I went skydiving this weekend, and lived to tell about it!

RickZeeland

I dived a lot after doing non-technical rock climbing :-\

Kris Lantz

Both of my brothers have done it recently, and speak highly of the experience. It's on my bucket list, but I'll wait until the kids are significantly older.

Mike Hankey

Do you know why the blind don't skydive? Scares the crap out of the dog. I'll get my coat and leave now.

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Forogar

I did parachute training with the RAF - but it was off an 85ft tower with a large rotating fan thing to slow your descent - no aeroplanes or actual parachutes involved, just a steel cable and a tight harness! Never got around to doing a jump for real although the tower was fairly scary!

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TNCaver

I'm sure the adrenaline rush is fantastic, but I would probably overdose on it. :laugh: I will abseil/rappel down into one of my state's 12,000+ caves or off a cliff or even out of a helicopter, but I'll not jump out of a perfectly functional airplane.

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obermd

I've jumped out of cars higher than that. :laugh: Seriously though, I don't see the allure of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, but if you had fun, more power to you.

Ravi Bhavnani

Congratulations and happy birthday, Mehreen! I prefer a airplane descent that's gentle enough so that even your ears don't pop. :) /ravi

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Daniel Pfeffer

Congratulations. I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday present to yourself, but I have absolutely no desire to emulate you. The only way you'll get me to jump out of an airplane is if jumping is better than all other alternatives.

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Maximilien

I went on my 30th. Did a paired jump. I much prefer floating around when the parachute is open than the freefall.

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Gary R Wheeler

I heard it was because the training for the dog to pull the rip cord didn't go as planned.

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englebart

The fan’s nick name was Shredder which did not inspire confidence?

MehreenTahir

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter wrote:

And happy birthday!!!

Thank you :)

MehreenTahir

Greg Utas wrote:

I've never skydived but have done technical rock climbing, which also provides some adrenaline rushes!

I'm going rock climbing next!! Any tips?

Greg Utas

Stay as vertical as possible. You'll feel the urge to lean into the rock when you're afraid you might slip, but keep your weight directly over your feet to maximize friction. Climbing shoes, which fit tightly and have non-slippery rubber soles, are a great help. If you're going to a climbing school, they should have some for you to borrow. They're indispensable if the holds get thin or sloped enough. Avoid large moves: look for intermediate holds that you can use. Try to keep 3 out of 4 points (hands and feet) in place during a move, repositioning one at a time. You may have to plan a sequence of moves--grab the next handhold with the right hand, move the right foot to the next foothold, then move the left hand, and finally the left foot. You can do a sequence like that quickly if you do it smoothly, and you'll be surprised at what holds will work if used briefly. Wear loose clothing with narrow openings at the bottom of trousers. Tape them closed if need be, so that a foot doesn't hit the other trouser leg when moving laterally. It's very safe if you're following. About the worst that can happen is a pendulum over exposure (nothing but empty air below, with no way to grab the rock face). They shouldn't take you on a route with that possibility unless they know you can handle it. Bring a good pair of gloves in case the leader falls. It's highly unlikely, but you'd have to hold that fall, and people's hands have been friction-burned to the tendons trying to hold a fall without gloves. And I noticed you're in Ireland, so don't get upset if your instructor calls you Maureen. :-D

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Mycroft Holmes

Well done - I did 40+ rec jumps in the late 70s, it gets better the more you do!

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dan sh

Oh yes. It is something that cannot be explained. I love jumping from higher altitudes. I want to try wingsuit once. That should be different experience since you would have horizontal velocity more than vertical.

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MehreenTahir

That's really helpful. Thanks! The trip I signed up for is open to all experience levels so I think the instructors would take us to some beginner-level route only and that shouldn't be so hard to handle.

Greg Utas wrote:

And I noticed you're in Ireland, so don't get upset if your instructor calls you Maureen.

Been there :-D Now, I've modified my introduction for Irish people. It's Mehreen with "h". :laugh:

MehreenTahir

Ravi Bhavnani wrote:

Congratulations and happy birthday, Mehreen!

Thank you! :)

Ravi Bhavnani wrote:

I prefer a airplane descent that's gentle enough so that even your ears don't pop.

Soft blowing your nose during the jump usually helps. It was the 7th jump of the day for my tandem instructor and his ear was literally bleeding. Apparently, he didn't even realize it.

MehreenTahir

Maximilien wrote:

I much prefer floating around when the parachute is open than the freefall.

I loved the freefall ;P

MehreenTahir

Mycroft Holmes wrote:

I did 40+ rec jumps in the late 70s, it gets better the more you do!

On my way to book the next one :-D