Bucket List

I've never actually thought about starting a bucket list, but this past weekend I did something that I believe should go on everyone's list....I jumped off of the ski jumps at the UOP.  It was AWESOME!  It all started about a week ago when I watched a group of golden oldies do somersaults and flips off of the little jump at the UOP.  After watching them make some epic tries I told Norman that I wanted to do it.  After all if these old guys could do it so could I....right?  Norman took the liberty of setting up a private lesson for me to learn how to jump. I won't lie I was a little nervous about this whole thing and kept wondering what exactly had I gotten myself into.  

The lesson starts with some good stretching and then off to the trampolines to practice technique on jumping.  I was grouped together with a bunch of little shredders about 25 years younger than me...but as we all know I'm pretty much a big kid so I fit in just fine. After about 45 minutes on the tramp, I got suited up and went over to the dry run to make sure that I could actually go down a dry piece of carpet with my skis straight.  Once I graduated from the dry run I was taken over to the real deal...well kinda the real deal.  There is a little mini run that everyone starts at and while it looks super mini watching others, once you are at the top it does not seem so mini.  I won't lie my first run down the second I hit the jump I may have squeaked. For about a solid hour I worked on jumping off of the mini run, doing spread eagles and trying to do a 360. 

Toward the end of my lesson my instructor asked me if I wanted to go off of the single.  By this point in time my better half had shown up and was watching me jump and also tried to convince me into doing the single.  The single is a legit, put on your big girl pants on kinda jump.  I wasn't too sure about what I was about to get myself into but in the end figured it was time to quite being a sally and try it. (Before I type anymore, lets  get one thing straight, there really is no try in this sort of situation, you either do it or you get hurt....so yes I went for it.)  My first time down I was pretty nervous, but I made it off the jump and into the pool without any harm. (Again there was a squeak of terror the second I launched off the jump.) 

 I will admit it was a ton of fun, and  I decided to give it one more try before the session was up.  By this point in time there were a lot of people at the park because the professional ski jumping show, the flying aces, was about to begin in 5 minutes.  So here I am on the ramp the last recreational jumper of the day just praying I wouldn't make a complete fool out of myself in front of like 200+ people.  Check out the video below of my last jump...I don't think I look too much like a Gomer!  

 

(I would recommend enlarging the video when you play it because he took this using the camera on his phone.)

I won't lie I've watched this video over and over, because I'm quite proud of the fact that I actually did the jump!  Also I'm proud of the fact that I even managed to impress the one the only Mr. Norman.  That's right trying to impress that guy is like one of the hardest things in the world to do and even he repeatedly said he was impressed that I went to the single jump and made it off!

All in all and incredible afternoon and something that I would totally recommend to go on your future bucket list!


PS I'm going to have another lesson in the coming weeks to keep trying to improve my skills!