Friends Well Met

[Michele 1]

Day 1
Ah, yes...today I shall jump. I pack up the car (man, do I really need all this stuff?? It's like I'm going away for a week!), fill up the car, and drive through the spring morning to my playground. Haze blankets the valley, the mountains are softly green, the air is chilly; I turn up the music and open the sunroof. I stick my hand through, testing the slipstream, tease myself with the air. Spring has sprung here, and I am loving it.

To the DZ at about 10:30...and look around for Sparky, who will be meeting me. It's my first jump since getting recurrent with Lewmonst, and I have the nerves again. Nothing huge, but still...I want to be with someone I know and trust for this jump. But I can't find him....on the verge of manifesting for a solo, he shows up. YAY! We manifest for a jump - very simple, easy, nothing gigantic to try, and get ready. Walk it through, I can do this.

Now call. Into line, way at the front of the plane. I check the uppers, zero. I'm fretting at my suit, picking at my grippers, fiddling. I'm nervous, and anxious, and anticipating the whole thing. And then it's suit up time...goggles, helmet, check all straps, check all handles...green light, door up - and then that scent; spring air at 13,000 is different than anything else I've ever smelled. I breathe deeply, and feel the switch in my head turn. I'm ready to skydive...

Except we do a second pass. I remind the one solo leaving after us that I'm pulling high, 4.5, and he says he will be pulling at 6, so no worries. And now it's door time. Sparky and I crouch in the door, no links. Diving after him. He gives the count, and I follow him tightly. Into the air I fling myself, smiling. And promptly lose sight of him. I level out, arch, and circle, looking for him...and find him. Legs out, drive to him, and we are closing rapidly. "Aggressive" shouts my voice to myself, and so I fly right into him...and grab grips in time to prevent a head-on crash. I grin. This is fun!!!!

We stabilize, sort fall rate, and release. Sidebody, regrip. Good deal. Then release for the next sidebody, and he skids away from me. I chase him, lay out my legs, push my shoulders down, but I can't get there. "Aggressive!!!" I remind myself, but even though I get within inches of him, that third grip isn't happening. I am reaching, despite the legs flat, and that screws things up. And I float, then drop below, and move in and out, and just can't ever get there. I'm smiling anyway, because this is funny and fun....I am in the springtime sky, with a dear friend, dancing through the blue...how could this NOT be fun??

And now it's track and pull time...big wave off, reach, toss, throw, sweet opening, and as I reach for the slider, I see the solo opening. He's at line stretch, and his canopy is blossoming. Usually I like that sight, but then I realize how close he is...I can see his jumpsuit is slightly unzipped. He's maybe 75 feet away, and maybe 50 feet above me. Hands to the right riser, yank, watching him the whole time. I wag my legs furiously, and he does not acknowledge. I pop the toggles, and crank a 360 as fast as I can, coming out of it and using that speed to carry me away from potential danger. Good separation now...and now I stow my slider, watching him the whole time. I decide I want more room, and do another 360, and now it's time to set up for my landing. And because of the 360's, I'm too low to get where I want, so I choose my spot, and come in a bit crosswind. I almost stand it up, but end up sliding. It's all good....

I gather my stuff and walk in with the jumper who opened close to me. I ask him a few questions, realize he's a very low number (lower than me) jumper, and decide we'll just chat a bit. He doesn't realize how close he was, so I think I should let someone who he knows help him. I drop my gear, and walk over to the school, let one of his instructors know what happened, and let them take care of it.

As I stand there, under a tree, talking with Sparky, up walks this bear of a man. He says "You are Michael Owen" to Sparky, who nods..."and you must be Michele" he turns and says to me. I realize it's Bozo, Jim B., and I grin and hug him. He laughs, and I give him a big kiss on the cheek. How fun is this, I think...friends from the internet!!! He brings me over to his group, and introduces me around. We get to chatting, and Sparky has to go get ready for Joe Morgan's memorial jump.

The jump goes off well, from what I see, and my job is to catch the smoke canisters. I wait out on the landing area, and get it taken care of, and then traipse back to Jim's group.

"Hey, do you have your SCR?" Jim says to me....and I say no. I've not gotten that yet. And then his eyes twinkle, and he says "want it?" and I say sure! But I look over at Sparky. I'm not sure, not at all. A free flown exit, with people I've never jumped with, can I do this? Is this remotely possible? Oh cripes....Sparky's nodding. Well, so I'll do this....

And now the scramble to put together a group of 8. We've got 6, no problem; Frank D., Bozo, Bobbie, Kelly, me, Sparky... and then Sparky collars a 7th -Mike from Air Trash, and then Mike collars the 8th...Tom Brown. And we're on. Except I'm off. I mean in my head. It's yammering at me...you sure? What are you doing, you silly newbie you???

We dirt dive. Two floating, me in the door, the rest following out. No grips. Yikes. Sparky reminds me it's a two way with company, me and him and then the rest, I'm to focus on him, fly to him....and they warn me it will be quick, that out the door Sparky will be taking grips with Jim and that I'm to take grips with both. I nod. I'm tense, now. I've never done this, not even close to this. I've done an 8 way, but that was a linked exit. I have no idea what's going to happen. I mean, I've been told, but what will it be like??? They want me to give the count. I refuse...I don't want the count. Someone else do it. Oh phooey. It's just a skydive. No, these people are jumping with me, all have great experience, I'm going to blow the jump, they'll hate me. NO, they won't hate me yes they will oh geez, it's time to suit up and walk through and I'm shaking and my hands are sweating and I'm not even on the darned plane yet!

And now it's into the plane, sit down, stare at my feet. Look around. Stare at my fingernails. Huh, they're dirty. Clean them. Fiddle with my zippers, touch all my handles, twiddle with my leg and chest strap. And now it's that group handshake thing, and I'm shaking still. I hope no-one can tell. And then the door opens, and we're first and I line my feet up and look at Sparky and he gives the count and I'm aggressive and we're out and I'm right there and grabbing Sparky's grips and now so is Bozo and my legs get thumped and there's a tangle of arms and legs, I'm not sure where to put my hands and I freeze. And somehow slide underneath Bozo and Sparky, and now we're upside down and tumbling and rightside up and still tumbling and I'm arching and Bozo lets go and I'm clinging to Sparkly and then I'm alone in the sky...

I stabilize, and there's Sparky, and I'm trying to get to him because it's a two way with company and then I feel a knockthumpbump and Bozo is on my left, and I take grips with him, and I'm startled and now we're flying level and I remember what I'm supposed to do and then Sparky comes in and then all these other people come in and grips are being taken and the circle is widening and I'm flying to the center and we've lost so much altitude during my funnel and we're still building and now people are breaking off and Frank's got a hold of my arm and he needs to let go and he doesn't so I shake him, and consider deploying right there but I don't know where everyone is so I don't, and finally he lets go and I turn and track and slow down and open and watch my canopy open and I'm frustrated with myself because I was the problem on that jump and it's my fault and everyone will hate me and now it's time to land.

So I do, and it's a nice landing, despite being off the pattern by a whole lot. I land on my feet in the middle of foxtails. I gather up my stuff and sort of stomp off to Mike and Tom. They both hug me and congratulate me, but I know we didn't get it. They reassure me that it went well, all landed and noone got hurt, and so it's all good...but I notice some blood on some of the participants, and feel really badly that injuries - albeit small - happened on my jump.

And I drop my gear, and walk over to the group and start off with the apologies. And then Bozo hands me this big blue suit, and says "you have a pretty suit, but it's killing you. I had to go headdown to get you! Put this on" and makes me promise to try the suit on my next jump. And as I sit there, I am mad, because I screwed the exit, it's my fault, Bobbie was going for her SCR too, and these people prolly hate me and I'm embarrassed and mad. And then I see the look in Bozo's eyes, and he says "you stopped flying, like everyone does at your level. It's all right. Come back in the morning, and we'll jump." I'm relieved because no-one wants to shoot me because they burned a ticket on me...so I promise to come back in the morning and try out the blue suit.

I drive home through the evening, and realize I am both satisfied and frustrated at the same time...some paradox there. As I crawl into bed, hurting, I figure it out. I'm frustrated because it didn't go well and it was my fault, but I'm satisfied because I pushed my comfort level and tried, at least, something that really scared me...and it turned out all right.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Day 2
I crawl out of bed, barely able to stand up straight. My hips and abdomen are hurting, and I'm sore from the combat RW of yesterday. I debate whether I should go down to Elsinore, but decide I've given my word, and so it's off to the office, handle a few things, and then out to the DZ by 11:15.

I hook up with Bozo and Bobbie and Kelly, and ask him what exactly he meant about me stopping flying. I think I know, but I want to hear it from him. He explains, and then cautions me "you're thinking too much, girl. Just jump!" As the winds are anticipated to pick up, we decide to get a jump in shortly. And manifest, and get ready.

This will be a simple, no-contact proximity dive, a 4 way. I will be in the blue suit this time. It's baggy and will help my fall rate, according to Bozo. I'm worried about it being so baggy, covering handles and altimeter, but Bozo reassures me, and promises he wouldn't let me jump something I would be unsafe in. We're going to lauch a three way, with Bobbie not linked, and just work fall rate and proximity.

And it's now call, and I keep trying to get onto the plane; I'm anxious, and keep leaving my group behind. They want the door seats, and so I stay back. I'm laughing at myself...don't leave the group behind, Michele...you're not even in the air...and so we board, and get belted in, and up and away we go. And I'm worried about the winds...uppers are 20 from the freeway, no problem, but the ground is 15 and gusty. I consider riding the plane down, but decide I can handle this. Not much more. I think about my landing pattern in the plane, and now it's time to gear up and it's green light and the 4 way in front of us leaves, and now it's our turn...

Into the door, find my feet, look down, and get the count...and we're out, and it's smooth, and no funnel and Kelly's on my left and Bozo's on my right and now Bobbie comes in and we've got the whole thing. I feel my legs flopping around - happy legs, busy legs - and get some positive pressure on them. And this suit is helping me...I've managed to stay level with the group...and now it's release time, and they let go, and we all stay in position!!! I haven't fallen, I haven't floated, I'm not backsliding! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Time to take grips, and it's "easy", no fighting at all. I'm concentrating, and smiling a bit. And Bozo mouths RELAX!!! at me and I nod. I'm not sure how to relax any more, so I take a deep breath and blow it out, and we drop grips again, and take them up. And a third time, and this time I backslide about 18 inches, but not bad, and come back in and regrip. Hey, I can do this!!!! Heeeeeeee heeeeeeeeeeeee! WOW!

I notice Kelly looking down, and check my altimeter. We're still at 5ish, but he drops grips and waves at me. I turn and track, wave off, and deploy, and it's sweet...the canopy is there, bright and happy, and I head to the DZ. I play there, resting in the sky, 2,000 feet over the ground. I look out over the horizon, and see the land splayed in front, gently spring green. There is bouncy air, and I fly through it, and hit the wall of wind. As I slide down it, I am grinning. This is wonderful fun, this skydiving stuff. Just wonderful.

And then I realize I'm headed for a landing right on top of the tetrahedron, and grab risers and try to get a few feet more distance, and I do, and now it's time to flare, but it's lazy and slow, and I lift my feet and try to pop myself back up, but that isn't happening, too much wind, and gently land on my bottom. My canopy, however, isn't quite ready to stop flying. It wants back into the sky, and as it tries to reinflate and run away, I manage to clamber to my feet while yanking a toggle, and watch it accordion down. I am grinning, happy, satisfied, thrilled. WOW!

Whahoooooooooooooo! I holler, in the sheer need to let out some of the excitement and joy. Whaaaaaahoooooooooooooooooooooo!

That was a really wonderful jump, I can do this crazy skydiving thing, and I'm not terrible and no-one hates me and this is so fun and I love the sky and seeing friends around me in it.

For how unique is it, how unusual is it, to be in the blue sky, sharing a smile with old friends and new friends? Our hearts and souls are on display in the sky; how amazing it is to see that?? How intimate, how perfect, how special is that gift? To reach out and touch that sacred space, to do what we do, with friends well met in the blue; how sweet that bond!

I hope your weekend was as satisfying as mine was!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[WrongWay 0]

Jesus H Christ girl, that's a long post!!!

Glad you had some fun.

Wrong Way
D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451
The wiser wolf prevails.

[mailin 0]

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I hope your weekend was as satisfying as mine was!

Only the first load up took students... and I wasn't on it... darn winds...


Jen

Arianna Frances

[bozo 0]

I tole ya I knowed how to skydive.....yuk yuk.


bozo



great post by the way. :o)

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[Michele 1]

Wrongway, all my story posts are long....I'm irish. I talk forever, and my typing carries that out! LOL!

Mailin, sorry to hear that. It'll happen for you, I promise. And then you can write a great story about your first jump!!! I can't wait to hear about it.

Jim, I knew you knew how to skydive. What I didn't know was how much fun it would be to jump with you.

Thanks for all the teaching and the blue suit - and mostly, thanks for widening my circle of friends. You rock. Bear hugs for a bear! (And glad you liked the post!)

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[mjosparky 4]

Hey Lady,
That was the best jump of the weekend. Lets do it again, you have one more on the books. And Bozo sure can skydive.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[bozo 0]

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Hey Lady,
That was the best jump of the weekend. Lets do it again, you have one more on the books. And Bozo sure can skydive.
Sparky

I know Mike knows this.....Michele may not.

There is one point in an instructor/novice relationship, that split second when the instructor realizes that the novice "gets it".
That split second cant be bought or sold....but its worth a million bucks.
I saw that this past Sunday morning Michele..thanks.

bozo

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[Michele 1]

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I saw that this past Sunday morning Michele..thanks.

Nope, Jim, thank YOU! I knew the lightbulb went off for me, but I didn't realize I was emitting sparks. LOL!

Sparky, you rock. That's all I can say.

That really was an enlightening jump, and to hear you say afterwards "good job" made all my angst that I had burned everyone's ticket just disappear.

And yes, I wore my seatbelt all the way home so I wouldn't float through the sunroof...

Just wait til next time. We'll get that SCR...no doubt.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[katiebear21 0]

Jimbo, reading this thread reminded me of the encouraging words you had for me some time ago. I'm glad Michele got to experience you in the 1st person.
Michele, honey, I'm so proud of you. Usually I skip over the long posts but I really do enjoy reading yours. For that minute in my day, I can cease being that hard Army soldier and just be an emotional girl. Thanks!

Now, enough of this sappy shit, somebody get me a !

Katie
Get your PMS glass necklace here

[bozo 0]

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Jimbo, reading this thread reminded me of the encouraging words you had for me some time ago. I'm glad Michele got to experience you in the 1st person.
Capt.Katie.....I remain in awe ,and in debt ,to you for your service in the big sandbox.
One day we may get to share a skydive....I'll buy the beer. Michele did neglect to mention she owes.
LOL

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

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[mdrrus 0]

Michelle, one thing that you need to keep in mind is that all of us have been the least expieranced one on a jump at one time or another. One of the things that sets skydiving apart from other sports is that most everyone is more than willing to "burn" that jump ticket to help someone learn. We were or still are there too. I would never refuse to help a learning skydiver as long as they keep "saftey aware". It is for me, just as fun to help a new skydiver as it is to, lets say turn a 15 point 4-way jump. The joy of seeing beginners become proficient skydivers is incredible. I know that Sparky would agree, he has jhelped hundreds including me to learn this great sport.
Blue Skies!

[Michele 1]

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Usually I skip over the long posts but I really do enjoy reading yours. For that minute in my day, I can cease being that hard Army soldier and just be an emotional girl. Thanks!

Thanks, Katie! I know I'm long winded, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. And sometimes, it's all right to be an "emotional girl"...you rock.

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I know that Sparky would agree, he has jhelped hundreds including me to learn this great sport.

Mdrrus, doesn't Sparky just rock? And how lucky I am, to call him friend.

Hey, Bozo? You ride that high. All week, and into next. You ride.
At the office today, everyone was telling me how "great" I looked - how relaxed and rested. One guy even said "you're not pasty pale like you've been."...I was walking on air all day. And still am. I know that high, Jim. I'm on it with ya.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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One guy even said "you're not pasty pale like you've been."...

ROFL...what a sweet-talker.

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I was walking on air all day. And still am.

Cool! Good to hear that you had a nice weekend, Michele. Now, I'll put on my 15 lbs. of lead, and you put that baggy, blue suit and come jump with meeeee...lol!!!

[Michele 1]

Rosa, that actually may work...let me jump a few more times in it, so I can get over the happy legs thing, and then we'll talk. Deal?

And yeah, Dan (the pasty pale commenter...) is a real sweet talker. I was talking to him today about the calendar, and he just looked at me and said "you know, I really admire you. You just take ideas and make them real. You're really wonderful." Nearly made me burst into tears...so I hugged him instead. Then I asked him what he wanted...LOL! He said nothing! and swatted my shoulder, so I just went back to work. It's nice to have colleagues think well of me.

I have absolutely NO idea why I thought that was important to post. LOL!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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Rosa, that actually may work...let me jump a few more times in it, so I can get over the happy legs thing, and then we'll talk. Deal?

OMG....finally, our first jump is near...WAHOOOOOOO!!!! I was beginning to think that it would never happen. It was really bumming me out. Btw, when the time comes for our first jump together, we MUST get it on film. I'm sure that will not be a problem for us to find a willing camera man.

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And yeah, Dan (the pasty pale commenter...) is a real sweet talker. I was talking to him today about the calendar, and he just looked at me and said "you know, I really admire you. You just take ideas and make them real. You're really wonderful." Nearly made me burst into tears...so I hugged him instead.

That IS sooo sweet. What a HUGE compliment, Michele!!! How nice that he sees you this way...as do many, many people. I'm glad that you know that from his and many other's comments.

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I have absolutely NO idea why I thought that was important to post. LOL!

It made you smile to write it down...and it made me smile to read it. That's why!
I'm so happy and looking forward to our first jump. No pressure, Michele. Whenever you are ready...one week or one year from now...is fine with me. Just send me a message when you are feeling brave, and we can share some beautiful sky moments. We don't have to do anything tricky either...just sharing the sky together is more than enough. XOXOXO
ROSA

[loudawg 0]

DAMN, Michele! If only I knew you a couple of years back when I was taking my English courses

There was one discrepency in your beautiful post, however. I believe you left out the sentence in Day 1, paragraph 2 that was supposed to read, "I met the greatest guy today, named Lou" haha j/k

Looking forward to seeing you again!

[RevJim 0]

Friends. Some I have met, and jumped with. Some I will meet and jump with.

I really have nothing more to add. Michele, I'm glad you finally got to meet bozo. There's a few of those good guys left out there, and jim's right there at the core of 'em.

Glad you had a wonderful weekend. It freakin SNOWED here.

It's your life, live it!
Karma
RB#684 "Corcho", ASK#60, Muff#3520, NCB#398, NHDZ#4, C-33989, DG#1

[mcneill79 0]

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stick my hand through, testing the slipstream, tease myself with the air.

I thought I was the only one who did that

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I'm irish. I talk forever

I'm Irish too but I will never be able to tell stories the way you do... you are very talented. I love reading your stories, you have a magical way of telling them... keep em coming.