How I did it: We finally got to go, after 2 weather-related cancels! 

Skydiving didn't feel anything like I expected!  It didn't feel like falling at all!  Durring the 1 minute free fall I had to remind myself that I was falling.  And the parachute ride felt like a ride.

The air pressure and wind made my ears hurt quite a lot during the free fall.  I was pretty worried that I was going to burst and ear drum.  Also the steering of the parachute pulls up on your harness at the thighs, which was very painful.  So much that I didn't want to the instructor to turn any more than needed.

Unfortunately due to my hand injury I wasn't allowed to steer myself. 

It was great!  We had a group of 7 and we all got to go up together in the same flight.  The absolutely scariest part was watching my boyfriend seem to fall out of the plane, possibly because I knew he was the most nervous of us all.  I was last in our group and got to watch everyone jump and watch their landings from the air.

Lessons & tips:

• Wear comfy pants.  The harness is pretty tight on your upper thighs rough stiff jeans can irritate and be painful.  Also, try to avoid spilling hot coffee in your lap on the car ride to the airport.  Burnt legs are easily irritated. (true story)
• Don't wear shorts.  They flop around in the wind and slap your skin a lot.
• After the parachute is deployed the instructor unclips from the two lowest attachments.  So he's only attached at the shoulders.  I really wish they would have told us about that in the class, it took us all by surprise.

Resources: Skydive Oregon

---

Jul 10, 2011, 05:20PM PDT | 0 comments | 11 cheers