Ok, so that's one of the biggest lies EVER. Today was AWESOME. At 7am Charlyn & I hit the road bound for Lompoc, CA (north of Santa Barbara) with a brief stop to see Adam (Char's BF) in Camarillo for breakfast and a pit stop at Best Busy (so Char could buy a camera since I had forgotten mine after promising I'd remember :-( ...she was planning to buy one anyway!). We reached Lompoc just after noon, changed our clothes, signed our waivers promising not to sue should we be maimed or killed, watched a video (explaining again how we were signing away our right to sue should we be maimed or killed), and got our "lesson" ("Grab the harness on both sides, arch back and kick your Jump Master in the butt with your heals. When he taps you on the shoulder or gives you a thumps up, throw out your arms. You're skydiving!").
With that extensive training we hopped into the airplane (6-8 seater) and climbed to 13,000 feet.
What a beautiful view it was!
Because this was all in honor of Char's birthday (she had a list of things she wanted to accomplish before she turned 30 (in 2 weeks) and this was the last item on her list), she got to jump first. Though neither of us were ever actually nervous about going, as I watched her jump and freefall out of the plane, I thought to myself, "Charlyn just FREAKING JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE!" Before that thought could continue I too was jumping out of that plane.
CRAZY! AWESOME! EXCITING!
My Jump Master Mauro was great and taught me how to steer the parachute and do spins (which I promptly stopped when I realized that was going to make me throw up all over him if I were to continue). The free falling sensation is almost indescribable and in some ways, I don't even remember it; just that it was a lot harder than I expected to smile (for the camera) and control my facial expressions while falling 120mph. Once the ripcord was pulled it suddenly felt like I was just sitting in a lawn chair (thousands of feet above the earth), looking down at the ocean and local farmland.
As Char & I waited for our turn to go up in the airplane, we saw several groups go and come back, proving that it was indeed very safe. (Ok, maybe I can't say "very" but it was safe enough!) I never once felt as though my life were in danger or that this was risky. In many ways it just felt like I was on a ride at Magic Mountain. A ride I HIGHLY recommend.
You can come along for the ride HERE.
Two of my favorite comments from friends/family regarding this experience are:
"You're F'ING CRAZY."
"Mad Props to You!"
I agree. With both statements. :-)
Thanks to Mauro (jump master), Josh (video/photographer), Skydive SantaBarbara & most of all Charlyn, for an experience I am not likely to forget! (Lots of pictures help to remember too.)
Because this was all in honor of Char's birthday (she had a list of things she wanted to accomplish before she turned 30 (in 2 weeks) and this was the last item on her list), she got to jump first. Though neither of us were ever actually nervous about going, as I watched her jump and freefall out of the plane, I thought to myself, "Charlyn just FREAKING JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE!" Before that thought could continue I too was jumping out of that plane.
CRAZY! AWESOME! EXCITING!
My Jump Master Mauro was great and taught me how to steer the parachute and do spins (which I promptly stopped when I realized that was going to make me throw up all over him if I were to continue). The free falling sensation is almost indescribable and in some ways, I don't even remember it; just that it was a lot harder than I expected to smile (for the camera) and control my facial expressions while falling 120mph. Once the ripcord was pulled it suddenly felt like I was just sitting in a lawn chair (thousands of feet above the earth), looking down at the ocean and local farmland.
As Char & I waited for our turn to go up in the airplane, we saw several groups go and come back, proving that it was indeed very safe. (Ok, maybe I can't say "very" but it was safe enough!) I never once felt as though my life were in danger or that this was risky. In many ways it just felt like I was on a ride at Magic Mountain. A ride I HIGHLY recommend.
You can come along for the ride HERE.
Two of my favorite comments from friends/family regarding this experience are:
"You're F'ING CRAZY."
"Mad Props to You!"
I agree. With both statements. :-)
Thanks to Mauro (jump master), Josh (video/photographer), Skydive SantaBarbara & most of all Charlyn, for an experience I am not likely to forget! (Lots of pictures help to remember too.)
4 comments:
You both ROCK! It's almost enough to make me want to do it! (Notice I said almost...)
Wow! David is so jealous. Maybe I'll do it when my kids are grown ...
what a COOL thing to do!!!
This was the last thing I expected you to do while I was away relaxing in the Tahitian sunshine! I didn't think it was possible to gain even more respect for you.... Go Kelly, go Kelly, you're a rockstar!
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