Taking the Plunge
 Now,
you would think that the average person would find that performing
with the Get A Life Marching Band in the Molalla Giant
Street Parade on Independence Day plus 227 years was, well, pretty much
all the excitement you could stand for one day. But you'd be wrong, as our
own Karen Wilkson
attests. For Karen, you see, chose that afternoon to make her first tandem
parachute jump at Skydive Oregon
just outside Molalla. But enough introduction — we'll let Karen tell
her own story. |
Karen's Tale
During ground training we learned how to leave the plane with our instructor,
how to position ourselves during the freefall, and how to keep from getting
killed upon landing. Even though our ground instructor was cheerful, the training
was very serious.
The plane ride up was really fun. There were about 20 skydivers on board, but
only two of us were new jumpers. Everyone was laughing and telling jokes and
giving each other high fives. There was a lot of camaraderie in the group. My
instructor was giving me some last minute advice, and getting our straps attached
to each other. He was really easygoing and calm. He reminded me of one of my
younger brothers.
Pretty
soon we reached 13,500 feet and it was time to jump. The experienced skydivers
left first - one at a time they just dropped right out of the doorway. The two
tandem teams were the last to leave. The doorway of the plane was about 12 feet
wide and when it was my turn I thought I was going to get sucked right out of
the plane, but I didn't. I could stand right at the edge of the doorway and
not go anywhere. There was a bar at the top of the doorway, but as a new jumper,
I was instructed to cross my arms over my chest and get ready to go. I guess
that was so that I wouldn't clutch the bar when it was time to drop out. Then
we did 'ready-set-go', and the next thing I knew, I was watching my feet get
farther and farther away from the plane. [Steve's note: Check out the official
GAL T-shirt at left and below!!!]
The few moments after we left the plane were indescribably terrifying. We were
falling at 120 mph. It felt like I was drowning and I couldn't catch my breath.
Lots of cold air was going straight up my nose. Then I saw the ground very far
below, but the cameraman was motioning for me to keep looking at the camera
and smile. So while I was trying to breathe, keep my body positioned like I
was taught, and keep my head up, I pasted on a smile and gave him a thumbs up.
At some point I couldn't stop smiling because my teeth and lips had become too
dry, so for the rest of the freefall my face stayed in a frozen, fearful smile.
My disproportionately skinny arms were too weak to resist the wind drag, so
I couldn't move them down to a less ridiculous position.
Then
the instructor let out the parachute and after a brief moment of getting sucked
back upwards, we started floating down slowly. I saw a panoramic view of Mt.
St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the very tops of the Sisters. It was sensory
overload as I tried to take it all in. It was amazing seeing the patchwork of
farmland and roads, but I've never had the opportunity to see it from between
my tennis shoes.
I told the instructor that if he wanted to, he could make us circle and swing
around. So that's what we did for the next five minutes. He did some continual
360 degree turns and then he did some swooping. I have never had so much fun
in my life.
Finally
it was time to land, and remembering my training, I stuck my feet out in front
of me as we glided to the ground. I had to keep them in front so that the instructor
had room to land on his feet and not get tangled up with mine.
We had a graceful and injury-free landing. As scary and fun as the whole experience
was, with my sincerest respect to the fabulous Get A Life marching band, it
was waaay less scary than dancing to the Time Warp.
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Last updated: 13 July 2003
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