About Scooby's Blog
New year, new goals
Happy New Year! I achieved most the goals I set for myself for 2018 and more! I had skydiving goals and personal goals.
My main goal was to get to 200 jumps by end of 2018 which I ended at 240! I did a total of 195 jumps in 2018. Another skydiving goal was to jump at 3 new drop zones. I crushed that goal by jumping at 7 new dropzones and flying in 1 new tunnel which also helped me accomplish my goal of traveling more! I also got my coach rating and have been able to work with students on the ground and in the sky!
On the personal side of my 2018 goals, I did start using social media less, starting working out and stretching more often but did not make my goal of running a 5k race. BUT I did start hiking which I love and keeps me motivated.
Goals for 2019
- Reach 550 Jumps
- Get my skydiving C and D license
- Jump at 3 new dropzones
- Get AFF rating
- Get PADI card
- Go scuba diving
- Hike at least once a week
- Go backpacking
- Pay off Sallie Mae student loans
- Travel to a new country
My Skydiving friends and I are already discussing and trying to make plans for boogies we want to try to make it too this year. I am also trying to go to Israel this summer.
My parents and I bought backpacks this year. We are planning a few backpacking trips. The big one is Havasupai which hopefully we get to go to in May. Before we do that we will probably do a smaller trip to try out our new backpacks.
balloon jump
Skydive Arizona from Droplyne
We have been trying to do a balloon jump for months, but the weather has not been cooperative... BUT finally we had a nice morning where we were able to jump! It was quite the experience from getting to the launch area, the ride up and landing not on a dropzone.
Phoenix usually only gets around 8 inches of rain for the entire year... in just two days in a row in February,Phoenix got over an inch of rain and we chose to jump out of a balloon the very next day. Even though the sky was clear, the ground was soaked and frozen. While on our way to the desired launch site (based of winds), both the van pulling the balloon AND the passenger van got stuck in mud. Luckily help came fast to pull us out of the mud and get the balloon to the launch site.
Finally once we were situated on dry land, the crew started worked on the balloon while we scrambled to get our gear on... and it was freezing outside! I could already feel my fingers and toes going numb.
Our group was 6 people...not just people, but sky family consisting of Tim, Jonathon, Luis, Chauncy, Gabor and myself. For everyone but Gabor, this was our first balloon jump! We enjoyed watching the balloon fill up and start floating. Carefully we climbed into the basket squeezing each person in (which we didn't mind being super close together because it was cold outside. The burners for the balloon were also keeping us nice and toasty on the way up!
I wasn't nervous when we took off, I had an amazing view of the shadow from the balloon moving over the mountains when we took off. Once we got to jumping altitude (about 5,500 Ft. AGL) and we starting looking for where we were going to land, that's when I got nervous... It became real. Gabor jumped solo first! Watching him climb over the basket and standing on the ledge made me anxious because Tim and I were next!
Once we spotted Gabor under canopy Tim climbed out, then it was my turn. I haven't been this nervous to jump since my first ASP jump... but I climbed out (making Tim hold my hand the entire time). We spotted our landing area, counted to 3 and the just fell backwards watching the balloon get smaller. It was terrifying. Once I caught air I started to track away and then pulled. It was AMAZING! The adrenaline rush was absolutely incredible! I was frozen under canopy but gathered my thoughts, fought through the pain of my tingling icy fingers and toes and scanned the sky for Gabor. I spotted him right before he landed in the only green semi dry area. Tim, Jonathon and I all landed close to Gabor. Our goal was to all land together to make it easier to be picked up by the van.