It’s like awakening from a dream…
So many friends. So much beer. And before that, such an obscene quality of skydiving.

Wake before sunrise, life giving coffee and American-influenced breakfast. Ignore the 600 channels of TV (and nothing on) and migrate to the Dropzone. A precious narrow strip of lawn is being watered, but the dropzone screens have us on a call. Time to join the flock.

Meticulous preparation is key. We do lots. Lots.
We get in the right aircraft. Mostly. That’s “accuracy”.
“Breathe” they say; and I do so, to whatever height. Turns out that you don’t need to do much more than that for oxygenated loads.
The grand mystery of the exit; a tailgate, an Otter float, the long dive running from the cockpit – everyone gets to try everything. We present ourselves in any fashion and move on.
Look. Identify the puzzle. Solve it.
Find the radial. Go there. Racing room for everyone.
Walk down the stairs, slowly; it’s no harder than the fourth day at the MCG with a few beers in your hands.
Hold hands. Lightly. Everyone should know I’m there; no-one should feel it.
Then, the moment: make it the planned size. The right size.
Time to go; Leave, with a smaller group of friends.
Land a parachute.
Pack a parachute.

Rinse and repeat until the job is done.
And then salivate; I’m sure today’s Beer Cop has something for all of us.

If we could, we’d just put all 112 of those people together again for one day. Do it again.
But we can’t.
We’ll just have to do it again.
Better.

May 30 to June 10, Perris Valley, California. Be there.