We have quite the trend going this year: Awesome!! 

I was expecting this to be a little slower of a weekend with the holiday just passing, but was certainly wrong. 

This week started out busy with tandems, and Wednesday night we jumped into the nearby Cedar Creek Christian retreat center.  The event was celebrating the birthday to 40+ foster kids.  Thanks to Biff, Tracy, and Brad for making the kids day extra special.  

Wednesday night the teams starting showing up for camp #2 of training.  

Eagar to jump we started at 9am on Thursday and started the back-to-backs.  Each team’s goal is to get in 12-15 jumps, which we can accomplish by early afternoon.  This gives us time to debrief and go for a swim in the pond.  It’s truly a 9-5! 

Special thanks to the packers that busted butt and kept the teams in the air.  With the fast turn times of 10EA they truly have to bust their butts to keep up. 

Thursday night saw some interesting and scary weather roll in.  We took refuge in the pavilion until it past.  Thanks to Erin, Karry and Whitney for making everyone pasta.

Friday we were joined by the SDC Furies and cranked out the jumps.  With the good weather and the possibility of rain forecasted for Saturday we wanted to make sure and get some jumps in. 

Friday night we had an amazing Dinner from Genie’s Café.  Sushi!! What DZ do you know of that serves Sushi?  Thanks to David for preparing such a great dinner. 

This Saturday Genie’s Café will be serving an English style beef roast for dinner at the Tiki Hut.  In addition to the roast there will be a tomato casserole and Yorkshire pudding.  If you want to be guaranteed a plate, than be sure to buy a dinner ticket during the day!

Saturday the forecasters were again right on target. WRONG!  We fired up both Otters and ran them until sunset.  Thank to David Elliot and his AFP team for getting everyone’s AFP jumps in.   Congratulations to SDC’s newest AFP graduate Dan Barshack!

Sunday we were swamped with tandems.  It was our busiest day thus far this year, 140! Whitney and her manifest team kept it cool and made sure the wait wasn’t to long.  Thanks to all the tandem masters including Mike Hoyt who on his first day of work did 13!  

Sunday was also another episode of swoop club.  Fighting a strong cross wind they called it after 2 rounds and after the swoops were tallied: John Zagoda took 1st, Joel touchatt in 2nd and Steve Verner in 3rd.  Congratulations!  Thanks to John for organizing the event. 

Sunday we jumped into the 82nd airborne picnic.  The local chapter held their annual lunch and we were honored to be a part of the event.  It wasn’t too surprising to see the amount of knee replacements.  I’m thankful that they went through that and technology has evolved to high performance canopies that give soft landings.  Thanks 82nd!! 

This weekend I’m off to the USPA BOD meeting in Virginia.  I’m bidding to host the 2010 nationals.  Hopefully fuel prices will be under control by then so jumps are not $40!! 

This Friday is water training.  This is the last water training before Summerfest so if you need your B license to jump the specialty aircraft you must attend. Contact Manifest to sign up.

This weekend on Saturday is furies 3-way scrambles.  If you want to expand your knowledge on RW this event is for you.  Be sure to be at the hanger at 9am and seek out the Furies.  They have started a thread on the forum.

T-minus two weeks and counting is Summerfest.  We have taken the helicopter off the calendar but I’m searching for another one.  Please click HERE for the latest info.  The balloon jumps are limited and going fast so sign up soon to secure your slot.  Over half of the 72 slots have already been purchased!  Click HERE for more details on the balloon.  If you want an RV slot there are only a few left.  However, we do not take reservations for them.  They are first come first serve. 

In other news Melissa has been editing my fathers book that he wrote while ‘working for the government’.  You can check it out www.sugaralpha.com.  We are hoping to have it published and for sale by September. 

Don’t forget to vote for Sunset of the week on the forums, and send in your submissions.   Congratulations to Mike Roe, who was last weeks contest winner!

Thanks to everyone for a safe and fun weekend. 

Rook