Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane...

[Veronica]

We went tandem sky diving while we were in Maine last week. I wasn't nervous about it at all until we actually got to the door and I was looking at the earth 14,000 feet down! It was an amazing experience and we'll do it again - maybe in Moab, should be some incredible scenery.

But don't ever tell your tandem jump partner that he can do whatever tricks he wants. That's a very bad idea! Free fall tricks were fine, but corkscrewing once the chute has opened... I was miserable for 2 - 3 hours afterward, essentially sea sick, which never happened to me when we were sailing. Missed out on some good ice cream from one of the local places too.

Veronica

[SheFly]

Why would you EVER jump out of a perfectly good plane???

Glad you had fun, but better you than me! My feet do not jump.

SheFly

[Veronica]

My family were all surprised that I wasn't nervous. But I figured it was less dangerous than mountain biking.

Veronica

[SheFly]

But I figured it was less dangerous than mountain biking.

Veronica

I just spit water on my laptop... Give me an MTB and trails anyday!

SheFly

[GLC1968]

My family were all surprised that I wasn't nervous. But I figured it was less dangerous than mountain biking.

Veronica

Perhaps. But a mistake while mountain biking doesn't necessarily guarantee death.

You couldn't pay me to jump out of a plane. Or off a bridge. Or to go up in a hot air balloon unless I was allowed to hide in the basket with my eyes closed.

I agree with SheFly - better you than me!

[Veronica]

It wasn't my first choice of activities. Thom's parents did it last year because his mom wanted to get over her fear of heights. They enjoyed it so he suggested to them that we do it with them. I was not really excited about it. Seriously, why jump out of a perfectly good plane? Plus it's not cheap! Since I fell off the cliff mountain biking Umpqua, I have been more than a little leery about "death" to either side when mountain biking. Jumping out of a plane wasn't going to do anything to assuage my fear, but comparing it to mountain biking made all my nerves go away. The tandem guy does all the work. He doesn't want to die and he certainly doesn't want his customer to die. Therefore, it must be safer than mountain biking!

It did turn out to be a pretty cool experience and we'll think about doing it when we travel some place with interesting geography.

Veronica

[Tri Girl]

He doesn't want to die and he certainly doesn't want his customer to die.

Well when you put it like that....

[colby]

It wasn't my first choice of activities. Thom's parents did it last year because his mom wanted to get over her fear of heights. They enjoyed it so he suggested to them that we do it with them.

I've heard this before - skydiving to get over your fear of heights - but did it actually make a difference?

Someone else who did a skydiving trip said it's really not the same sensation as the "fear of heights" thing until you can see the ground approaching, and then it's over pretty quickly.

I am afraid of heights, so I have a bit of a morbid curiosity

[zoom-zoom]

Perhaps. But a mistake while mountain biking doesn't necessarily guarantee death.

You couldn't pay me to jump out of a plane. Or off a bridge. Or to go up in a hot air balloon unless I was allowed to hide in the basket with my eyes closed.

I agree with SheFly - better you than me!

Heh, I'm scared to death of heights, too...but not chairlifts or rollercoasters, interestingly enough. That glass lookout thingie over the Grand Canyon sounds like a sort of Hell to me, though.

[Koronin]

Heh, I'm scared to death of heights, too...but not chairlifts or rollercoasters, interestingly enough. That glass lookout thingie over the Grand Canyon sounds like a sort of Hell to me, though.

I agree with you. I've been to the one at the Grand Canyon, but there is one at the House on the Rock in (don't remember if it's Minnesota or Wisconsin). I couldn't walk very far out into that room. I'd think the one at the Grand Canyon would be worse.

[colby]

Heh, I'm scared to death of heights, too...but not chairlifts or rollercoasters, interestingly enough. That glass lookout thingie over the Grand Canyon sounds like a sort of Hell to me, though.

YES, totally! Just imagining that makes me dizzy!

I don't mind rollercoasters, though sometimes I have to close my eyes or grip my neighbor tightly on the climb. Maybe the fear of heights adds to the rush, though.