Do something that scares you...

this picture is not me - we were to cheap to pay for the photo package (picture by lightningman)

My business partner Holly says that every once in awhile you need to do something that scares you - just to keep the creative juices flowing.  When I recently turned thirty, my wife gave me a present, SKYDIVING.  When she gave it to me, I was a little skeptical that it would really happen.  Never underestimate someone who has three kids, nothing scares them!

I posted two videos of us preparing on my posterous.  Half the fun was actually the plane ride.  The plane was an old beat up cessna, with half the plane completely open so you could easily jump out.  It was a beautiful boulder day as the plane made circles up to 15,000 feet.  By the time you get to the top you are looking down on Longs Peak, the dominant 14,000 ft peak in the area.

 again, not us, but the plane looked exactly like this only older and more dilapidated!

Tara went first, and by far the craziest part was watching her fall out of the plane first.  The way it works in a tandem dive is you are strapped to your instructor, and they "hang you out the door", then you both flip out.

not me, but maybe it could pass for me and that is Boulder below (photo by robstemn)

The free-fall was much smoother and louder than I anticipated.  There is none of that roller coaster feeling because the acceleration is actually pretty constant.  The view was AMAZING!!!!!

After they pull the chute, they separate you about a foot from the instructor which was probably the scariest part.  I was surprised at how fast we could maneuver in the chute and how fast we could descend if we wanted to.  Our landing was a perfect, we landed on our feet while Tara and her instructor landed on their rear (which I guess is how you are supposed to do it).  

What an amazing experience and great way to start my 30's.  I highly recommend everyone add it to their bucket list!