Skydiving...

As I'm sure a lot of you know Steve and I went Skydiving on Saturday(6/27/09) to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary which was earlier this month. I had been wanting to go for quite a while and we were finally able to go. It was SO fun!!! Seriously!!! It was the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever had and we can't wait to go again! :) I think I want to try Paragliding before going again though. :) If you have ever considered going you should just go! You only live once right!?! It is hard to explain but it is the most amazing feeling. It is way different then the butterfly feeling of roller coasters(which I love as well.) People don't believe me but I wasn't scared at all. I don't know why I guess I'm just crazy! I did get butterflies a little as we were flying up in the plane but it was because I was so excited! I do have to say I was taken back by the pressure of the air while you free fall at 120mph(probably cause I'm claustrophobic), but I still loved it! It is also kind of funny how it distorts your face and skin(so not flattering!) We jumped at 13,000 feet(2 1/2 miles) and Steve free fell for 50 seconds and I for 60 seconds. My partner Phil and I back flipped out of the plane but Steve and his partner didn't because their combined weight(with parachute pack) was around 500 pounds and it is harder to stabilize that much weight. The tiny parachute you see when we first jump is just for stabilizing. Steve's favorite part was the actual free fall and mine was after the parachute opens and it is instantly quiet(as opposed to how loud it is while free falling) and peaceful and you really feel like you are flying(at least how I've always pictured it.) My partner and I had a lot of fun during the "after the chute" part doing lots of spin and stuff. I even got to steer and guide some spins. The view is SO beautiful and you can see the entire Great Salt Lake. It kind of sucks that the photographer can't film this part cause they are landing themselves and getting ready to film your landing. They film your free fall(which is in major slow motion of course) and then head down to land themselves and get ready for your landing. After I landed I was a little nauseous... probably a combination of being really hungry and the "dumping" of the adrenaline. We were also really tired and came home and took naps. :) Anyway here are our first jumps. There is a video of each of our jumps and then of course tons of pictures. We make a couple cameos in each others videos so watch both. :)

Steve and his partner Mike(who is our really good friend and has been jumping for 12 years and has over 1200 jumps.) I'm not sure Steve would've ended up going if he wasn't able to jump with Mike. :)

Walking out to the plane.


I love how Steve and I are totally smiling at each other. :)

You have the option of wearing jumpsuits but Steve and I both opted not to. The weather was warm(and perfect) and I wanted to feel the air on my skin(which was cold in the refreshing kind of way) and it felt awesome :)

My partner Phil and I(who was AWESOME and has over 4000 jumps.) My camera guy is on the left side of the picture.

Steve's partner Mike.

The crew... camera man directly in front of us, partner behind us. Steve looks focused doesn't he? Someone also totally "broke wind" while in the plane... it was pretty funny! At the end of my video you can hear someone say "I smell fear." That is what he was referring to. Too funny! No one fessed up so I'm assuming it was the older man that jumped first(it was his first jump in 25 years.)

Steve getting ready to jump(fall), You can see his camera man's hand holding onto a green strap on the outside of the plane waiting for them to go. It is so cool how they can do this. The camera and video camera are attached to their helmets. Steve's camera guy played around with them a bit and grabbed Steve's hand and then let go and sent them spinning during the free fall. I was last out of the plane so I got to see Steve jump and land which was fun.

There he goes...






Steve's photographer got some really good closeup shots of them!


Steve is holding his photographers hand.


Sweet view!

This is when his parachute opened up and you bounce back up a bit. Steve said it was a bit uncomfortable for him(due to their weight), but it didn't bother me at all. I actually got that butterfly feeling on this part. :) All the spinning and playing around happens after this part.

Coming in for the landing. They landed pretty quick(again due to their weight) and Steve got some grass stains on his butt. :(

Safely back on the ground. :)

Me getting ready to jump. The face is due to the pressure of the air and focusing on trying to breathe.

We are off...

Doing a back flip. My partner told me to watch for the bottom of the plane but I don't remember seeing it... I was a bit disorientated. :(

Trying to blow a kiss... love my distorted face and arms! :P






Check out the view!




Parachute opening... loved it! Again major face distortion...


Coming in for the landing...






Phil did a pretty good job at "taking the landing" and I just had a tiny bit of dirt on my butt.


SO AWESOME!!!

If you live in Utah and want more information on Skydive Utah check out their website here. Feel free to ask any questions and pleeease comment... this is like my most exciting post ever! Thanks SO much Dad for watching the kids!