grannyinthesky 0 #1 October 31, 2007 Hi, A few weeks ago as part of a physics class I'm enrolled in, I did my first tandem skydive. The idea of skydiving had occasionally drifted into my mind, but I had never really thought I'd try it. Well, when the opportunity arose, I couldn't pass it up. What an experience. Sensory overload is the best description of the first few hours after the jump. Then, within a few hours my thoughts went to well, I could jump every year on my birthday, then well, maybe more often than that and before I knew it, I was calling the dropzone to ask about training to get my license. The physics instructor from tha class I mentioned also made his first jump that day. We both teach at a community college in eastern Oregon. He had pretty much the same experience. Well, yesterday, I called the DZ to schedule ground school and our second jumps! Thanksgiving weekend here we come! I can hardly wiat. Now for the more unusual aspect of this, I suspect. I'm 57 years old. I feel like I have a twenty something brain in a fifth something body. My grandkids think it's pretty cool to have a grandma who jumped out of an airplane. What do you guys and gals think?"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #2 October 31, 2007 I don't think age has anything to do with it. There was an 80 year old in my first jump course that did great. Every weekend I jump with 60-80 year old regulars at the DZ. Have fun, and welcome to the sky!! Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #3 November 1, 2007 That is really good to hear. I instantly fell in love with skydiving and hope to someday get good enough to be able to do photography. There are pictures in my head waiting to be taken. From what I've read, that will take a lot of work, but I'm more than willing. I can hardly wait for my next jump."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andm31 0 #4 November 1, 2007 That is so cool! And this is a great sport and as someone said, "you just had a near life experience" and that's a pretty good way to sum up the experience :DBlue skies! Anders Samuelsson www.anderssamuelsson.se Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #5 November 1, 2007 Welcome to the forums! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #6 November 1, 2007 Cool. How do I find that group? We did have about half a dozen students who wanted to jump but couldn't afford it yet. We are planning another field trip in the spring or summer. We did have 3 students on the ground taking pictures and waiting for us and they got out of doing some of the other assignments. I did too. It was waaaaay better than the watching toenails grow that was part of the skipped work. I have had several fo the students come by my office and watch the video. Yeah, I have a copy at work and one at home and I do watch once in a while. My grandkids think the video is pretty cool ltoo."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #7 November 1, 2007 What a great way to describe it. It reallly fits. I feel like I had been missing a lot of life and I'm not about to let it get away again. Since that first jump last month, I have a few opportunities come my way financially and I have the money for ground school and the first 16 jumps ready to go."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjump11 0 #8 November 2, 2007 11/1/07 Oh, Good Grief! "Not too old, I hope"...... first off, 57 is young I am 60 Now the people that jump that are in their mid seventies and early eighties, well now, they are 'really' old. And I love them all. grace, peace & blue skies sep Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjump11 0 #9 November 2, 2007 11/1/07 I'm sorry, I forgot to say this. The fifth post down, mentioned about the 'mature' POPS...throw out that word 'mature'. Mature people are in nursing homes, we jump out of airplanes. On page 75, November issue of Parachutist, gives you the information on joining POPS. And guess what? You passed the test. You're in! (Tandems count too.) Besides the Parachutists Over Phorty (POPS), there is Jumpers Over Sixty (JOS) and Jumpers Over Seventy (you can work up to those) You will note that they call it jumping instead of skydiving. That was the term used back in the 1960's and early 1970's. grace, peace & blue skies, young 57 year old sep Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #10 November 2, 2007 Wow! I had no idea that I wasn't the only one who discovered was interested in skydiving at my age, or at least at getting started now. I do feel that I am fortunate to have found this new found passion now. I couldn't have afforeded it earlier, and I used to weigh waaaaaay too much to even cobsider a tandem dive even a year ago. I've lost 80 pounds and it's fiven me a new lease on life that I'm not about to give up. I know I'vce got a lot to learn. I havce a passion for photography that will, I hope, be united with the new found freedom i experienced with that first jump. The idea of being able to capture the freedom and exuberance of jumping with photography is absolutely captivativating. I have looked at the SIM as well as some of the photography forum here and realize that I've got a lot to learn. But what a learning experience I've got ahead of me. Thanks"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DangerRoo 0 #11 November 2, 2007 I think YOU ROCK!!! I am just over 30 and did my first tandum in september, starting for my licence in the summer!!!!! and I cant wait!! (I.C.D#2 VP) ""I'm good with my purple penis straw" ~sky mama Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #12 November 2, 2007 I couldn't wait for summer. I figure I'm going to be in line at Wally World paying for thermals. I feel like I've always marched to a different drummer and that now I may have found the band I belong in."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #13 November 2, 2007 Quote I'm sorry, I forgot to say this. The fifth post down, mentioned about the 'mature' POPS...throw out that word 'mature'. Mature people are in nursing homes, we jump out of airplanes. I could have said "old", I thought mature was a nicer way to put it! By the way, I'm old enough for POPS too. I wasn't ragging on her or anyone over 40.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #14 November 2, 2007 Finding the right word is really challenging sometimes. I understood the idea begind the word and sure didn't take offense. It is cool to find out that I'm not the only one who's been around a while that wants to jump out of planes. My daughter thinks it's pretty awesome having a mom that jumps, but my son is a little less sure. We did have an interesting conversation the other day. He and his fiance has a bet about who can get his/her mom to get a tattoo first. I've been pretty resistant, to say the least, but he wanted to know if I would get a little tattoo if he would do a jump. Well, anybody have ideas for a little tattoo?"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #15 November 2, 2007 Little tatts usually look kind of tacky, go with something with at least a little bit of size to it And under armor is even better than thermals... worth the extra money too. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjump11 0 #16 November 2, 2007 11/2/07 just 'kidding' about the use of the word 'mature'....you know how us jumpers like to 'pick at one another' way to go for sticking with it grace, peace & blue skies sep Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,050 #17 November 3, 2007 I "believe" the oldest skydiver to date is 101. Means ya gots a good 44 years of skydiving ahead of you. You go, girl!!!!!! Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #18 November 3, 2007 Welll, that dragon sounds like a raal possibility. I'm sort of a dragon fan. Has jumping out of an airpain done something to my brain? I seem to be a lot more willing to take risks these days."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #19 November 3, 2007 I'm getting that idea. I think its part of what is attracting me to the sport. I really like to atmosphere here and at the dropzone. It feels mighty free."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #20 November 3, 2007 Damn! That sounds good to me!"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladydyver 0 #21 November 5, 2007 My husband starting jumping when he was 51 and has been jumping for a couple of years now. I think it is great that you are doing something that you want to do.DPH # 2 "I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~ I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #22 November 5, 2007 The encouragement I have found here is fantastic. Sometimes I wonder if I'm a little bit crazy for pursuing this idea, but maybe anyone of any age wanting to jump out of perfectly good airplanes is a little crazy anyway. Right now, I'm just anxiously awaiting the 24th when I have ground school and my first jump as a student, not a tourist, scheduled."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladydyver 0 #23 November 6, 2007 I am sure that you will love it! My husband now has 400 jumps and we play in the sky together all of the time. Good luck on your adventure! DPH # 2 "I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~ I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheCapt 7 #24 November 21, 2007 One morning last year I showed up at a DZ for the first time, and six hours later did my first AFF dive. One year later, this year, I got my A License. Last month was my 60th birthday. Now I got more miles on me than a Michelin retread, so if I can do it so can you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #25 November 22, 2007 Thanks for the encouragement. Just a couple of more days and I get to jump again, it the weather holds. This isn't the best time of year to start this, but I'm not waiting until spring. Pat"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
