Skydiving for the first time!

Well today was the day that I was going to be able to cross something off my Bucket List, and that was to go Skydiving! It was an early start getting up at 5.45am, to get on the road just after 6am for the 2 hour drive down to Orange, Virginia.

It was a lovely drive down, nice and quiet and I felt completely relaxed and ready for my first jump.

We arrived at the Orange Skydiving center and Airfield about 8.30am and we weren't the only ones there. There were quiet afew other people, alot of seasoned jumpers and some first timers like me. First thing I had to sit and read and sign the biggest waiver I've ever seen, that must have stated about a dozen times, how dangerous Skydiving was and that I could die! After signing my life away and went and paid my fee, (I guess they get that out of the way first incase you don't make it down!).

I was on the 3rd group and so got to hang out in the hanger and watch the first two groups go off for their jumps. The aircraft was a 22 Jumper, aptly named as you can get 22 jumpers in it and I'm not talking the wooly knitted variety!

We sat awestruck watching as the tiny dots leaving the aircraft suddenly burst into color when the parachutes opened and the drifted down to the landing area. Some of the more experienced ones came in pretty fast too.

Then the 25 minute time call was made for my flight. I met my instructor Chuck and got kitted out for the jump. I was given a lovely purple jumpsuit to wear and a equally lovely leather pink helmet and goggles. I got told three key things! The position to get in when we left the aircraft, the position to be in when we were freefalling and what to do with my feet when we came into land. That was it!

We set off towards the plane with the other crazy people and there were only 8 of us onboard for my flight. 4 of them got out at about 6000ft to do low level jumps, and we continued up to 13000 before the others got out. That left me, Chuck and the camera/video guy! (and the pilot).

Chuck and I made our way towards the door of the plane, where the camera man was already hanging out waiting for us. I really had no fear or nerves at all as I stood at the doorway with my toes hanging over the edge. Chuck said after three, one, two, threeeeeeeeeeeeee and we were off!

I had no idea which was we went, but looking at the video after I discovered we went out upside down before ending up the right way around. We freefell for about 60 seconds at 120 mph, which was the most exhilirating thing ever, even better than on a motorbike! The air wooshed past us and the cameraman stayed with us taking shots and filming my crazy experience.

Before I knew it, it was time to delpoy the shoot and all of a sudden it felt like the brakes had gone on. The wooshing sound stopped and the ground slowed befow us and I could focus again! I took off my googles and enjoyed the view. Chuck made some adjustments to the harness while I took the controls and guided us for a few thousand feet.

The view from up there was amazing. I'd seen it before from planes but to be floating underneath and canopy of fabric and take it all in was truely amazing. After about 7 minutes Chuck began to make our descent to the airfield below us. We swerved left and right on the air currents, dropping altitude with every turn aiming for our landing mark. Last instructions to get my feet up and smile for the camera and we landed!

What a rush, I was eurphoric when I landed and just threw my arms around Chuck to give him a grateful hug and a kiss on the cheek for taking me on such an amazing journey! This was the most exciting, amazing, thrilling thing I have ever done......YET!

Now, whats next on my Bucket List?

Working my way through my Bucket List!

I don't know about you, but when I watched the movie, The Bucket List with the greats Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freman in, I was inspired! I began to pen my very own Bucket List of all the things I'd like to do. My theory was to start early (I was only 33 at the time) as why wait till its too late, and also my list is very long!

My list included things like complete a marathon, learn to ride a motor bike, go skydiving, visit Australia, Hike the Manchu Pichu Trail and many more! I've been getting some things crossed off the list already starting with the Marine Corp Marathon that I did in Oct 2008, all 26.2 miles of it! Following that I got my motorcycle license and a bike in Nov 2008. In May 2009 I did a mini Triathlon! and also went White water rafting.

2010 is the year for skydiving, so I'm counting the days until Saturday 3rd April when I'll make my first jump, or should I say when my jump instructor will push me out of the plane! I'm really looking forward to it and can'y even imagine how I'll feel when I'm in the actual plane, let along falling through the air with some strange man attached to me.

Hoping that all goes well this weekend, next on the list is to get a tatoo! Nothing big or flashy and I'm not going to be getting any skulls or anchors either. Its actually been quiet frustrating trying to decide what to get! I have a few ideas, but nothings decided yet.

I have some more sane items on my list which include entering a cake decorating competition! I've been doing some classes and just love making and decorating cakes (as you'll see from my other posts) so I figured it would be fun to enter a competition so I'm I've signed up for one in early May! Gonna be a busy weekend as I'm also doing the Frederick 1/2 marathon on the 2nd so will go from there back to the cake show!

My list just keeps on growing with so many things to try, places to go, and people to meet, but I don't intend to arrive in heaven in a perfectly kept body, I plan to skid in sideways, cheering Yahoo, what a ride!

Getting ready for my first triathlon!

The day is getting nearer, only 3 days to go until my first triathlon on Sunday. Its all part of my 'bucket list' which I'm starting to work on early. Last year I did my first 1/2 marathon and full marathon so this year I chose a triathlon...during a moment of madeness I'm sure.

And I thought it would be good fun for my husband Clive to do the Triathlon with me too! he doesn't seem to think the same now though, but I'm sure after we finish on Sunday we'll look back and say 'we did it'.

Its been fun doing the training, and a challenge too as I'm not a great swimmer....why I hear you ask did I sign up for it then? well it wouldn't be a challenge if it was easy, and I've learned how to swim better. I'll never be the next Micheal Phelps, but I'll be able to finish the race without drowning or passing out.

Whats next on my bucket list then? with regards to crazy physical challenges, I'd really like to have a go at skydiving/parachute jump! Last week I got to go rafting for the first time so that was an amazing experience which want to do it again.

So wish me luck and look out for my report after the race on how it all went. Do something to challenge yourself!! just go for it!