I call this deposition:
The story of how I almost died.
ha ha ok so not really. Funny actually, but I didn't really, deep down, think I was going to die despite whatever I may have said at the time. Yes, I am aware that I may have said that a couple dozen times, "we're gonna die".
A few months ago, wait, even further back, there have been a few times in the last couple years that my dear friend Chalynn has asked me to go sky diving with her. You see she has done this before, about 10 years ago, when we were both single roommates. Now a couple months ago she really started to beg me to go with her. And I actually started to think about it. Yikes! In my youner days I used to really want to sky dive. I guess you could say it was on my bucket list. But with all of the responsibility added to my life in the last 9 years I'd had little time to think much about that particular activity. So here I was faced with the descision to jump or not to jump. I had about half the people in my life, friends and family, saying "yes go for it!" and the other half saying "what are you thinking, please don't do this!" Which, by the way, caused my feelings about it to go back and forth a little too. But I finally committed to do it and as it got closer I became more excited.
Our first attempt to jump was on the 23rd of June and we got there only to find out it was too windy to jump. We were a little bummed, and I wondered why I had spent the whole morning with my stomach in knots, but obviously I am glad that they play it safe right?
Do I look as nervous as I feel?
So we rescheduled for 6:30pm on Thursday the 28th. I kept busy pretty much the whole day and didn't have time to think about jumping out of a plane at 12,000 ft. until the 1 hr drive over. (I also was too busy to eat a proper meal the whole day or get much to drink despite being out in the sun quite a bit. I'll get to this part again later.)
When the time came I found myself quite suddenly being whisked away and led to the plane. Yeah I was pretty nervous but still excited too.
Me and my new bff Ryan S. (aka my tandum instructor) the first ones to board the plane. I was actually glad to have him. Before he came up and told me he was with me I had seen his picture plastered all over their walls for promo so he's got to be good right? (and no I did not get to keep the attractive cone head hat you see on display here, aww too bad.)
Love to see the ubber huge nervous cheesey grin I have going on.
I also had a great camera man, Jake, who despite my total unfilmability (oh yes its a word) did a really good job of trying to make me look like a normal thrill seeking human being. He asked me questions and I had no idea what to say and came off looking like a big dork.
And there she is, my bud who talked me into doing one of the freakiest things ever. Its a good thing I adore her so much. *wink* and a good thing she adores me enough to talk me into this.
Now the plane ride was pretty cool we flew pretty close over the mountains which you don't get to do when flying commercial. The view was great. There is pineview dam. And our tandum instructors did a good job of making us laugh our nervousness out (or maybe mostly my nervousness). I talked about my kids and also learned a few details of a personal nature about my friend Ryan, like he has been skydiving for 12 yrs, married 12 yrs, is my same age of 31 and that, as he puts it he just happens to have spooned with about 1000 guys in his life time ...uhem... (for those of you who need a little help figuring that one, he's talkin about the tandum jumping, geesh what were you thinking?)
He asked us what other crazy things we'd done besides this, to which we responded something about climbing a water tower in a lightening storm and rafting the snake river. Umm not sure how boring that sounds, wish I would have remebered at the time to say I'd gone cave diving, that might have made me sound a little more exciting.
He instructed me then that when the time came to jump out we'd scoot to the door and hang out then rock, back and forth 3 times, and then jump. I was to hold on to the straps at my shoulders, arch my back and my head and bend my legs back, until he tapped my shoulder and then I could let go of the straps and put my arms out. I then asked him what would happen if I forgot all these details, to which he casually responded that we would and I quote "tumble to our deaths." Fantastic. That statment solidified the instructions in my mind. I did not forget. (Just so you know he was joking about that part but it still helped me remember.)
And then it was time, they opened the door. Since we were he first ones in, Chalynn and I were the last jumpers on this ride. We watched one by one as everyone else jumped off a perfectly fine running air plane. Man they were in a hurry. I wanted to say "take you time, the plane is not on fire people," if you know what I mean.
Now I will say here that the scariest part of the whole thing was standing or sitting (honestly I barely remember even getting there so I am sure Ryan had to do all the work) at the door of the air plane, looking down and feeling the speed of the air. That is one image that is not going away anytime soon. There was no checking to see if I was ready, before you knew it we were falling out.
And I remember saying something like "wooo" or maybe "ahhh" I don't really know. And for that matter of 5 to 10 seconds it was pretty awesome and thrilling. So crazy!
And when that moment passed I realized that I could not breath. Ha ha! I can totally laugh about it now, but to my shame I must admit that I may have panicked a little teensy weensy bit. I tried to close my mouth and breath through my nose, for which I could get a little air, but it was coming so fast! Ironically this was the thing I was most worried about before the jump. I'd asked people who'd done it if it was hard to breath. They said no.... hmmm
Once in awhile I caught a glimpse of Jake my camera man trying desperately to get me to do something cool. I tried to stick out my tongue ...
I tried to do my signature pose of opening my mouth really big and smiling ...
On the video it basically looks like I can't catch my breath and am freaking out, lovely. And I registered this in my mind that I was being totally lame, but in the end needing oxygen won out and I didn't care too much. (It turns out that mentioning my cave diving skills would probably have done nothing for my tough girl reputation at this point.) I also notice in the video that Ryan is signaling to Jake to tell me how to breath. I can't focus they give up.
Remember my good buddy Ryan, my new bff, that I became very close to because I am going through a life changing event with him? Oh isn't he nice. Here he tries to sheild my face from Jake in an obvious attempt to protect my dignity and dare devil street credit...
... oh umm I guess not because here he is making fun of me. (By the way this is the point when it registered in my mind that I could cover my mouth and nose with my hands to sheild the air from coming so fast and then at long last I got some air.)
and he's making fun of me some more, glad I could provide the entertainment...
I am actually glad to be made fun of, it would not have nearly been as much fun if he'd been floating (ok falling) along with a look on his face that said "man this chick is so lame." He actually made the experience pretty cool.
And then to my relief the chute opened. This is what I had been waiting for from the time that I could not breath to the time that I covered my face. And whoosh I could relax and enjoy again.
The first thing I heard through my somewhat plugged ears was Ryan's mocking voice saying " I can't breath !I can't breath!" I told him he was lucky that I didn't particularly feel like knocking him out right then. And he responded that he would unclip me before I had the chance. As you can see, after him seeing me at and through an embarrassing display of panick, I had no problem completely being myself. What's the point at hiding it now? And apparently he'd had no problem being himself before then. :) Ha ha!
I don't have pictures of the chute open because Jake had to get to the ground before us, at least that is my guess. But, Ryan then said "welcome to my office", he had formerly promised to show it to me. Very spacious, great view! I asked, He says his job never gets old.
He spun us around a few times. He'd also said he'd bet me $200 that he could land us in someone's backyard swimming pool. The view was pretty great. A bit surreal. I wish I would have enjoyed it more during free fall but as you already read, I was a bit preoccupied with breathing.
Landing comes fast, it seems that the ground is so far away and before you know it you're there. We landed in a pit of gravel, I don't know how they manage to hit it spot on but they do. And then Jake was there to film me again, and film Ryan laughing at me again about the breathing. I threatened to pull out his leg hair. I laughed. I said it was great and thank you. I met up with Chalynn, who first thing says, " I would totally do that again right now! wouldn't you?" and I said "right now? no way! you need to ask me that in a couple days. I couldn't breath!" Ryan laughing again in the background. He told me that he can breath just fine, in fact he can sing while in free fall. Oh really? how special. ;)
I can hear it now the soundtrack to top gun playing in the back ground... yes sporting the very atractive new style of cone helmet hair!
Family greeted us on the ground. The kids ran to us, unfortunately this is where I hug Embrie and the buckle on my harness hits her and gives her a black eye.
You remember me mentioning not eating all day right? well When I first got on the plane the pilot, Ryan and Jake started talking about how hungery they were. I mentioned that I had hardly eaten all day and they told me "that was not good thing." I found out why. I had planned not to eat right before because I didn't want to be sick, but during my busy day I had neglected that part of life altogether. Well apparently a huge rush of adrenaline on an empty stomach combined with being a little dehydrated that will make you sick right there. No, I didn't puke but I was pretty naucious for awhile until I was able to eat.
All of that being said. I am glad I did it! It was fun. It's been a couple days and I can say now that it was AWESOME! Would I do it again? ... now that its been a couple days. Yes I think I would if the opportunity came up (which it most likely won't). I realize I was not afraid of the fall but if someone teaches me how to breath then I'll be game!
I WENT SKYDIVING!
