Skydive Orange-Orange, VA

Thanks for the great weather you brought us for the occasion. Jumping
went well all day, and I got to introduce 3 first timers to the sport.
Maybe you'll keep and eye on them, I think one might be a good RW coach,
or instructor, or even load organizer one day.

Take off was a bit early, (~7:40pm) and that Westwind do climb nice.
7:50 found the 14 of us pushing past 11k, and our pilot asked how
important it was to hit the 8:00 exit exactly. The group agreed that
the jump was important, the time wasn't as... Dave said he would give us
a little more altitude, and see what time it was when we got there.
Funny, we had been climbing at 1000'/min... all of a sudden the climb
dropped to 500'/min...

Nearby, the jump plane for Louisa was heard asking for the exact time,
and our thoughts wandered to the West Point and other area DZ's where we
knew there were planes watching the clock. We wished them well, and
safe dives.

Rick Dennis spoke of you, Sandy. Your close friend had much to say
about the person some of us knew, others had met, and still others knew
only by reputation. You and I met in passing a few times. Maybe if I
had asked you to dance in the sky, we too could have been better
friends.

Then it was time. Funny, at the slower climb rate, it had taken us
until exactly 8:00 to get to altitude. While it was the jump that
mattered, even the pilot understood what we needed... Rick lead his
group out, then the second group left. Finally it was our turn. You
see, the last jumper in the plane with me was a newbe. At only 18 jumps
he wanted to be there, but didn't want to push his limits with a (to
him) big formation, so he was going to go alone. I asked to jump with
him. How will he ever get better jumping alone? We did a two way, and
he did very well. We jumped for you, and all those of whom we have read
about lately. Most of all, we jumped for the love of jumping, and the
thrill of being among those who insist on living, not just being alive.

When we broke, it was early... Comfort level for the newbe, and a long
spot made it a wise choice. Flying through the cooling sky, watching
the sun sink behind the mountains, watched the other canopies drift back
to the DZ, thought of the friends you left behind, most of whom at that
moment we also under canopy all across the nation, and raise a flag in
your honor.

Blue Skies from Orange,
Jim Wine
D-15598
Cypress equipped - believer in choice

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