Exercise Club

This was twenty five years ago back when I could pee in my pants. I’d do it again. About 3,000 feet below me is I-90 15 miles east of Seattle; that little circle in the lower right is where I am going.

Anytime, Riverdude! The Beachshack is always open and would welcome fellow dialystas. We have a skydiving club just south of us at Byron Bay.

I just booked a trip to Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef in May next to do some diving / snorkelling etc. Bill, had no trouble getting into new dialysis unit at Cairns Private Hospital. Yay!!

Oh my gawd, hahaha! Hey would you do it again at this moment that your on dialysis?

Sure I would Gus. Why not? These days they mostly do tandem jumps - I did it back when you jumped off a static line that pulled your cord leaving you to guide yourself down.

If you look at the little circle in the corner of the photo there are two small triangles on either side. The idea was that you’d spot the triangles and turn your body to face the way the triangles were pointing. As the wind blew you around experienced sky divers on the ground would move the triangles to get you to the circle. I ended up about ten feet away where I crumpled to the earth - one of the people I dove with nearly crashed on to the roof of a hanger at the other end of the runway just outside the frame. Just barely avoiding the roof my friend then nearly ended up tangling with the prop of an idling plane before skidding across the tarmac. Jumping tandem, I think, would be easier.

The other thing I remember from that jump was standing on one foot outside the plane on a little metal peg, while gripping the wing strut with both hands and gaping at the void below. The jump master hit my leg and said “Go” but I could not will my hands to let go of the strut. Finally on the forth “Go” I released my iron grip; I have no memory of the next 15 seconds. That picture is of me while I am a state they called white out, basically I guess my brain rebooted, so I was off line for about a quarter minute. Jumping was so spectacularly exciting/scary I had to do it two more times.

[quote=Bill Peckham;11556]Sure I would Gus. Why not? These days they mostly do tandem jumps - I did it back when you jumped off a static line that pulled your cord leaving you to guide yourself down.

If you look at the little circle in the corner of the photo there are two small triangles on either side. The idea was that you’d spot the triangles and turn your body to face the way the triangles were pointing. As the wind blew you around experienced sky divers on the ground would move the triangles to get you to the circle. I ended up about ten feet away where I crumpled to the earth - one of the people I dove with nearly crashed on to the roof of a hanger at the other end of the runway just outside the frame. Just barely avoiding the roof my friend then nearly ended up tangling with the prop of an idling plane before skidding across the tarmac. Jumping tandem, I think, would be easier.

The other thing I remember from that jump was standing on one foot outside the plane on a little metal peg, while gripping the wing strut with both hands and gaping at the void below. The jump master hit my leg and said “Go” but I could not will my hands to let go of the strut. Finally on the forth “Go” I released my iron grip; I have no memory of the next 15 seconds. That picture is of me while I am a state they called white out, basically I guess my brain rebooted, so I was off line for about a quarter minute. Jumping was so spectacularly exciting/scary I had to do it two more times.[/quote]

Quite an incredible experience…I think I don’t have the gut(Colbert style ) to do something like this, hehehe…

Great post Jim

I used to be very active ,but health and work just started to take more of my time as i got older. Right now being dialysis , doctors for me , my wife doctors, and we are my mom’s caregivers, her doctor trips. Plus all the everyday house jobs cooking ,shopping etc. I just can seem to fine any real time to get out. I used to love hiking into the mts. with my dog. Going off the trails and just finding spots that most people would not take the time or didn’t have the time to see and enjoy. My goal is to have house in order by next late spring or early summer. I live in a great area that has great open space. Plus my wife has family that live in great mt. area. (east coast mts. PA)
I know it sounds far off but right now I have to real and not set myself up for things that I know if they can happen I can not rushed.I plan to be around for a while .
bobeleanor