So, What’s on Your “Bucket List?”

I had a boyfriend who was an adrenaline junkie (ex-Marine) and it was motorcycles, hunting, and of course sky-diving. So one day I asked him what he was doing – and he said going to the Drop Zone  (Sky Diving site)– and I said I would come with him. He said – okay – but you have to jump. I said okay – I’ve always wanted to do that.   Skydiving was on the “bucket list” – one of the things I wanted to do in my life.

I went with him – on a beautiful day, and went through the training and did a tandem jump. I have the whole thing videotaped, and I think the thing that made me less nervous was that he was jumping out after me.

So as soon as we were getting to the edge of the plane to jump, I looked down and the clouds were below us (14,000) ft. and I said to Bob – the Master Teacher (my tandem partner) – ” I don’t want to do this”. He said “What?” I said – I don’t think I want to do this. So, he said on the count of 3 we’re going to fall out. So, I jumped.  He later told me that I was saying “no” but my actions (walking to the edge of the plane) were saying  ”yes.”

Unfortunately, I didn’t like the “free fall” as much as my ex did. I thought I was going to lose my lunch on the way down.  At that moment, I realized that it probably wasn’t a good thing to eat a Texas Size barbecue sandwich, before I did my first skydive tamdem jump.  But, as soon as I saw my boyfriend 12″ away from my face, I felt more relaxed.   To my knowledge, I was talking to him, and assuming he could hear me – at 120 miles per hour!!

I had no idea the amount of noise there would be when you’re falling at 120 miles per hour.   It was only a minute, but it seemed like hours.  I wasn’t afraid of dying or anything, it was just really uncomfortable.   I just kept praying that we would open the shoot soon & thinking to myself – this is probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done!

Then Bob tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up, and I thought – Thank God! I didn’t also realize that when he opened the shoot, it would pull really hard on my arms & shoulders & hurt! Then when the shoot was open it was dead silence.

Bob told me that he kept calling my name and I wouldn’t answer. I did answer him – but he said – after 3 times! I must have been in shock or something!! So, I really enjoyed the final descent, until he starting doing these swirly things that was again, going to make me lose my lunch.

So, we practiced the landing, and I liked that part, and landed safely on my rear end. The boyfriend ran up to me and kept asking me how I liked it. I gave him a mouthful – which was carefully edited out of the videotape. So, the video guy asked me again, and I was politically correct.

I left my glasses on the plane – so we had to wait till it landed again. In the meantime, they were editing my video. So, when we walked into the office, everyone was laughing. I thought – what are they laughing at?

Well, me of course – my video was on 3 big screen TV’s and I’m free falling – with my mouth open – and my face is distorted!!  My boyfriend said – oh yeah, we forgot to tell you to keep your mouth closed! I was momentarily mortified and the only people that saw that video were my family – and they didn’t think anything of it.

All I know is that I’m glad I did it.  I’m glad it’s on tape, but most of all, I’m glad “skydiving” gets checked off the bucket list!

So, what’s on your “bucket list?”

Tagged as: crazy things, fear factor, sky-diving