"Murray didn't feel the first pangs of real
panic until he pulled the emergency cord..."

HOLY CRAP! (Well, what would YOU be thinking?)
Now I know why these tickets were so cheap! Note the skill and dexterity I display as I fall wildly screaming out of the plane. Amazingly enough, my tandem buddy didn't even have to force me out (much). A classic example of blind stupidity. Until a few seconds before, I wasn't even nervous. No, really. But looking out the open door to the earth 13,000 feet or so below, and STILL jumping, was definitely difficult. (Severe understatement alert.) No, I didn't change my lifestyle, that man strapped to my back is how they let any fool go jump out of an airplane without a clue as to what they're doing.
To see how the final leg of my trip went, scroll down . . .

OK, I did my job, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. (Do some people actually get paid to do this?) For a brief moment, the only and all-consuming thought I had in my head, was the hope that the 'chute would actually function...

Oh, Hi Mom!

It's OK mom, the parachute did its job. Compared to the roar of the fall, it seemed like total silence while we floated painlessly (I still hoped) back to the so-called solid ground of the earthquake-riddled California landscape.

Keep in mind, that if at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

Seriously though, it was a total rush, and I recommend it to anyone who needs a major adrenaline boost. (Except of course those of you that are pregnant, nursing, or have a history of back problems or heart trouble. But the airplane ride might be nice.) I hope you enjoyed my little documentary, thanks for playing. And thanks to the friends who pushed me, I mean, "convinced" me to do it. If you're foolish enough to try this yourself (at least in the Northern California area) check out the web site of the hosts of my trip at:
parachutecenter.com

Hey, just because nobody complains, doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect...