Paso Robles stories?

Hey everyone, I have lived on the central coast of California since I was 2, i'm 23 now and I live and work in Paso Robles. My dad passed away from leukemia (sp?) when I was 17 which was obviously tough. A few years before he died he made a tandem jump at the Paso Airport. He totally enjoyed it and often talked about his want to become a sport skydiver. I feel that part of my getting into this sport was because of him and I often "feel" him flying with me in the sky. Anyways, there is no longer a DZ here in Paso so I jump at Skydive Taft but I wanted to know if there are any of you that have jumped back in the day at Paso and could share some stories with me, it would mean alot. And if anyone wants to PM me why it shut down I'm also a little curious of that. Thanks.

send a Pm to the following:
skybytch
sebazz1

They probably have some good stories to share

...or post this to History & Trivia...

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or post this to History & Trivia...

Oh thats a grand place for this! Right you are!

I grew up in Atascadero, but, alas, never skydived at Paso. I learned to skydive much later, when I was living in Davis, and the Paso airplane crash happened just as I was learning to skydive.

Would you like this thread moved to the History forum?

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Would you like this thread moved to the History forum?

If it would get more reply's then yes, thank you.

I've moved it. It's certainly not going to get buried as fast here, so folks with stories to share will have more time to see it. There's still a pointer in Bonfire, so people will see it there, too.

Right on, thanks man. I also lived in A-town for quite some time, good to know that some of us can make it out alive.

Go see David and the other wonderful people at Skydive Santa Barbara. David Hughes used to own Paso Robles and now the DZ in Lompoc. I also used to live in Lompoc :but when the Nearest DZ was Taft or California City.

Dave and his crew in Lompoc are a great group of people but it's more of a tandem factory than I care for and that's why I jump at Taft. But I still want to hear some stories about Paso. I wish there was still a DZ in Paso cause I'm only 1/2 a mile from the airport.

Even though I've only bee there (Lompoc) 3 times, I'd say they're much less of a tandem factory now - they have a Caravan running on weekends!

Ahhh Paso Robles... that's my home air! Grew up in SLO and Cambria, started jumping at Paso in 1990, left to move to Perris in 1996. It was a fun place.

When did your dad jump? Do you know who he jumped with?

Stories... Way back when, we shared the big blue hangar with the CHP aviation guys (before they built their own cool hangar). One evening we needed a platform for a group picture, and well, the CHP plane was just sitting there... Wish I had the pic, there were people hanging from the wing, off the strut and over the cowling.

Did a lingerie load in February '91 - me, Steph and Al in lingerie, Paul flying a still camera with a thong over his jumpsuit and Pete the pilot wearing something frothy and lacy over his tshirt and shorts. I do have a pic somewhere of me from behind on landing - and what/who are in the background watching me? The CHP plane and the two CHP pilots.

Some years later a kid arrived with 50-ish jumps. He was a pretty good flier for his jump numbers. Him and one of his good friends were extreme skiers - they knew Glenn (the extreme skier with the massive mohawk). Boosky (the kid's friend) did AFF with us. Shortly after his grad dive he decided Glenn needed to see video... so he got out the Knox gelatin, made a big ol' mohawk and got video of him flying it.

btw, that "kid" was Troy Hartman.

Star Farms holds a lot of good memories. A few miles from the airport a guy has his own little oasis - pond, sandy beach, tiki bar, bbq area and huge fields to land in. We'd jump in there for sunset load once or twice a month, then party the evening away.

Myself and a few friends put on a small boogie at Star Farms in 2002 - the Paso Skydivers Reunion. We've discussed doing it again in the future.... we'll see.

Then there was the safety tree, but those stories are best not discussed in a public forum.

The dz closed after a visiting jump plane crashed on takeoff.

Thanks for the post... you've brought back a lot of good memories for me. I miss that place and those people.

I did one jump there years ago.
I did a first jump with a brand new canopy, and it was 100th jump (not freefall, just 100 jumps)
And I remember getting pied!
I remember seeing you (Lisa) there, you may not remember. Al wanted my all brown Vector container.
And female pilot was very nice.
I was with friend and his kids on the way to Mid State Fair.

Very cool guys, thanks for responding. Lisa I don't remember when my Dad did his tandem but it was around 10 years ago. It's too bad they shut down, it's just down the rode from my house.

Lisa, if you ever need any help organizing a little Paso reunion or boogie let me know I have lots of contacts around here and even know someone with a cessna.

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Lisa I don't remember when my Dad did his tandem but it was around 10 years ago.

Hmmm... well if he did it there ten years ago and with a female instructor... he jumped with me.

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Lisa, if you ever need any help organizing a little Paso reunion or boogie let me know I have lots of contacts around here and even know someone with a cessna.

Is Roger Oxborrow still the airport manager? He's the one we'd have to sweet talk to make it happen.

Brett Martin here. I worked for Dave Hughes at Blue Sky Adventures in Paso Robles from the fall of 1996 through the spring of 1998. I also worked at Dave's dropzone at the Lompoc airport from when he started there in 1997 off and on through the spring of 2000. I later worked for Will Renfroe at Air Adventures West in Taft, California. From the fall of 1998 through the spring of 2000, I did tandems and rigging for Dave in Lompoc (by then called Skydive Santa Barbara) and Dave Crouch at the Taft Airport (Skydive Taft) during the week and at Will's dropzone outside of Taft (Air Adventures West)

I have TOO MANY stories of jumping at Paso Robles. What a wonderfull time in my life that was...wheeeew!

Some of the names I remember right off the top of my head: Rex, Vatchi the Romanian (or Bulgarian) pilot, Kurt "Kurtis, my man!" Hess, Chris Scangarello, Tyler Wood (Woody!), The beautifull red haired Julie Christiansen (who is now a top freeflyer up at Lodi or Davis and goes by 'Jules'), Shelly Miller, who I 'dated' for several months and still think about from time to time. Let's see...Paul and his girlfriend/wife, That big military guy...shit, can't remember his name, The great JOAN MAHONEY and a whole lot more. I'll remember names and stories and add to this or private message if anyone is interested. It was a great, great time during my skydiving career. I miss it.

I know SKYBYTCH. Back then it was just Lisa Briggs. A nice gal. Not as tough as her name makes her sound. And of course, Al Stephens. Miss him too. As a matter of fact, I still owe him 5 bucks! That's a story...

When did your dad make his jump?

Brett

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I know SKYBYTCH. Back then it was just Lisa Briggs. A nice gal. Not as tough as her name makes her sound.

Hey now. No telling people I'm nice. I've got a reputation to uphold here.

Brett, do you remember the evening you, me, Josh, Shaun and my son went out to pizza in Atascadero? And my then-12-year-old kid drove us home cuz we were all way too drunk to be behind the wheel? LMFAO!!!!

What ever happened to Chris Scango?? Last I heard he was in Florida. And cuz Larry Briggs and Eric Davis (the big military guy you mention) - I heard both are in NorCal now but haven't run into either at Davis yet.

Yes Roger Oxborrow is still the manager and it just so happens that he buys bikes off me every other year, so I got an in there. I also sell 10-20 ATV's every other year to Dean Porter who owns Star Farms who just recently got married to Peggy from Mondave Vineyards who I also sell ATV's to and my roomate, who's the Service Manager here, services all of their units. I also talked to my home DZ and they said we could use their C182 and one of their pilots which is probably a better idea than using a non-jump plane and non-jumper pilot.

Anyone thinking what I'm thinking

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Yes Roger Oxborrow is still the manager and it just so happens that he buys bikes off me every other year, so I got an in there. I also sell 10-20 ATV's every other year to Dean Porter who owns Star Farms who just recently got married to Peggy from Mondave Vineyards who I also sell ATV's to and my roomate, who's the Service Manager here, services all of their units. I also talked to my home DZ and they said we could use their C182 and one of their pilots which is probably a better idea than using a non-jump plane and non-jumper pilot.

Anyone thinking what I'm thinking

Hmmmmm...if you let 'outsiders' in for this, I could use it as an excuse to come down to Goleta to visit my parents.

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What ever happened to Chris Scango?? Last I heard he was in Florida. And cuz Larry Briggs and Eric Davis (the big military guy you mention) - I heard both are in NorCal now but haven't run into either at Davis yet.

LARRY BRIGGS! That's right! Shit, girl, you can name that tune in THREE NOTES! I still have and use the gun cleaning rods he gave me back then.

I know as much as you do about Scangarello. What was Eric's rommates last name? First name was Chris and he packed rigs for Dave. He still has one of my David Lee Roth CD's. I ran into a guy by the name of Vladi Pesa at Lost Prairie two years ago. Heard a him? He's a PD rep now but he worked for Dave for a short period of time. The first thing he mentioned to me was a party that we went to over at Chris and Eric's apartment.

Was Eric dating Chris' sister or was Chris dating Eric's sister? Or was Chris' sister dating Eric's sister?

What was Paul's girlfriend's name?

What was Al's original partner's name who still lives in Paso?

Brett

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My dad passed away from leukemia (sp?) when I was 17

My dad died in an industrial accident when I was 17. He was my skydiving instructor and jumpmaster as well.

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I still have and use the gun cleaning rods he gave me back then.

I still have and use the camo field jacket (with liner!) that he gave me for a repack.

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What was Eric's rommates last name?

Chris Hall. His mom Karla did manifest for awhile.

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ran into a guy by the name of Vladi Pesa at Lost Prairie two years ago. Heard a him?

Saw him last weekend. He worked at Paso? Whoa.

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Was Eric dating Chris' sister or was Chris dating Eric's sister?

Eric was dating Chris' sister. I think he's married to someone else now.

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What was Paul's girlfriend's name?

Laura Risch. Of the incredible flying Risch sisters - Claire, Laura and I forget the other one's name.

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What was Al's original partner's name who still lives in Paso?

Tom Place. He's still around, jumping at Madera and getting on SOS loads at Elsinore last I heard.

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Anyone thinking what I'm thinking

I'm thinkin' you got the hook ups we need.

We had a 206 last time and it wasn't quite enough lift capacity... We'd need a PAC I think (and I happen to be in pretty good with a PAC owner - my boss ). We also did the shuttle thing between the airport and Star Farms - that was a pain in the butt, it'd be better if we could land at the airport til the sunset load, then jump into and party at Star Farms...

Springtime, perhaps? We need to talk.

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Ahhh Paso Robles... that's my home air! Grew up in SLO and Cambria, started jumping at Paso in 1990, left to move to Perris in 1996. It was a fun place.

I probably have either meet you are jumped with you there.

I lived in SLO town for 2-3 months in '92.
September - December I believe.

I actually am going back there in two weeks for a month.

Did a couple of demos for Al Stevens. One was near the Santa Maria Airport at some community festival.
Bill Norman was on the load. That was about 2 months before he had his incident and 4 months before Al went in.

That place had the best sunsets ever!!

Yep, good memories,

MEL

If outsiders are allowed I'd like to get in on it too. Grew up in Thousand Oaks and just LOVE the mountains in the Paso Robles area. Seeing them from above would rock.