Russia06

The 2006 world meet was held in Stupino Russia about 100 miles South of Moscow.

After the competition was over Brian & Pam board a train to go to St Petersburg.

Brian stands outside the hotel. The hotel was a 20 minute drive from the DZ in the middle of nowhere. There was not a store (or anything) for miles.

Driving in Russia proved to be the most fun of being in Russia. The lines on the road are a suggestion - unless it is rush hour then macho proves to be the rule.

A strange phenomena was the ever popular "bag lady". We saw them everywhere toting their black bags. We also saw many young slender girls but nothing in between. How did this metamorphous take place?? and at what age??

Look, there goes another one.......

Step into my office - so you can pay the restroom rental charge.

OK - so why the photo of McDonalds - and why a smile on Brian's face at McDonalds? Here is the story..... we arrived at our hotel 3 days before the competition began. The official meals did not start until the first day of competition. The very first night they served us liver and onions for dinner, we would not eat it so then for breakfast, more liver and onions, we did not eat it.... and so this went on for the first 3 days, liver and onions for every meal. Yuck! So when the opportunity came for us to go claim Pam's confiscated bag (another story) at the airport Tim and Kevin volunteered to go with us - so they could eat at McDonalds. Look at the smiles on our faces as we all ate two burgers each and a large french fry order.

Brian & Pam feeling full after the 3 day fasting.

The US CF delegation.

The 2006 United States Rotation Team. Ok, so we never had a single practice jump together prior to meeting here in

Russia. We dd have one serious goal - on every jump we tried not to stall the stack and have a multiple cutaway... goal MET! Brian Pangburn, Mike Paolin, Tim Raup, Bill Mershon, and Kevin Ingley. Chris Gay hiding in the background as alternate.

The sequential team

The US delegation marches past an MI8 mockup during the opening ceremonies.

A new world record along with the GOLD in 4-way sequential. That's a pretty good day!

Some site seeing in Moscow. Brian & Pam in Red Square.

More from Red Square

After St Petersburg we flew to Berlin. In Berlin we met up with Peti for dinner then hit the Autobahn to start out tour of Germany. We head South toward Bavaria country.

On the side of the Autobahn we see a castle and pull over to see if we can tour. Nope. No tours. But they do have a pub in the basement and Pam decides she wants a beer. We go inside and are the only people in the pub. The waitress comes and asks what we want and Pam orders her first German beer. The waitress disappears and comes back with a keg on her shoulder. She grabs a tap and a wooden mallet and proceeds to tap the keg so Pam can have her beer. (where's the video camera when that happens???)

Brian in the sleeper car.

A view from Peter and Paul Fortress

Another view of the River Neva

The winter palace from Palace Square.

The floors in the winter palace were some of the most intricate workings of art we have ever seen. So many different types of wood and carved to perfection.

We read on the tour that during WW2 they disassembled all the floors and hid them so if the Germans were to take control of the city the floors would be preserved. Each piece was numbered on the back so it could be put back the same way it was when it was new.