SKYDIVING

[Mike Andrews]

elizabeth26 wrote:

Though I only did it once, I loved skydiving Did it one autumn when the leaves had just turned their fiery colors, and the view was awesome. It was a static line jump at an airfield in Medford, NJ. The thing that I was most surprised at (besides some big macho guy who went out on the wing to jump and got cold feet ) [size="4"]was how absolutely quiet it was[/size], drifting to earth after my chute opened It left me with the feeling that anything was possible.

Yeah, it's real quiet, from the time the chute opens till the time you land in the trees hock:

[TwentySix]

Funny you mention the trees... that macho guy (with thick NYC accent) who was in my jump group had been acting like big man on campus all day, posturing how this was no big deal, if you felt scared (I had admitted that I was nervous) you were just too wimpy, and should go home if you couldn't cut it.  When we boarded the airplane, I went in first (being the smallest of the group) and the big guy was last in so he would be first out.  Well, we got to the target landing area, he went out on the wing and basically froze, refusing to let go of the plane.  The instructor had to scamper out there, pry his hands from the wing stanchion    and off he went.  When the instructor came back in the airplane to mortified faces all around, he explained that we were nearing the end of the field we were to jump onto (which was bordered by trees) and since they couldn't get him back in the plane they had to force him to jump in case he let go at an inopportune time  hock:  When I finished my jump he was still sitting on the ground with his head in his hands, crying like a baby....

[Wellardmac]

...as a wise man once said, "you've got to know your limitations."

[JetPilot]

I guess but at the same time I have to enjoy life, I have  a job that could kill me, so I see it as having fun until that day I can't. I want to  be able to say "My name is David Bond and I lived life" and that to me is it, also having a family. Other people it knitting or running....we are all diffrent, and remember its not the speed that kills its the sudden stop!

[Wellardmac]

I also have a job that could kill me and I try not to let it.