Skydiving at Last!

Choose your favorite quote:

"Any idiot can fly a plane, but it takes a special kind of idiot to jump out of one." -Unknown

"Those who don't jump will never fly." -L. A. Almashat

"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you." -Unknown

To some, we're that special kind of idiot. I'm certainly not a daredevil (I'm even afraid of heights), but I do enjoy a good thrill. In a sort of curious and dreamy way, I've often wondered what it would be like up there in the sky, free falling and then soaring. Those little orange parachutes looked so fun up against the blue sky. I had mentioned this interest to Jon in sort of a casual, non-committed way.

Then he went and bought tickets for our anniversary.

And I immediately became terrified of jumping. I couldn't fathom doing it anymore. No more curiosity, only fear.

We held on to those tickets for nearly a year and half until they were set to expire. Every time Jon mentioned we should set a time to go, I'd avoid him with a hesitant "uh-hum." When the kids asked I'd respond, "Oh, sometime. I don't know exactly..." and I'd hope Jon would take a hint and sell our tickets instead. 

But being averse to wasting money, we set the date just before the tickets expired, and I took on the challenge of ruling my fears. So glad I did. This was a thrill I'm so grateful to have experienced!

13,000 ft.

Countdown to freefall

It's not a feeling easily described. It's a thrilling mix of super-woman and utter helplessness.

I had read that it would all happen so fast, that your mind and body are experiencing too much to process, and that the first jump would be a blur. I didn't want my jump to be wasted like that; I determined to be aware of the moments, mentally present, consciously taking it in. That was my goal, and it was this one objective that helped to suppress and smother fear.

What a relief when that parachute went up!

Without waiting for me to respond, my instructor took us on a "rollercoaster" ride. He asked if I like rollercoaster just as he pulled on the right tether, and immediately we were off. In that same moment I thought, "Shoot! I forgot to tell him I don't want to do that thing!"

This is where the parachute and jumpers are closer to being parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular, and you start spinning in a corkscrew fashion. 

Somehow I still smiled for this part. 

Now, seeing these pictures, I wonder my a smile doubles as my expression of terror. Is there something totally messed up about me, or have I mastered a facade?!

Stable once more, and taking it all in...

Possibly Jon in the sky to the left. It's hard to tell. We were the first pair of eight to jump and Jon was second, but somehow I was not the first to land.

Our landing field below next to the airstrip.

Olivia and Michael came to watch and took some shots as well. The images above were GoPro shots, while the ones below are Olivia's. I've posted each set in chronological order.

We spent a long time in the wait area watching jumpers roll and prepare their gear.

There's no one else I'd rather jump from a plane with...

We bungee jumped when we were dating and took a paragliding lesson for our 10th anniversary (short solo flights with a radio strapped to the harness).

Getting set up and choosing... to trust a stranger.

Would you do it?

~Katherine