He jumped from 40,000 feet without a parachute... - by David
Rug Burn Junky on 6/8/2007 at 16:12
Not nearly as scary as I thought it would be.
Of course, I say that now, having experienced it. When I was standing in the door of the plane, the last one on, and waiting for the green light, I honestly thought "There's no way I'd have the balls to jump, if this guy strapped to my back wasn't there to push me."
Of course, the instant thrill made that much easier for next time. I already have plans to get certified next year (do about 15 jumps in 3 weeks to a month in the spring, and buy my own parachute rig by next summer. At that point, it's $20 a jump.) I would have done a second jump on Saturday, but they were booked solid, and there were already a dozen people on the waiting list.
My tandem instructor was fantastic, they definitely paired us up right - my sister got the guy who was just calming her down the whole time and explained everything in detail about 3 times (she was definitely comforted by the fact that he was very muscular, and shirtless the entire time), my dad's guy walked him through it, and they spent the rest of the time talking about his previous jumps in the army.
My guy? I get the joker. He went through the very basics, told me once, I had it down, and that was that. He could tell I was pretty blaise about it, so he just kept me relaxed (When we watch my dad's video, and he's jokingly praying for his life right behind my head on the plane, that was a particularly nice touch). My favorite line of the day, was when he was explaining to arch my back and said "The sky, she is your bitch. You must fuck her." With his accent, it had me rolling. I wish I had that on video.
As we're walking to the plane, he asks "You like rollercoasters?" and I should have known what I was in for.
We were the last ones out of the plane AND we had to wait for a clear sign in between us and my sister. He kept us in freefall for an extra couple of seconds, and then after the chute was open, I look up, and see a parachute still above me.
After a minute or so, he asks if I'm ready to head in for a landing, and tells me to hold on. He gets us swinging around in pirouettes, to the point where it feels like we're practically horizontal as we do a full 360 at one. We do a hard counterclockwise turn to hit the landing zone, and come in ahead of yet another chute, just after my dad (whose videographer got a great shot of my landing).
All in all? I think I've found my new hobby.
Oh, and the best part, when we landed, my dad pulled out a little bag, and gave us all airborne wings for having made our first jump. I swear to god, that practically made me cry it meant so much to me.
Tocky on 8/8/2007 at 02:45
He is explaining to you that the sky is your bitch and you must fuck her while he is strapped to your back? I think I would have to remind him I was between him and the sky at that point.
One day I gotta do that.
The skydiving, not the RBJ humping.
Rug Burn Junky on 8/8/2007 at 16:59
Quote Posted by Tocky
One day I gotta do that.
The skydiving, not the RBJ humping.
Your loss, I have a great ass.
My sister's description of her jump was really the best:
[indent]"Arching my back the whole time. He reached down and guided my hand to his ball.
Arching. Arching.
When he placed his hand over my eyes, that's when I knew it was time to pull."[/indent]
Tocky on 10/8/2007 at 01:50
Sounds like a hard landing.
Dia on 10/8/2007 at 14:51
Quote Posted by David
Has anyone else been skydiving before, and if so, was it as scary as it seems? :D
My first husband skydived (dove?) about five times; no tandem instructor, just an automatic rip-cord puller as he jumped out of the plane - at least until his first freefall dive. Unfortunately, when he did his first freefall dive, he landed in a cornfield and ended up walking funny for the next few days. To this day I still believe he ended up with a corncob stuck up ... well ... a very delicate area. ;)
He never went skydiving again after that.
bugasmacka@yahoo.com on 11/8/2007 at 03:10
There are all sorts of problems people deal w/ & overcome everyday. At 20,000 ft. if a problem occurs there is no try this try that. All there is, is a helluva splat.
Oceanstorm on 11/8/2007 at 04:57
Quote Posted by Rug Burn Junky
My favorite line of the day, was when he was explaining to arch my back and said "The sky, she is your bitch. You must fuck her." With his accent, it had me rolling. I wish I had that on video.
Quote Posted by Dia
My first husband skydived (dove?) about five times; no tandem instructor, just an automatic rip-cord puller as he jumped out of the plane - at least until his first freefall dive. Unfortunately, when he did his first freefall dive, he landed in a cornfield and ended up walking funny for the next few days. To this day I still believe he ended up with a corncob stuck up ... well ... a very delicate area. ;)
He never went skydiving again after that.
BIG LOL. Holy Shit, I can't stop laughing with what you people are posting.:joke:
jtr7 on 11/8/2007 at 05:03
Quote:
All there is, is a helluva splat.
There was that one guy that bounced and lived.
Or was that a hoax. That old footage used an awseome mannequin if it was faked.:confused:
:angel:
