)

Tiki boogie is out of the question as it's too late in August (back to school and work)

So it's looking like a start off from NY (the ranch)>Ohio (for LP) /Chicago (for summerfest) then onwards to MO looking for places to jump (non Cessna DZs please) on the way.

Does this sound reasonable within 3-4 weeks? Again, my geography is pretty bad, does this sound logical?

Thanks for your help and advice guys,

PS: We're low jump numbers. I'm only (going to be) on 400 jumps and my partner with an A license. Maybe B. Not sure if that factors into the boogies.

[hillson 0]

If you can adjust your drive...might want to hit Sky's the Limit in PA and Crosskeys in NJ.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

Thanks Everyone!

NWflyer, after Nicaragua, I promised myself I'd get to LP one day in the next two years. This might be my chance :)

Tiki boogie is out of the question as it's too late in August (back to school and work)

So it's looking like a start off from NY (the ranch)>Ohio (for LP) /Chicago (for summerfest) then onwards to MO looking for places to jump (non Cessna DZs please) on the way.

Does this sound reasonable within 3-4 weeks? Again, my geography is pretty bad, does this sound logical?

Thanks for your help and advice guys,

PS: We're low jump numbers. I'm only (going to be) on 400 jumps and my partner with an A license. Maybe B. Not sure if that factors into the boogies.

This might help with the Geography a bit.... http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=Z9LH2#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

[davelepka 4]

Here's my advice - come up with a start date and place (The Ranch), and then work forward from there based on local events. There are 10 different ways to go from Boston to Missouri, so see what DZs have boogies or events going on while you are there, and see if you can't string a couple of them together.

It's fun to visit DZs on any summer weekend, but if you can get there when they have an organizer or an extra turbine, it's even better. Get your dates together and re-visit this thread with some specific requests for who's doing what during those dates.

Also, if SDC is on your list, check out the dates for Summerfest. That's a big enough boogie that you could plan your trip around it, and it would be well worth it.

[kcjen24 0]

There's a DZ between Springfield and Joplin... just west of Miller, MO, called Ozark Skydiving. www.ozskydive.com.

I've jumped with a lot of these folks... Good (and FUN) people! They're having a boogie June 14-16... a little early for your timeframe. Anyway, they've also got a Facebook page: Ozarks Skydive Center

You're always welcome to come a bit north from there and jump at Skydive Kansas City (in Butler, MO). We're about 45 minutes south of Kansas City. www.skydivekc.com No boogies for July/Aug timeframe though.

[skydave114 0]

Don't rule out SDNE just because you'll miss the boogie. Especially if you like bonfires. Also, it's close to the coast, well worth a visit before you head west.

[GreatGazoo 0]

Do you have to just hit Boogies??!!? If you want to visit as many DZ's as possible, start in Boston. SNE is about 90 minutes North in Maine. Travel South 90 minutes to Pepperell, Ma .Then an hour West is Jumptown in Orange, Ma. Next stop 90 minutes south, could be CPI near Hartford, Connecticut. Then off to The Ranch(about 90 Minutes west}.... Sky's the Limit , Cross keys... They are all open weekdays All good people there and lots of fun! and go West from there. There are many DZ's between Pennsylvania and Chicago....

[IrishDave 0]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Just sorting our dates. It's looking like we'll be starting July 17th and we can actually stay for ~4-6 weeks. (Gutted to be missing the 4th of July boogies, but I might be convinced to head over myself first early to make one.)

I really want to head back to SNE and probably will at this rate. It's one of my favorite DZs that I've been to in the US, but I haven't been to many. I've actually only been to Z-Hills, SNE and Clewiston.

Don't have to hit boogies, but summerfest is an essential so things will have to be organized around that.

When I have proper dates, I'll figure out some events and DZs that we could potentially pass through and get your opinions on those. The time limit rule (3 months I believe) for posting events on the forum for that time frame is nearly here so that will probably help a lot.

Thanks again for all the replies. You guys rock.

[IrishDave 0]

Quote

Do you have to just hit Boogies??!!? If you want to visit as many DZ's as possible, start in Boston. SNE is about 90 minutes North in Maine. Travel South 90 minutes to Pepperell, Ma .Then an hour West is Jumptown in Orange, Ma. Next stop 90 minutes south, could be CPI near Hartford, Connecticut. Then off to The Ranch(about 90 Minutes west}.... Sky's the Limit , Cross keys... They are all open weekdays All good people there and lots of fun! and go West from there. There are many DZ's between Pennsylvania and Chicago....

This is actually some excellent advice. Thanks GreatGazoo. I'll look into planning something around this route.

[Trafficdiver 8]

I would suggest going to Vermont Skydiving Adventures between SNE and Summerfest. It's the exact opposite of both of those, a small Cessna DZ that will give you a real mellow jump experience.

It's right on Lake Champlain between the Adirondack mountains in NY and Green mountains in VT and is the most beautiful drop zone I've been to yet.

The owner and staff are totally down to jump with you all day and they all hang out, drink beers and watch videos at night

It's a real cool contrast to SNE and Summerfest (SNE is awesome too. Try to get back for Tiki).


EDIT: BTW, I would start in Boston go to SNE then work your way back to the Ranch. More of a straight line for you.

[IrishDave 0]

OK, it looks like we've decided to start in New York and have a tentative plan. Boogies are no longer a necessity. Unfortunately, we can't start from Boston (don't ask!) so we have to make our way north then west.

From New York we intend to hit:

Sky's The Limit
The Ranch
Jumptown
Pepperell
SNE

Then we need to make it to Chicago from there.

Can any of you guys recommend any good turbine DZs, open during the week and have a good group of people between SNE and Chicago? I've checked the map on DZ.com and can't seem to decide. You've given me some pretty awesome advice so far so hopefully you can help me finalize this.

Thanks so much for all the help so far guys, I don't know what I'd do without you :)



PS: We totally would have went the other way, I've been to Tiki and the suckiest thing about this whole thing is that we MUST be home the day before tiki starts :(