Sunday marked the last day of skydiving season for Eden North Para School, my home away from Silent River Kung Fu. A sad day, filled with freezing my butt off for a few final jumps. It may have been +2 on the ground, but it was -20 at 13000 feet. I got frost bite on my forehead when I was tracking away for separation. My eyes started watering and it made landing interesting. (no worries, I made a beautiful landing less than a yard from the target) Was it worth it? OH YAH!
My friends (mostly hard core divers, as rookies are to smart to jump in the cold) and I spent time between jumps chatting, drinking hot chocolate, hanging out in manifest to warm up, packing rigs and getting the place ready for winter. There was, as usual, the excitement of building dives, seeing each other, and talking about goals. But there was also a sense of subdued nostalgia about the place. You spend every weekend some place for 7 months, then all of a sudden it's the last one. Bound to make you a bit reflective.
We still hang out in the off season, but everyone has their own lives and responsibilities. And we all suffer from withdraw when there is no jumping. But that gives us something to appreciate and look forward to in the spring. Dusting the cobwebs off our skills and getting back into the blue. Most of the gang will be going to Arizona again this year. I'm feeling particularly sorry for myself that I won't be joining them. But there's always next year.
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