Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane...

[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....

[Koronin]

Glad you had fun. Not something I'll ever do. Don't see any good reason to jump out of a good airplane, and well I hate flying to begin with. (This has nothing to do with 9/11, I've always hated flying, even when I've had to). I'd much rather have a surfboard, snowboard or any bicycle.

[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

[GLC1968]

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

Yeah, I wonder that too. I also have a fear of heights, but of all the things I mentioned above, the airplane is the least scary to me when thinking about it just because the height is so severe. I think I'm much more terrified of ladders.

Oddly enough, mountain climbing doesn't bother me at all. Go figure.

[Veronica]

His mom was asked that at breakfast Saturday. She didn't really know. His dad just always does the high stuff.

I really don't see it as the same thing either. Tandem skydiving is a controlled fall and controlled by someone else. My fear of heights - and it really only applies to mountain biking is about a lack of control. In free fall you are going so fast and it lasts so long. It doesn't feel like falling. And there's no impact. Once the chute gets pulled, it feels like just floating gently to the earth. Unless you're spun around like a corkscrew. And even then it feels like a Tilt A Whirl, not like falling.

Veronica

[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.

[aka_kim]

Wow, Veronica! I think I'd need to wear a diaper if I tried skydiving, so probably better for everyone if I don't.

[zoom-zoom]

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.

And there are pop-out look outs like that on the Sears/Willis tower....oh, hayul no!!!

[Catrin]

Veronica, I think you did great! I am amazed at people who can do this without becoming a basket case - they would need to pry my fingers off of the person I came down with and probably give me drugs to calm me - I won't even climb on a ladder! Chairs are bad enough....Airplanes, oddly enough, don't bother me. Roller coasters, etc, nope. Can't pay me enough to ride one

Zoom-zoom, I agree completely!