Saturday, December 18, 2010

Missing the boogie

DJan (in purple) with Arizona Airspeed December 2004
For many years starting in the early 1990s, I would head to Skydive Arizona about this time of year, without fail. It was my skydiving vacation, and I would usually make anywhere from 35 to 40 jumps in five to seven days. I started going there before I had even met Smart Guy, and then he started going with me. We would stay in a tent on the Drop Zone to save money and use the communal showers and never leave the area for the entire time. Skydivers call these festivals "boogies."

In 2004, I won a raffle jump, which I had entered every day, year after year. The winner of the raffle would get the chance to jump with the best skydivers in the world, Arizona Airspeed. I always thought that if I won, I would give my slot to any of my friends who would appreciate it more than me (since I was never a competitive jumper). But when I actually won, nobody could have torn that skydive away from me, I really looked forward to it! This surprised me as much as anybody.

We rode up in the Twin Otter together, just the five of us (with the cameraman) in a plane that usually holds 23 skydivers. They thanked me for my continued support of their endeavors and then we lined up in the door and exited.

It was some of the best fun I've ever had. We made 26 different formations in the sky (called points) before it was time to separate and open our chutes. They were throwing me from one place in the sky to another, and I couldn't believe how fast we would transition from one move to the next. If I were there this year, I would definitely be buying more raffle tickets!
After the jump
The thing is, I rarely miss those days, even though I even considered going to Arizona for the boogie this year. But I decided to stay home and remember with lots of love the days of boogie jumping. Here's a link to this year's boogie where they entice skydivers to come and party. Oh, not to mention having some fun jumping, too. When I was an instructor, I used the money I made during the year to afford the expense, which is not a small amount. The last five years or so that we attended, we would drive from Boulder and stay in a hotel instead of camping out. It made a huge difference in our comfort level. After a day playing in the sky and making five or six jumps, we would head to a comfortable bed instead of a tent.

When I look at these pictures, I can remember the views from under my canopy, the smell of the air, and the people who became as close as family. I would see the same skydivers year after year, from all over the world, and I'd go back home tired, but refreshed and renewed. I still miss the Holiday boogie at Eloy, Arizona.
:-)

16 comments:

  1. What a beautiful and emotional post. I enjoyed every word of it. Thanks for sharing.

    The truth is out now. My surgeon was a skydiving instructor in a previous life - before he took up surgery. Amazing look alike!

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  2. Love your purple suit. Sounds like a lot of fun and some nice memories.

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  3. You all look so young and vibrant and happy to be alive! What a thrilling adventure! If it were me, I'd probably pee in my pants. LOL.

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  4. Fantastic post. You never cease to amaze it. I hesitate telling my daughter about these boogies!

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  5. You said it all..I can tell you want to go..but you have good memories and no one can take them away from you..Love that purple..here in Minnesota only really old ladies wear that color:)

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  6. Very nice post young lady. Enjoyed that.

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  7. Always wanted to jump all my life. However, there are compromises to be made. I did get my pilot's license but never flew after that.Each jump must be the thriil of a lifetime and you never forget.

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  8. What wonderful memories to have! Thank you for sharing them! I would be scared to death to jump!

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  9. that sounds really cool...one day i am going to go up there...until then i live through your words...smiles.

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  10. That sounds like quite the bit of memory making. I'm sure you do miss it, but life chugs on. I am equally certain that there are plenty of people who are missing you.

    What I can't quite imagine is finding the energy day after day to do that many jumps. The way you've explained all this in the past makes it sound like a fair amount of work. After all that, sleeping in a tent...I don't blame ya'll for opting for the hotel!

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  11. Flight has always been a dream of mine. Jumping seems like a fun way to view things from above. You are so fortunate to have had those experiences. best of al are the friendships!!

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  12. I have to say that there is no part of me that ever wants to jump out of a plane so it amazes me that others do. I so admire the guts it takes to make that first jump and how much fun you clearly have on a continued basis. Great post! :)

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  13. You have had some amazing experiences, DJan. You've lived life to the fullest.

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  14. The pictures show the professional look of the Arizona Airspeed. What a great experience, even for one like you with all the jumps already. It is hard for my mind to get around 26 formations in the sky before you each go your own way and open chutes. You make it sound like so much fun.

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  15. You all look very happy in those pictures D-Jan. I'm sure it was a time for memories. Do you every dream you are sky diving, I wonder?
    Blessings, Star

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  16. So, just last evening my son forced me to watch a new video he discovered on the internet of the longest, highest bridge in the world, 1,000 feet high and heaven knows how long. It gave me chills watching cars going over it, with all that, er AIR underneath them. I remain in awe at your adventures.

    At the mention of Arizona, I long to be instantly transported to the desert, ANY desert please. The older I get the more the cold and I become adversarial componants. I'm searching for a pair of those heated gloves that use batteries... Pathetic I knnow, but anything to stay outdoors in relative comfort year round

    Happy Holidays to you and yours :}

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