When I decided to go to Pacific around this time last year, my friends would taunt me about living in Stockton. Little did they know, Stockton has been a popular destination for Hollywood movie makers for years. If my new town could get Hollywood’s attention, I bet it can keep mine while I’m here.
The 1967 classic Cool Hand Luke was filmed just outside of the city. The production of the movie actually added a little something to the San Joaquin County. During a scene in which prisoners tar a road, the actors really did blacktop a mile of the highway!
UOPs Ivy League look has attracted many filmmakers who need scholarly sets. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford taught archeology at our campus. Robbin Williams also made his way around the school in Flubber.
Most recently, Rob Schneider produced and starred in Big Stan and made use of the now vacant Northern California Womens Facility prison.
If Stockton can be interesting enough for Hollywood, I know it will be interesting enough for me!
Thanks for the blacktopPaul Newman!
Just another day at school for for Robbin Williams in “Flubber.”
Rob needs some adjusting before he can enjoy the beauties Stockton has to offer!
When I arrived to the University of the Pacific, I was an excited, enthusiastic 18 year old with places to go and things to see. What I discovered was that, to the untrained eye, Stockton had no places to go or things to see. This was a disappointment.
After a semester of sulking around, complaining about how boring the 209 was, I decided to take a proactive step towards spicing up my life. Stockton is the 13th largest city in California; if there wasnt anything to do here, why would anyone live here?
To jumpstart my switch from my experience in Stockton to experiencing Stockton, I made a 20 minute trip to the nearby town of Lodi.
I had an itch to break out of my routine, start anew and stop living a sedentary life. I had an itch to skydive.
I chose the facility in Lodi because it was the closest to Stockton and only a mere $100 per jump. The facility also boasts the highest number of fatalities, but they also have the most jumps per day in the country. Beginners must jump tandem (with another person attached to them), and I figured that my professional partner didn’t want to be one of those fatalities, he was probably going to be careful.
On December 27, 2010, my 19th birthday, I took the plunge, literally. I was suited up by experienced pros and taken up 13,000 feet in the air. Strapped to Mike, my tandem comrade, I flew out of the plane and plummeted towards the earth.
I free fell for a minute before the parachute was deployed. For the next five minutes, Mike and I soared easily through the crisp winter air. The birds eye view of the lush, greenLodi farmland was incredible. I felt completely at peace and never wanted stay in the air forever.
After a few “3G turns,” turns where Mike would pull down hard on one side of the parachute to send us spiraling with 3g speed,I was prepped for the landing. Don’t try to stand, keep your feet up, get out of the way quickly.
Mike and I slid into the grassy landing area and unhooked the straps that bound us. We had made it back unscathed.
In just an hour, I had signed in, suited up, flown in a plane, jumped to my death, soared like a bird, landed like a proand, ultimately, survived.
For my firstshot at zesting up my life, I think I had done pretty well. I may just be in Stockton, but I have a feeling that I am going to have more fun than I thought!
(Me and Mike)
(13,000 feet drop)
(Yes, I know, it’s a really fashionable jumpsuit)
