Quarter Century - Lets jump!

April 23, 2011 was my 25th birthday.  I turned a "quarter century" which to some people is a milestone of sorts if for no other reason that it is a pretty, nice, round number.  I celebrated with my Daddy on the actual day of my birthday and then a week later I was luck enough to have an amazing group of friends go out to dinner with me!

Sandra and I looking amazing in the fun sombreros at Don Miguels - my favorite Mexican restaurant in Campinas

Fernanda and Pia (freshly engaged!) also being festive on my birthday!

So some people take these types of events as reasons to drink excessively, spend large amounts of money on silly things like massive TVs or new cars, I however decided I would like to jump out of a plane.  Ok, I will be honest, skydiving actually had nothing to do with my birthday - I simply wanted to jump out of a plane.

I'm learning to fly

But I ain't got wings

Coming down

Is the hardest thing

So - I know that everyone wants silly pictures of me with my face being pulled back from the really strong pull of air whooshing past my cheeks as I plummet towards the earth again - I am afraid to say that you will be disappointed.  In order to get those types of photos, I would have had to pay for another person to jump with me to take the photos - no thank you.  So the best thing I can do is give you the before shots with me all suited up and ready to go!

It was a beautiful day for a flight!  You can see small points of color as the parachutes of other jumpers just appear as they all pull their chutes.

Other fliers gracefully coming down for a landing - again, such a beautiful day!

Zipping it up all the way!  Last thing you want is your suit flying open and blinding the tandem jumper!!

This is my fierce "I'm not scared at all" face - don't mess with me!  I jump out of PLANES!!

All suited up!  I felt a bit like a race car driver in the full body onesy

The back.  The black part on the back is all elastic/spandex material, as is the red part on the sleeves.  The black pipes running down each leg are sturdy, I am assuming foam, pipes that you hold onto when you are about to land to help keep your feet up and out of the way of the tandem jumper. 

I am ready to go - I am ready to fly, If I had wings, they would be open and poised for launch!

 

So here is how it happened:

• Arrived at the jump site and watched as group after group of fliers boarded a small 15 person plan and then appeared 20 minutes later as small points of color in the sky.
• My name is called and I get handed the amazing jump suit featured above.
• My tandem jumper (Marcao) goes through all the safety stuff with me and gets me harnessed up
• Keep your hands tucked and fingers relaxed on your chest
• Head back
• Chest/stomach out
• Knees bent like I am trying to kick him behind me
• We climb into the plan along with 3 other tandem jumpers and 3 single fliers.
• We banter a bit with each other, but mostly we just wait and watch the altimeter climb...12,000 ft
• As we approach altitude we start getting clipped into each other and we review the procedure (hands tucked, fingers relaxed, head back, belly out, try to kick Marcao's butt)
• The single fliers will jump first so they get 100% ready, and they open the door on the side of the plane
• I say something to the effect of "oh fuck" as the side of the plane opens and I really understand what we are about to do
• Two of the single fliers are literally hanging out of the plane with only an arm and a leg inside. I am too preoccupied thinking about how strange that looks to really take note of why they were doing that...
• They look into the plane say "Bom Salto! (good jump)" and let go... and just.... FALL
• The 3rd single flier looks to us and gives us a thumbs up and more or less leaps out of the plane
• I am the first tandem flier (of course) so Marcao and I begin to waddle over to the door
• He tells me to get in position and at this point.. I am thinking that jumping was a silly idea, I don`t want to do this
• I put my hands into the harness, relax my fingers, head back, belly out - and I start to say "Stop!"
• Marcao had already leaned forward and I was already falling
• Screaming bloody murder
• At some point I thought... huh... this isn't too bad - lets smile
• OOO smiling is hard and it really dries my mouth out
• Man, my eyes are watering like crazy - thank goodness for the goggles
• I cannot hear a thing, this wind is whooshing past SO fast....
• Still screaming
• Sharp tug upwards - Marcao has pulled the chute
• I stop screaming
• He congratulates me on a great free fall and tells me I can take my goggles off
• I stand up on his feet so he can adjust the harness a bit to be more comfortable
• He gives me a brief lesson on landing
• Knees up
• Feet crossed
• Hands pulling up on the pipe foam pieces along my legs
• He then lets me take the chute and turn us around, make circles, swing left and right as we glide down to the ground
• It is landing time (knees up, feet crossed, hands on pipe things)
• We come in on our butts, surprisingly softly
• He unclips me and I leap to my feet and promptly hug him in a crazy adrenaline filled rush
• I didn't die!

So... who wants to get skydiving certified to be a single flier with me?  Hey, if nothing else, the jumpsuits are pretty cute and the gear needed is only a backpack!  (granted you need a friend with a plane with a sliding side door - but those are details!)

Amazing!!!