The day began before the sun was up - bright and early at 5 a.m. We had to be to Skydive Elsinore by 8:30 a.m., and it's about an hour and half away. You never know what traffic will be like, so we left by 6 a.m. to make sure we had plenty of time.
Stopped for morning pick-me-up at Starbucks.
One last practice jump seemed necessary.
Up early enough to see the sun rising over downtown LA.
When we arrived, we got started with the not-so-fun stuff. This included paperwork that practically asks you to initial and sign your life away and a video of a creepy old man with a beard telling you all the risks involved with skydiving. They even record you reading and signing the final statement on the paperwork... that's when I knew this was serious stuff. Yikes! As much as I hate to admit it, I really skimmed over that paperwork. In summary, it says they are not responsible for anything, which means any injuries or even worse, death. (My grandpa will be REALLY proud when he reads those last few sentences, as he is VERY particular about the fine print. However, I knew what I was getting myself into, so I decided to spare myself the frightening words and gory details at that point. Sorry, Grandpa!)
Sorting through shoes and Shwings.
(The Inside Edition camera is filming on the left.)
Once that was done it was time to slip into our Naked Princess lingerie, our shoes from SportieLA and Shwings (little wings that attached to our shoes - very appropriate!)
Dressed and ready to jump!
Inside Edition filming our pre-jump powwow.
All of the interviews took place in front of this old World War II plane.
Sitting on the wing of the plane.
One of my favorite candid shots from the day.
(L to R: Daniella Peter, Kelly Howard, Jennifer Hoffman, me, Marisa Gallegos, Rachel Elizabeth Murray and Elizabeth Mitchell)
After we finished the interviews, we found out there was about a two hour delay due to the weather. Considering we had some time to kill, we all left to grab a quick bite to eat. When we got back we found out we might not be able to jump at all. (Not exactly what you want to hear when you have been awaiting this moment for weeks!)
Killing time... Matt came along to share in the excitement.
(He's the reason I have all of these great pictures!)
One minute we were sitting there thinking we might have to come back tomorrow (Sunday) to jump, and the next minute we were cleared to go! This all happened so fast there was barely anytime to think. Before I even knew what was happening, we were getting strapped into our harnesses and listening carefully as our professional was giving us instructions... Feet and knees together, head back, arch your back. Oh, and don't forget to smile. Smile?! Well, you don't want your cheeks to be flopping in the wind, especially considering there will be a camera on you. (As if you don't already have enough to think about!)
Getting all strapped up! Eek!
Ready to jump!
After a quick practice run on the ground we were boarding our plane. 7 girls jumping in lingerie, 7 tandem jumpers (the guys who were attached to our backs) and 7 jumpers with cameras, all crammed into one small airplane. (This was time a good time for claustrophobia that's for sure.) The jumpers with cameras were snapping pictures and taking video from the time we were getting suited up until the time our feet were back on the ground. I can't wait to see the pictures and video footage!
It typically takes around 25-30 minutes for the plane to reach 12,500 ft, only a few minutes for everyone to jump, 1 minute of free fall and about 3 minutes once the parachute it out. That's what we were told; however, I had absolutely NO concept of time to determine if this was true. When you're up there, it feels as though time stops.
Once we reached altitude, the door opened up and the cold air rushed in, practically taking my breath away. (However, the cold was the least of my worries at this point.) All you could see was white clouds below and blue sky above - it felt as though we were in Heaven.
One by one we took the leap from the plane. Three girls jumped before me and then is was my turn. I did as my instructor said: feet and knees together, legs back. "One, two, three!" Before I knew it I was falling through the clouds at speeds up to 120 mph. The first few seconds you feel your stomach drop, similar to the feeling on a roller coaster. Then you feel as though you are flying.
Before I knew it the parachute was up. Travis, my tandem jumper, let me help steer the parachute, which happened to be pink and purple I might add. (My two favorite colors!) We had a little fun, circling left and right and controlling our speed, all with two little ropes. The view from above was incredible - just beyond the mountains I could see the Pacific Ocean, and of course Lake Elsinore directly below. Seeing your feet dangling above the picturesque view was so surreal. It's a sight I want to remember forever.
Moments after our feet were safely back on the ground.
We did it! (Post-jump picture)
Jennifer and me getting our jump certificates!
(Co-founder of Esme & Eve, a.k.a. the older sister I never had.)
I have her and Marisa to thank for letting me be a part of this life-changing experience.
Another post-jump picture in our personalized t-shirts from SportieLA!
Proof that I successfully completed my first tandem skydive!
Now I can go back and jump at a discounted rate :)
As I mentioned before, I cannot find the words that even begin to describe my experience on Saturday. Jumping from 12,500 ft, falling at speeds of 120 mph, seeing God's beautiful creation from that view, wearing next-to-nothing on your body, and trusting your life in the hands of a complete stranger was all very humbling. This was definitely an experience I will never forget. And if you're wondering, I would absolutely jump again! :)
Thanks for reading!
xx
Mallorie
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