So? Have you ever wondered what it’s like to fly without a plane?
Have you watched those shows on television with hang gliders, ultra
lights, or hot air balloons and found yourself wishing or wondering?
Me too!!! LOL!
I used to watch my dad skydive as a teen and I also watched the
sailplanes that were towed heavenward then unleashed to glide home on
air currents alone. What fun! They captured my imagination. Dad
“booked passage” for me on a sailplane as a present for my 16th
birthday and it was a beautiful and incredible experience but…the
yearning to skydive – look ma, no plane - has remained with me since
those teen years.
So, one day, while plotting and planning and anticipating normal
ToRI 2003 activities, my wunderbar roommate (Gunnar) sees me
peering longingly at the website for Sky Dive Newport. He asks if they
take pictures and when I reply in the affirmative says, “I’ll pay
for it, if you do it.” Of course I think he’s kidding! The man is
afraid of heights! A $200.00 adventure??? Way too much moolah!YEESH!
It has to be a joke, right?
Talking with him later, I find that, yes – he’s serious!!! So,
I psyche myself up for this “dream come true” and regularly go
peer at the skydive website until the day Gunnar hands me a check and
I call and make my reservations.
I do share this crazy idea with my friends, son and family and the
majority of them think, "Well...She's finally gone a few fries
short of a happy meal permanently!" Jump out of a perfectly good
plane??? WHY??? LOL! You can explain it as the call of the
wild....a need to experience life from different points of view…a
wanderlust personality handed down by forefathers...it's very hard to
put into words.
Who can say why some people sanely prefer to keep feet firmly
planted on terra firma while others search out “less safe”
experiences?!?!? I don’t want to climb El Capitan's cliffs or even
bungee jump from a bridge in South America...I want to fly!!!
Much
to my delight, there was this fun-loving group of friends
– my ground crew, the Care Bear posse – who decided that they
would be willing to watch. (And perhaps pray that I land safely?) So,
from HoJos, Barb, Kathryn, LynneH and I drive over to little Newport
State Airport to meet up with the patiently waiting Colleen, Darlene
and Lynne. The party is ready to begin!!!
I read and initial six pages of waivers and safety
gobbledygook, 
sign
away my son’s right to sue should I go splat, (*VBG*), and pick a
teal jumpsuit over a pink one. LOL! (Sky-like color, you see!) I
received a brief training lecture from my flight instructor/tandem
partner Andreas, pay for my adventure and 
make
my way to the little plane. We climbed to 10,000 feet with me humming
“We Can Fly” softly to myself and contentedly watching the
horizon. 
At
that height, you can see a curve to the horizon when your view is
unobstructed! It was so glorious!!! I felt an odd sense of calm
that was wonderful. I just knew that nothing would happen to me. It
was as if my grandparents and The Great Spirit were within touching
distance of my fingers!
So???
What DID it feel like actually free falling from a plane? Exciting,
glorious, FREE and not like “falling” at all! At that height,
even at that speed, with goggles pressed against my face, it felt more
like a seagull or hawk hovering on a thermal without any effort. One
of my hobbies is bird watching and the birds of prey, circling the
sky, are my favorites hands down. 
I
truly received a bird’s eye view of lovely Rhode Island coastlands
and the Atlantic Ocean! What a view! And the quiet, once Andreas
released the parachute at 5,000 feet, was awesome!!! He had told me to
“relax and have a great time” and that’s just what we did.
Softly floating down in gentle circles, watching my shadow get larger
and closer on a cloud that Andreas told me “had my name on it”!
Coming out of the cloud and seeing the airport drop zone getting
closer and still no nervousness. I waved to my buddies when I thought
I was close enough for them to see, heard some “whoo-hoo”s I
think, and lifted my legs when Andreas told me to. 
We
slid safely onto the grass on our “built-in landing cushions” and
the adventure was safely over. Was it a blast?!?!? Let me put it this
way, if I had the price of a second flight sitting in my pocket, I
would have asked for us to go up again! Right then!!!
THAT is how much I loved every second of that skydive!!!
The
ladies came out on to the field for the photo ops and then
“interviewed” me with LynneH’s camcorder. Then sweet Colleen
uncorked the champagne!!! 
A
celebration of life, friendship, and good times in Rhode Island that
had me slugging champagne from the bottle… and promptly having it go
UP my nose and ALL OVER the jumpsuit and splatter my glasses!!!
LOLOLOL! WHOOOOO-HOOOOO and YEEE-HAAAWWW!!! Burp!
Does the Care Bear now recommend this type of adventure? For the
people who have always wanted to do it – you bet your sweet bippy
that I do!!! If you are afraid of heights..this is obviously not
your “E Ticket” for fun times. Would I go again? In a New York
minute!
There is a quote on a webpage about skydiving that sums up my
feelings nicely…
"...if riding in an airplane is flying,
then riding in a boat is swimming.
If you want to experience the element,
get out of the vehicle."
I’ve now experienced air and adrenaline, adventure and the
freedom of “flight”. I got out of the vehicle and had an
unforgettable dream come true for sure.
Thank you my dear friend Gunnar!!! AND many thanks to the six
lovely ladies who shared and celebrated with me afterwards! Your
friendship and support mean more to me than I can say....Three cheers
to freedom, music, and friendship!!!
