nana gets to our house about 12:30 on the nose, which is perfect, because Skydown Skydiving is in Caldwell. It takes about 30 minutes to get out there and we needed to be there at one. Neither one of was really nervous at this point. We had both had enough time to digest the fact that and had wrapped our minds around it. But, there were still a minute here and there that a few little butterflies came.
Anyways, we get out there and Dave and Renee are already there. They are our friends who are going with us. As soon as we get there. A guy named Mark, who I later find out is my instructor, throws on this crazy movie with this dude who is ROCKING a ZZ top beard that gives us the legal speech- basically you might die, its not our fault. Then out comes Denise, her and her husband Paul own it, with the paper work. We still aren't nervous at this point. We put on our jump suits, put our harness on and get ready to go.
The plane was tiny, it held Paul who was flying the plane, then in went Jason, who sat directly behind Paul, back to back, then Jason's instructor who was sitting face to face with Jason. Then my instructor went in, and he was about the level of Jason, but he was facing the front, and then I was in last since I was jumping first. I was in the very front of the plane- with my back directly against the front windshield, with Paul to my right and face to face with my instructor. The plane ride was probably just about the scariest part. It was tiny, and Marc thought it would be funny to show us how light the plane was by moving side to side and then throwing his weight to the front in which the plane proceeded to do a nose dive.
The higher we got the more and more quiet I got. I was starting to freak out. My helmet was starting to feel like it was choking me, I was hot and I couldn't breathe, but finally, right before we got ready to jump we reached a high enough altitude that it got colder and I started to relax because the cooler air made it easier to breathe, about that time it was time to go.
I turned around and sat on my knees with my butt on my heels. Marc got behind me and strapped himself to my back with a bunch of metal clips. I put my goggles, which were on my helmet, on my eyes and got ready. I grabbed my harness as instructed for jump, and Marc opened the door of the plane and put his right foot out onto a little ledge that was hooked on the wing- then it was my turn. I put my right foot out right next to his, and then I put my head back on his left shoulder- and then -
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we were falling, and then spinning. I could tell I was falling and I could tell I was spinning, but I couldn't get my bearings. I didn't know if we were doing somersaults or if we were just spinning around like a top going a hundred miles an hour. I kept getting glimpses of the ground, but what felt like an eternity was only about 5 seconds, and we were spinning, as game to my instructor, as we jumped out. Then he tapped my shoulder and it was my cue, and thank goodness my subconscious remembered my pre jump lessons, but as we straightened out to a straight free fall, and he tapped my shoulder, it was my cue that I could relax. We were in full free fall mode. I could relax my hands to a more relaxed 90 degree level, throw my legs between Marc and attempt to kick him in the butt, and just look around and enjoy the fall. I can't explain to you the fall. It's something you can never put into words. It is not at all like a roller coaster, or butter flies. It's weightless, and exhilirating. I could hardly breathe. I kept having to take in huge gasps of air, but Jason had no problem with breathing what so ever. Imagine, however, putting your head out the window driving down the highway at 120 MPH. Close approximation I guess. :o) But it's amazing, and we were doing all sorts of little stunts in the air, it was amazing. Then he pulled the parachute....and I thought I was going to die. It seriously feels like it is being ripped off your body, it is such a huge impact, it's crazy. It scared me to death. But then all of a sudden the rushing air stops and it gets quiet and your just floating, weightless, in silence, watching as the earth approaches. You see the cars driving on the highway, eager to carry on their business, the cows in the field, and you are just above it all. It is totally serene.
We did all sorts of wild little turns and spins in with the chute, actually a few too many for my taste...I tapped marc and told him to quit with all the turns and stuff I wanted to just float for a bit, but Marc was a bit of a rogue, so c'est la vie. He was a great guy to jump with though! o)
Here are a few pictures. Dave and Renee have more pictures of us that as soon as they send the mover our way, I will get posted, but until then these will have to suffice. We also earned a certificate saying we're pretty much awesome!! :o)
