Weekly Update for 10/18/09
Ever get that feeling like you want to jump right out of your skin? A
song comes on the radio that makes you think of one of your favorite
skydiving videos, or you take a deep breath of fresh air and suddenly
you can close your eyes and feel as if you are walking back to the
hanger after yet another awesome skydive? Week after week I sit down and
put on my headphones and relive the weekend; remembering the sweet air
time, the rambunctious and sometimes ridiculous debauchery of the
evenings and the joy of time spent with the people who make me smile.
Just thinking about the good times I’ve had makes me anxious for the
times ahead of me!
This weekend started with high hopes and low, but scattered clouds.
Chris was out with fiancé Jennifer and brother-in-law to be Chuck for
his first skydive! Calm and collected, Chris layered up for the cold,
the temperature at altitude Saturday was a balmy 8 degrees. Jennifer
joined us for the ride to altitude and proved to be a great support
system for Chris, not that he needed support, I don’t think much of
anything was going to keep him in the plane! By the time it was all said
and done Chris was planning his bachelor party at the DZ and the smile
on his face had melted away the cold.
Shortly after Chris’s skydive the scattered clouds became a lot less
scattered and a lot more overcast. Not to fret, our entertainment was
trickling in throughout the day. Dad was out enjoying the cold and the
Mead family came strolling in around 11am and instantly revived the
screen! Not long after them was the Kula’s – followed by Sean who is
back in town and ready to make some skydives. As luck would have it, the
clouds moved up to a respectable 6,000 foot and hop and pops were
commencing for the majority of the day. The rides (half way) to altitude
were filled with plenty of sentiment. Many of us haven’t had the chance
to all be together flying in the sky for many months. Every skydive we
make is fun in its own way, but there is just something about jumping
with your family that really makes my heart swell!
Celebrating into the night Rob cooked up one heck of a spread.
Cauliflower, fried green tomatoes, shrimp, zucchini, fried fish, deep
fat fried turkey and all the fixins! Keeping warm with winter coats,
heaters, and the occasional adult beverage the DZ was busy with full
bellied, happy skydivers all ready for the beautifully forecasted day
ahead.
Sunday morning the thermometer said it was somewhere in the 38 degree
range and I was beginning to think we weren’t going to have a fall this
year. Shortly after load one made its way through the air the sun
started to heat things up. Tabor, Jeff, Logan and Drew started the
momentum for the day that lasted well into the darkness of the evening.
Mark and Brian were rocking the tandems and the fun jumpers were filling
the spaces in between.
Cal-Mo-Dee warmed the day up that much more when he came walking into
the hanger Sunday! There to say Aloha to Cory, I was honored to join in
a goon style 3 way skydive with them while Mark shot video. You two made
me look like a pro, I so enjoyed our skydive together! Congrat’s again
to the ever so handsome Cal-Mo-Dee on your 3,000 jump wings and 36 hour
freefall badge!
Ariel, our work horse of a ride to altitude, was getting a work out with
the tandems and fun jumpers keeping the plane going! Kyle was also out
Saturday making skydive #7 and is well on his way to his A license.
You’re doing great Kyle, I’m so enjoying our skydives together, keep up
the great work!
Bev has spent so much time at the DZ she has finally picked up on most
of the lingo of the land. She has listened to stories, sat through wind
holds, and shared in the enthusiasm of being a skydiver. Sunday we
decided to complete the package and get Bev to experience the thrills of
the air with her first skydive. Girl you are an absolute natural, I
better see you back for AFF! Thank you for letting me come along guys!
As the daylight started to fade the reminder that we were saying
“goodbye for now” to one of our family members was tugging at the heart
strings. Cory - dedicated packer, camera geek extraordinaire, and one
freaking heck of a skydiver and canopy pilot – was only hours away from
leaving for HI, his new home for the next 3 years with the US Army. We
are so proud of the person you’ve become Cory, words cannot express the
void your absence will leave at the DZ. I could go on and on about how
much I will miss your sniveling openings and looking out the door to see
you hanging from the strut – but I’ll wait until you come back home and
tell you then. We love you Cory, and all I can really say is “W OO HOO!
BE SAFE! HAVE FUN!”.
Like I said early, thinking about the weekends behind me makes me that
much more anxious for the weekends ahead. Just a reminder, this Friday
night is Water Training which will start at 7pm at the drop zone. Bring
CLOTHES to jump in the pool with, not swimsuits, and your log books. If
you haven’t told me you are coming or it’s been a couple days since you
told me, shoot me an email or call me to let me know! The following
weekend will also be one not to miss with the first annual Fly Free
Skydiving Halloween party full with costume contest, spooky swoop and
chug and the Kula Kitchen!! Come dressed to impress and share in the
fun! As if that wasn’t enough excitement, don’t forget this is a drop
zone so there will be plenty of skydiving to entertain us! Hope to see
you there!
Until next week…
XOXO,
Ashes
