Olivia Discovers a Ray of Sunlight

I’m so thankful to have a cell phone camera to catch quick moments like this.

Falling From The Sky

Elaina had a little surprise for my birthday this year.

The only thing she told me was to be ready first thing in the morning.  The babysitter showed up at 6:45 a.m. which immediately made me suspicious.  This was an adults only thing… sweet!

At 7:00 we headed west.  We were in a hurry so we wouldn’t be late.  Late for what?  No clue.

Heading west on the freeway we passed Post Falls, Liberty Lake, Spokane Valley, the airport…. and we were STILL on the road!  There is NOTHING west of the airport…. but we kept driving.

About an hour into our drive Elaina started to get funny… she would switch on the turn signal and would pull slightly off an exit before quickly returning back to the freeway.  Every time I thought we were getting off the freeway we just kept going.

Finally we pulled off at a rest stop where Elaina was driving around slowly looking for someone.  “He should be here somewhere” she said.   She parked the car and went into the bathroom while we waited to meet someone.  I have no idea what is going on, but was told to look out for  a red truck.

She soon came back with a smirk on her face, got in the car, and started driving again!  What the????   Elaina was pretty proud of herself for that little diversion.  Meanwhile I’m totally confused.

After nearly two hours of misdirection and and misinformation we finally pulled off the freeway…. in the middle of nowhere.  We drove down a desolate dirt road and then I saw the sign… West Plains Skydiving.

I didn’t hesitate at all (even after watching the mandatory 20 minute video about everything that can go wrong and how no one is at fault.)

My only brief hesitation came when we were climbing aboard the plane.  Holy $&#! this is really going to happen!  And then we were off… 12 of us crammed into a tiny airplane.

At 10,000 feet the door opened.  All I remember is how fast people disappeared after jumping from the plane.  They immediately turned into tiny specs in the sky.  One by one the single jumpers flew out of the plane … and then it was my turn.  I clipped uncomfortably close to another dude… and then we jumped.

Everyone asks if it was scary.  It is a little scary at first, but very quickly you lose the sense of falling.  You just feel like wind is blowing really hard against you.  I was smiling so big the entire time that my teeth started to dry out and hurt.

Elaina bought the video/photography package to document the adventure.  I’m so glad she did!  I can relive moments like when I made a rookie mistake of tensing up as we fell from the plane.  Tensing up basically makes you cartwheel through the sky until the instructor regains control.

 

The instructor let me steer for a few seconds… and only a few seconds.  I was surprised at how fast we were descending.

I can’t believe how fast we came down.  After 7 or 8 minutes we slid right into the LZ (that’s Landing Zone for all of you non awesome skydivers).

This is probably the greatest gift I have ever received.  I got to fulfill a lifelong dream and it was exhilarating.  I have these wild dreams of going back for a full weekend of single jumping certification…. maybe when the kids get older and my life insurance is beefed up.

Cousin Dance Party

Apparently I like to use the word ‘nice’ when commenting.  I really need to work on that.

Tri Girl

Many people have been warned about Elaina …  be careful or she will make you do a Triathlon.

Elaina has poked and prodded several new comers into their first Triathlons.  She even brought a few competitors back who were sitting dormant for a while.

One of her targets ended up in the emergency room.. Another target swore as he jumped into the river at 7am while it was 37 degrees outside.  I was even a target in St. George.

Elaina is good at pressuring you to do things you don’t want to do.  Not bad things or illegal things, but things you will be glad you did.  She is great at making people (me especially) do things out of our comfort zones.
I’ll gripe, moan, beg, and swear, but in the end I’m always glad she gave me that little push to do something I would have never done on my own.

She even pushed herself this year and competed in her first Olympic Triathlon:  .94 Mile Swim, 26 mile Bike, 6 mile run.  You so crazy….

Here are a few pictures of Elaina and her friends in various races this year...