Skydiving!

After what seemed like forever when in reality it was an hour an half, the Hollister crew was finally ready to take us up in the air. The sad part was that we were just waiting like bums, wish we were learning something or they had timed it better.

So when they did get it all together then the ball was rolling. Dustin was my jump master and very efficient, with in moments I was strapped up and heading out to the plane. Finally we are on our way! I am about to jump out of a plane, this is crazy and exciting at the same time.

As we get on the plane, both of us are getting strapped to our jump-masters, the guys who are wearing the parachutes (important!). There is a group of us crowded into a small hanger plane and everyone is nervous.

The pilots are joking around, asking if any wants to get out or that something was wrong with the plane. The jumpers join in, pretending to want to get out or that they forgot their shoot.

When we hit 8,000 ft the doors opened and half the plane jumped out. Then Dustin and myself scooted to the front and waited as the plane kept climbing to 15,000 ft.

Before I knew it, we were there and scooting to the back of the plane. Dustin is repeating the instructions and asking if I am ready. Am I? Better be!

Suddenly the door is open and I am sitting on the edge of the plane looking out thinking "Holy (@*!" Pulling in my arms and then Dustin jumps out.

There is nothing like it, the air is whizzing by you and your brain is freaking out.

The air itself is very thin and tastes a bit bitter. The moment you open your mouth the air is forcing itself through you, forcing you to breath through your nose.

Yet you can't help but smile because of how amazingly beautiful everything is. It is just crazy how quickly you are falling, it is hard for your mind to catch up on what is happening.

 

What your brain does recognize is the cold air and the pressure on your ears. They feel clogged and you have to try to regulate them.

After that I became aware of my jacket. It was mostly zipped up but not totally and thus was flapping in the wind. This was starting to bug me.

So with a bit of a struggle, I zipped it up. It is very hard to move your arms or body while you are falling since the force of air is pressing against you.

Before I knew it, Dustin was tapping my shoulder to let me know he was going to pull the chord for the shoot to open.

The speed drops dramatically and now you are able to really look around. I am in just awe.

Sooner than I wished, Dustin is telling me that we will have to prep for landing and is pointing out to me where we are going.

As we get closer to the ground I am stretching my legs out in front of me. I have to be in a sitting position so that Dustin's feet touch first and he can do the actual landing.

Back on the ground I look around me like a little kid, I just survived jumping out of plane. Now that I have lived through that... I can survive anything.