One activity I always wanted to try was hang gliding. So when I saw the DC/MD/VA Adventures meetup group plan a trip out to Highland Aerosports for tandem hang gliding, I signed up!
I arrived a few minutes late, but in time to meet the group and receive the flight briefing, which covered the basics of hang gliding including how to steer. 14 or 15 people signed up to hang glide so we split into two groups. I was in the 2nd group which turned out to be six people.
Saturday's second group of pilots.
Since Highland Aerosports is located on the Eastern Shore near Ridgley, MD, and the area is flat in general, our hang gliders were towed aloft by ultralights. No running launches off the side of a hill or cliff! Instead, the instructor lay in a hammock-like bag, we got in our own on top, and were towed to the right altitude.
Waiting to be towed aloft.
The tow line is basically fishing line, and once we hit the proper altitude (I chose to do 2500 ft), we disconnected.
Soaring above Ridgley, MD.
At this point, the instructor did a few turns and let me practice a bit. With a hang glider, shifting your weight controls everything. Pull forward to speed up, push back to slow down. Pull right to turn right, pull left to turn left. In the picture, I am holding the frame and doing the moves as he called them out.
Grabbing the frame to control the glider.
After getting comfortable with steering, I flew over farms, taking gradual turns and heading over other landmarks. Steering wasn't too difficult, but I found accuracy was tough - the glider takes a few seconds to react, so I would continue to turn past the heading I wanted. More experienced pilots can compensate for this oversteering by coming out of a turn a few seconds early and make smaller adjustments.
I had 12 to 15 minutes aloft since the glider constantly descends. If you are license to fly solo, you can try to find thermals and stay aloft for as long as possible.
The overall experience was a lot of fun, more enjoyable to me than the tandem skydiving I tried - that was all adrenalin, where this was calmer. I felt like a bird, soaring over the countryside and making slow turns to change directions.
Coming in for a landing, circling the airport.
Once we dropped to low enough altitude, the instructor took over controlling the glider and landed us. Tandem gliders have a frame with wheels, so we didn't need to land on foot, stalling the wing and the right height and dropping. Instead we landed like a plane and it was very smooth.
Everybody really enjoyed this trip. Sunday's group is larger, with 40 or so people signed up, and I bet if the feedback continues to be so positive they'll schedule another trip out.
Showing posts with label adventure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adventure. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Segway Tour
Another thing I've always wanted to try is a Segway tour or ride. I've seen then a few times, on TV shows such as Arrested Development, in movies such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop, even on other tours - when I was in DC for the MCM last October, I walked right by a group taking a guided tour on Segways. It looked fun so after digging around a bit, I found that Segway of Central Florida offered a historic tour of nearby Mount Dora.
My friends Amy and Christine and I showed up a few minutes early, and started getting used to the Segways. They are very sensitive - we quickly found out that it doesn't take much leaning at all to make the Segway go forward. Turning was done by pulling the central handle left or right, and that's about it. After doing figure 8's in the store for a few minutes, we headed out for the tour.
The tour itself began in a park, with a view of the lighthouse. Almost immediately, we went offroad onto grass, which the Segway handled quite well. We quickly got comfortable controlling the Segway - it really didn't take much time at all.
This lighthouse is on Lake Dora, and is the only lighthouse on a freshwater lake in Florida.
We wound our way through Palm Island Park, through a nice neighborhood and Gilbert Park, up Mount Dora (a towering 100 feet or so), and through downtown. Our guide filled us in with information about the B&B's we passed, the original general store and lakefront dock, sites of historical interest such as the location of the fire and police station, so-and-so's original house, and so on. Granted, Mount Dora doesn't have the adventurous or exciting history of other cities, but it was enjoyable enough on top of the Segway ride. It began as a factory town and added more when a railroad was built, and these days it hosts a lot of festivals, from art to bicycling events.
Our Segways had a speed limiter of 8 mph, which I immediately translated to the running pace of 7:30 min/mile. We are all runners and I joked that I could qualify for Boston if I could ride a Segway the whole time. Halfway through the tour, the guide showed us how to take it out of "slow" mode, upping the max speed to 12 mph, or a rather speedy running pace of 5:00 min/mile. We didn't have any trouble with the extra speed, and zoomed away for the rest of the tour.
My friends Amy and Christine and I showed up a few minutes early, and started getting used to the Segways. They are very sensitive - we quickly found out that it doesn't take much leaning at all to make the Segway go forward. Turning was done by pulling the central handle left or right, and that's about it. After doing figure 8's in the store for a few minutes, we headed out for the tour.
The tour itself began in a park, with a view of the lighthouse. Almost immediately, we went offroad onto grass, which the Segway handled quite well. We quickly got comfortable controlling the Segway - it really didn't take much time at all.
This lighthouse is on Lake Dora, and is the only lighthouse on a freshwater lake in Florida.
We wound our way through Palm Island Park, through a nice neighborhood and Gilbert Park, up Mount Dora (a towering 100 feet or so), and through downtown. Our guide filled us in with information about the B&B's we passed, the original general store and lakefront dock, sites of historical interest such as the location of the fire and police station, so-and-so's original house, and so on. Granted, Mount Dora doesn't have the adventurous or exciting history of other cities, but it was enjoyable enough on top of the Segway ride. It began as a factory town and added more when a railroad was built, and these days it hosts a lot of festivals, from art to bicycling events.
Our Segways had a speed limiter of 8 mph, which I immediately translated to the running pace of 7:30 min/mile. We are all runners and I joked that I could qualify for Boston if I could ride a Segway the whole time. Halfway through the tour, the guide showed us how to take it out of "slow" mode, upping the max speed to 12 mph, or a rather speedy running pace of 5:00 min/mile. We didn't have any trouble with the extra speed, and zoomed away for the rest of the tour.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Surfing Lessons
Another activity I wanted to try is surfing. So today, Mai, Charles, Diana, and I drove over to Cocoa Beach, FL to take a group lesson. Our executive summary is: we had fun, but not enough so that we're going to buy a board and take it up as a hobby.
The lesson started with some safety information, about rip tides, jellyfish, and sting rays, and then we practiced getting up on the board. The motion isn't too difficult: you lay on the board with your hands at your ribs, do a pushup while looking up and sliding your feet forward into a crouch, stabilize, and then stand up (keeping knees bent). We tried a few times in a building before walking over to the beach.
As beginners, we were given foam surf boards. Really long ones. Mine was probably 9 feet tall or so, which made it a bit unwieldy! The foam boards are softer so they don't hurt as much if they bang into you, and they are wider/longer for better stability. Afterwards I asked about the fiberglass surfboards and the instructor said those turn and slide through the water faster, which makes them tougher to learn on.
We practiced hopping up on the boards for a few more minutes, and then headed out into the water. Once out there floating on our boards, the instructor would hold us still while we got ready, and then helped launch us as a wave came by.
All of us had our share of falls, but over the two hour lesson, we each had a few successful rides to shore - stood up and surfed in for a few seconds at least! We would take turns and move back for more.
The unexpected thing for me was how tiring it was getting back out from the shore. Those long foam boards proved to be a challenge to move through the swells, on the way back out. To get decent practice, we were far enough out where the water was almost over our heads, and a few times I was swept off my feet towards the beach. Hopping on and paddling all the way out also proved tiring. I felt wimpy because we were in small waves, probably four feet at the most, and I'm sure serious surfers wouldn't even consider what we tried as surfing at all. We were on the skiing equivalent of a bunny slope the entire time, but at least at a ski resort a lift takes you back up. I can see why surfers work up a huge appetite after a few hours, given the work involved in getting back out for more!
After we finished up with the lesson and rinsed off the salt water, we ate lunch at a nearby taco stand, and went back to the beach for a bit. We walked back out in the water and had a great time just bouncing up and down with the waves - almost as fun as surfing with a lot less effort. ;) Well that isn't fair, I'd try it again if the opportunity came up. But I think I'd be more likely to get a boogie board, for riding waves.
I'm a graduate! Along with Mai, Charles, and Diana.
The lesson started with some safety information, about rip tides, jellyfish, and sting rays, and then we practiced getting up on the board. The motion isn't too difficult: you lay on the board with your hands at your ribs, do a pushup while looking up and sliding your feet forward into a crouch, stabilize, and then stand up (keeping knees bent). We tried a few times in a building before walking over to the beach.
As beginners, we were given foam surf boards. Really long ones. Mine was probably 9 feet tall or so, which made it a bit unwieldy! The foam boards are softer so they don't hurt as much if they bang into you, and they are wider/longer for better stability. Afterwards I asked about the fiberglass surfboards and the instructor said those turn and slide through the water faster, which makes them tougher to learn on.
We practiced hopping up on the boards for a few more minutes, and then headed out into the water. Once out there floating on our boards, the instructor would hold us still while we got ready, and then helped launch us as a wave came by.
All of us had our share of falls, but over the two hour lesson, we each had a few successful rides to shore - stood up and surfed in for a few seconds at least! We would take turns and move back for more.
The unexpected thing for me was how tiring it was getting back out from the shore. Those long foam boards proved to be a challenge to move through the swells, on the way back out. To get decent practice, we were far enough out where the water was almost over our heads, and a few times I was swept off my feet towards the beach. Hopping on and paddling all the way out also proved tiring. I felt wimpy because we were in small waves, probably four feet at the most, and I'm sure serious surfers wouldn't even consider what we tried as surfing at all. We were on the skiing equivalent of a bunny slope the entire time, but at least at a ski resort a lift takes you back up. I can see why surfers work up a huge appetite after a few hours, given the work involved in getting back out for more!
After we finished up with the lesson and rinsed off the salt water, we ate lunch at a nearby taco stand, and went back to the beach for a bit. We walked back out in the water and had a great time just bouncing up and down with the waves - almost as fun as surfing with a lot less effort. ;) Well that isn't fair, I'd try it again if the opportunity came up. But I think I'd be more likely to get a boogie board, for riding waves.
I'm a graduate! Along with Mai, Charles, and Diana.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Zoom Air
The Central Florida Zoo recently opened a unique attraction: Zoom Air Adventures, a ropes/obstacle course, consisting of various climbs to platforms in trees, zip lines, and obstacles called "games" to cross from one platform to another.
There are three courses available for adults: Upland I, Upland II, and Rainforest, in increasing difficulty. In addition, there is a course for kids, set much lower to the ground. All the courses wind around the parking lot and entry area, so people visiting the zoo for a picnic can watch the people on the course.
A few weeks ago, Mai, Charles, Amy, and I went to try it out. We ran into some scheduling problems and only could do Upland I and II, and unfortunately Charles had to leave early, but we had a really fun time. So today Amy and I went back to try the Rainforest course. The way they have the levels setup, we had to redo Upland I and II - I suspect it was for observation purposes, the course monitors wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing.
The basic premise is red wire runs along the course, and you move forward by clipping/unclipping one of two carabiners to this red line. The carabiners are attached to the climbing harness you wear. For climbing a vertical ladder, there were red loops at every step, and you moved up slowly keeping one clip in at a time. Also running along the course is a heavy silver wire, which is typically there to support the various obstacles, or sometimes it is the only thing you have to use for crossing, tightrope style! For the zip line, we had an roller attachment to clip to the silver wire.
The monitors impose a limit of two people at a platform (build around a tree), and one on a "game" (i.e. obstacle), at a time.
Introductory obstacle.
This is the first "game" right after the introductory ladder climb. It isn't long but each step is shaky and you find out pretty quick how much you have to work to move forward! The red wire is visible, as is the starting platform on the left (labeled with a big green 1), and the next platform on the right.
Amy checking her carabiner midway across the obstacle bridge.
The obstacles vary from wooden planks, netting, wooden tunnel, to nothing but the silver wire. Sometimes I would use the red wire for balance. I found the ones with suspended wooden steps to be really tricky, because the step would swing back and forth. Progress is steady if slow sometimes. The zip line segments were really fun too, a nice break from a tricky crossing. The courses are progressively longer, so by doing all three we were out there a good 2 or 2.5 hours. I really had a great time and might go again once Mai and Charles return from their trip!
There are three courses available for adults: Upland I, Upland II, and Rainforest, in increasing difficulty. In addition, there is a course for kids, set much lower to the ground. All the courses wind around the parking lot and entry area, so people visiting the zoo for a picnic can watch the people on the course.
A few weeks ago, Mai, Charles, Amy, and I went to try it out. We ran into some scheduling problems and only could do Upland I and II, and unfortunately Charles had to leave early, but we had a really fun time. So today Amy and I went back to try the Rainforest course. The way they have the levels setup, we had to redo Upland I and II - I suspect it was for observation purposes, the course monitors wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing.
The basic premise is red wire runs along the course, and you move forward by clipping/unclipping one of two carabiners to this red line. The carabiners are attached to the climbing harness you wear. For climbing a vertical ladder, there were red loops at every step, and you moved up slowly keeping one clip in at a time. Also running along the course is a heavy silver wire, which is typically there to support the various obstacles, or sometimes it is the only thing you have to use for crossing, tightrope style! For the zip line, we had an roller attachment to clip to the silver wire.
The monitors impose a limit of two people at a platform (build around a tree), and one on a "game" (i.e. obstacle), at a time.
Introductory obstacle.
This is the first "game" right after the introductory ladder climb. It isn't long but each step is shaky and you find out pretty quick how much you have to work to move forward! The red wire is visible, as is the starting platform on the left (labeled with a big green 1), and the next platform on the right.
Amy checking her carabiner midway across the obstacle bridge.
The obstacles vary from wooden planks, netting, wooden tunnel, to nothing but the silver wire. Sometimes I would use the red wire for balance. I found the ones with suspended wooden steps to be really tricky, because the step would swing back and forth. Progress is steady if slow sometimes. The zip line segments were really fun too, a nice break from a tricky crossing. The courses are progressively longer, so by doing all three we were out there a good 2 or 2.5 hours. I really had a great time and might go again once Mai and Charles return from their trip!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Wekiva Springs Canoe
My parents are visiting me for a bit, so for President's Day, Mai and Charles suggested all of us go canoeing at Wekiva Springs state park. I've been to the springs a few times, mostly for a trail 5K, but have never canoed there. The weather was great and it sounded like fun!
The springs were busy with several people enjoying the sunny day and cool water. After getting our canoes we paddled downstream for a mile or two, before turning around and fighting the current. OK, the current wasn't really that strong, it was just barely noticeable. I was steering my canoe and I'm 99.9% positive my terrible steering caused us more effort than any current we faced.
Gators are everywhere in Florida!
Wekiva Springs connects to Rock Springs - midway down we passed a fork leading to the other park. After looking at the map, the distance to Rock Springs from the fork looked to be several miles further than it was to Wekiva Springs - a wrong turn would mean a lot of extra paddling!
The springs were busy with several people enjoying the sunny day and cool water. After getting our canoes we paddled downstream for a mile or two, before turning around and fighting the current. OK, the current wasn't really that strong, it was just barely noticeable. I was steering my canoe and I'm 99.9% positive my terrible steering caused us more effort than any current we faced.
Gators are everywhere in Florida!
Wekiva Springs connects to Rock Springs - midway down we passed a fork leading to the other park. After looking at the map, the distance to Rock Springs from the fork looked to be several miles further than it was to Wekiva Springs - a wrong turn would mean a lot of extra paddling!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Manatee Encounter
My friend Mai's birthday is approaching, so she wanted to do something the weekend before it. It is good timing since she is a teacher and school starts on Monday (faculty is back, but the kids don't show up for another week). She arranged a group outing to take the Manatee Encounter tour from A Day Away Kayak Tours. We had a fair sized group: Mai and Charles, Travis and Diana, myself and Johanna and few others Mai invited as well.
At the start of the tour.
We didn't have to look far for manatees! On the way out we paddled into a boat launch area, known as a gathering spot for the manatees. Within minutes, two very friendly manatees began to swim around us, checking out the group.
Very curious and friendly manatee.
The manatees surfaced very close - I could feel them exhale. They would flip over and swim under the boat, and circled us until we left. They would bump the kayaks and turn us in slow circles. The guide said it was OK to gently pet them, so when one was close enough, I stuck out my hand to feel it swimming by.
After we left the boat launch manatees, we entered a sheltered shore area. I saw a small jellyfish swimming by, so I lifted it up on my paddle. It is a little hard to see, but in the middle of the paddle is a lump - that's the jellyfish, a little one.
The tour also included a stop in shallow water where we dug for clams, and looked at NASA 12 miles to the south. The tour company also offers a few other trips that sound interesting, such as the nighttime bioluminescence tour. They also have a shuttle launch trip, which I think would be much better than being closer in viewing, on the NASA grounds. If the launch is postponed, at least you had the kayaking part to enjoy!
At the start of the tour.
We didn't have to look far for manatees! On the way out we paddled into a boat launch area, known as a gathering spot for the manatees. Within minutes, two very friendly manatees began to swim around us, checking out the group.
Very curious and friendly manatee.
The manatees surfaced very close - I could feel them exhale. They would flip over and swim under the boat, and circled us until we left. They would bump the kayaks and turn us in slow circles. The guide said it was OK to gently pet them, so when one was close enough, I stuck out my hand to feel it swimming by.
After we left the boat launch manatees, we entered a sheltered shore area. I saw a small jellyfish swimming by, so I lifted it up on my paddle. It is a little hard to see, but in the middle of the paddle is a lump - that's the jellyfish, a little one.
The tour also included a stop in shallow water where we dug for clams, and looked at NASA 12 miles to the south. The tour company also offers a few other trips that sound interesting, such as the nighttime bioluminescence tour. They also have a shuttle launch trip, which I think would be much better than being closer in viewing, on the NASA grounds. If the launch is postponed, at least you had the kayaking part to enjoy!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Corn Maze
We found something fun to do in the afternoon - drive up to Everett to a corn maze. Also at the site was a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, animal show (loosely based on the Three Little Pigs), a bakery, cider, and wagon rides.
The maze itself is shaped like the state of Washington, and has paths cut through it where the real life highways are. So I wouldn't really call it a maze, since it wasn't very hard to find our way through. It was pretty fun, because the maze included replicas of major sites (a rope bridge at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a mini Space Needle, models of the major mountains, etc.) even if it didn't have many dead ends.
The Space Needle looms over the corn
We're lost!
We lined up for the short wagon ride to the maze start - along the Idaho border - and entered near Pullman, where Washington State is located. The maze marked the roads and had small info signs where cities were. On the back of the map they supplied us was a scavenger hunt for facts from cities spread through Washington. So this was really quite educational. Except, we didn't do the scavenger hunt part and just wandered around to the Grand Coulee Dam, Canada, over to Mt. Baker, south to Seattle, Tacoma, and Mt. Rainier, and then around the peninsula before exiting in Gray's Harbor. That's a huge amount of travel for one day. ;)
Following the Leader...
Francesca has a snack attack
The maze itself is shaped like the state of Washington, and has paths cut through it where the real life highways are. So I wouldn't really call it a maze, since it wasn't very hard to find our way through. It was pretty fun, because the maze included replicas of major sites (a rope bridge at the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a mini Space Needle, models of the major mountains, etc.) even if it didn't have many dead ends.
The Space Needle looms over the corn
We're lost!
We lined up for the short wagon ride to the maze start - along the Idaho border - and entered near Pullman, where Washington State is located. The maze marked the roads and had small info signs where cities were. On the back of the map they supplied us was a scavenger hunt for facts from cities spread through Washington. So this was really quite educational. Except, we didn't do the scavenger hunt part and just wandered around to the Grand Coulee Dam, Canada, over to Mt. Baker, south to Seattle, Tacoma, and Mt. Rainier, and then around the peninsula before exiting in Gray's Harbor. That's a huge amount of travel for one day. ;)
Following the Leader...
Francesca has a snack attack
Monday, July 31, 2006
Medieval Times
The five of us went to Medieval Times for dinner and to see the show. I was looking forward to this ever since Bev had me reserve tickets. The entertainment concept is: enjoy dinner while watching a show of horse riding, combat, and jousting.
We arrived and were assigned a color combination which designated what section we were to be seated in. Each of the six sections had their own knight/champion to cheer for in the various events. We waited in the front area, which hosted a bunch of gift stores selling all kinds of souvenirs, until they called our section and we filed in.
The stadium area was two long rows of bleachers (with padded seats and tables) facing each other across a dirt floor. We took our seats and the show started with the King leading men back from a long war and deciding the realm needed to host a tournament so the finest champion could wed the princess. While this was going on, our food was brought out and it was a very large meal: soup, drinks, spare ribs, roasted chicken, bread. No utensils - the servers said you eat medieval style, with your hands and fingers! At least we had plates. ;)
The various Kingdoms attend the tournament.
After this, each Kingdom filed in and was officially welcomed to the tournament. They started off with a show of horsemanship, where trainers came out and gave a demonstration of various skills: trots, dressage... ok I forget all the terminology but the horses would do the classic rearing up on its hind legs, and then also jump up while kicking to the rear. These were apparently real moves used in those times as a way to either instill fear in the enemy, or defend from attacks. Part of the horsemanship involved a team of four moving around in formation, sometimes having the horses almost dance at an angle and moving sideways.
Of course there was also combat, as each Knight would compete for the hand of the Princess. The show had weapon combat and of course jousting, but also included some skill contests such as collecting metal rings with a lance. The combat proved quite popular, and the audience was quite bloodthirsty, screaming for their respective champion. Our section was the Kingdom of Perella and our colors were red and yellow, so we could cheer when the Red and Yellow Knight took to the field.
As it turns out, there was a traitor in the King's service - his guard who organized the tournament was insulted he was not chosen to compete. Fortunately, the Red and Yellow knight won the tournament, defeated the traitor, and gained the favor of the princess. I guess we were in the lucky section picked to win this evening's event.
I enjoyed myself immensely - the horsemanship, the skills contests, jousting, was all very well done and fun to watch. Plus the costumes looked really good too.
Posing near a suit of armor.
We arrived and were assigned a color combination which designated what section we were to be seated in. Each of the six sections had their own knight/champion to cheer for in the various events. We waited in the front area, which hosted a bunch of gift stores selling all kinds of souvenirs, until they called our section and we filed in.
The stadium area was two long rows of bleachers (with padded seats and tables) facing each other across a dirt floor. We took our seats and the show started with the King leading men back from a long war and deciding the realm needed to host a tournament so the finest champion could wed the princess. While this was going on, our food was brought out and it was a very large meal: soup, drinks, spare ribs, roasted chicken, bread. No utensils - the servers said you eat medieval style, with your hands and fingers! At least we had plates. ;)
The various Kingdoms attend the tournament.
After this, each Kingdom filed in and was officially welcomed to the tournament. They started off with a show of horsemanship, where trainers came out and gave a demonstration of various skills: trots, dressage... ok I forget all the terminology but the horses would do the classic rearing up on its hind legs, and then also jump up while kicking to the rear. These were apparently real moves used in those times as a way to either instill fear in the enemy, or defend from attacks. Part of the horsemanship involved a team of four moving around in formation, sometimes having the horses almost dance at an angle and moving sideways.
Of course there was also combat, as each Knight would compete for the hand of the Princess. The show had weapon combat and of course jousting, but also included some skill contests such as collecting metal rings with a lance. The combat proved quite popular, and the audience was quite bloodthirsty, screaming for their respective champion. Our section was the Kingdom of Perella and our colors were red and yellow, so we could cheer when the Red and Yellow Knight took to the field.
As it turns out, there was a traitor in the King's service - his guard who organized the tournament was insulted he was not chosen to compete. Fortunately, the Red and Yellow knight won the tournament, defeated the traitor, and gained the favor of the princess. I guess we were in the lucky section picked to win this evening's event.
I enjoyed myself immensely - the horsemanship, the skills contests, jousting, was all very well done and fun to watch. Plus the costumes looked really good too.
Posing near a suit of armor.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Sea World
Sea World is currently running a great deal: the Fun Pass (good for admission for the rest of the year with no blackout dates) costs the same as daily admission. I decided to take advantage of this deal. Even better, my friend Sarah (from the running group) works at Sea World as an animal trainer and offered to give any of us a backstage tour.
This is how you can tell you are in Florida.
I arrived at the park and bought my Fun Pass, and then made my way to the Sea Lion and Otter stadium, and caught the last half of a show. After wandering around a bit, Sarah got in touch just as another show started and said she'd meet me after the show and bring me back. So I watched another one. The plot involves a shipwreck on an island, a stolen treasure map, and eventual rescue, but it really is all about watching sea lions, sea otters, and walruses do tricks. :)
Sir Winston found the treasure!
Once backstage, Sarah showed me the refrigerated fish room, where all the meals are prepared. It looks like a normal industrial kitchen, except instead of plates there are metal cans with colored rings, which are packed with ice and fish for the animal performers. Every morning the trainers prepare all the food needed for the day's shows and put them on trays and carts for ready access.
Luxury accomodations for the otters.
The animal section is divided into three areas: sea otters, sea lions, and walruses. Each area has a swinging gate so it can be partitioned off from the other areas, allowing the trainers to bring out the animals individually if needed. Apparently some don't play well with the others. I can see this, the poor sea otters are tiny compared to the walruses!
Sea World currently has 9 sea otters, but two are "retired" from performing. They each have a roommate, and have a swimming area, ramp, and various toys to play with. There is a misting system for keeping them cool in the summer too.
Resting up between shows.
Sarah then brought me over to the walrus area, where Slowpoke and Bruiser share a much larger space. They are 3000 pound animals so they need the larger room. Slowpoke understands the word "kiss" and makes a very realistic smooching sound when she hears that. So I held out my hand and Slowpoke kissed me twice. :) When Sarah said "water" she turned around and waddled back to the pool.
Do you want a kiss?
Finally Sarah repartitioned the area and brought out Jay, a Sea Lion who behaves well around strangers. Jay let me pet him behind the head, and shake his hand (flipper), and was extra excited when I threw him a few fish to eat.
Jay says he is smarter and better looking than the otters and walruses.
I also saw Squeak, a very active one year old Sea Lion. He likes to jump in and out of the pool and slide up to the door to stare at you for a few seconds before doing it again. I'll upload the movie and link to it - it is quite funny.
I found out a few things about the show that were interesting. First, all the performers are actually animal trainers - there is not a separate crew of entertainers. Sarah recently switched to Sea Lions/Otters from Dolphins so she is also learning the lines to play the Pirate. Second, and this seems obvious in retrospect, they switch off animals constantly backstage - the sea lion that greets the crowd, the one that dives off the ship, the one that slides down the ramp, are probably all different ones. All the animals have their own names, but in the show they use stage names and the trainers can switch off their mic if they need to call the animal by the name the animal recognizes more.
This was a really cool glimpse at the work behind a show! Sarah had to get back to work since there was one more early evening show, so I wandered off to ride the Kraken, Sea World's roller coaster. This was a fantastic coaster - loops, horizontal rolls, below-ground dips including a dark area, plus no floor in the car so you can look down to the ground. Oh yeah!! I'll make use of my Fun Pass this year.
This is how you can tell you are in Florida.
I arrived at the park and bought my Fun Pass, and then made my way to the Sea Lion and Otter stadium, and caught the last half of a show. After wandering around a bit, Sarah got in touch just as another show started and said she'd meet me after the show and bring me back. So I watched another one. The plot involves a shipwreck on an island, a stolen treasure map, and eventual rescue, but it really is all about watching sea lions, sea otters, and walruses do tricks. :)
Sir Winston found the treasure!
Once backstage, Sarah showed me the refrigerated fish room, where all the meals are prepared. It looks like a normal industrial kitchen, except instead of plates there are metal cans with colored rings, which are packed with ice and fish for the animal performers. Every morning the trainers prepare all the food needed for the day's shows and put them on trays and carts for ready access.
Luxury accomodations for the otters.
The animal section is divided into three areas: sea otters, sea lions, and walruses. Each area has a swinging gate so it can be partitioned off from the other areas, allowing the trainers to bring out the animals individually if needed. Apparently some don't play well with the others. I can see this, the poor sea otters are tiny compared to the walruses!
Sea World currently has 9 sea otters, but two are "retired" from performing. They each have a roommate, and have a swimming area, ramp, and various toys to play with. There is a misting system for keeping them cool in the summer too.
Resting up between shows.
Sarah then brought me over to the walrus area, where Slowpoke and Bruiser share a much larger space. They are 3000 pound animals so they need the larger room. Slowpoke understands the word "kiss" and makes a very realistic smooching sound when she hears that. So I held out my hand and Slowpoke kissed me twice. :) When Sarah said "water" she turned around and waddled back to the pool.
Do you want a kiss?
Finally Sarah repartitioned the area and brought out Jay, a Sea Lion who behaves well around strangers. Jay let me pet him behind the head, and shake his hand (flipper), and was extra excited when I threw him a few fish to eat.
Jay says he is smarter and better looking than the otters and walruses.
I also saw Squeak, a very active one year old Sea Lion. He likes to jump in and out of the pool and slide up to the door to stare at you for a few seconds before doing it again. I'll upload the movie and link to it - it is quite funny.
I found out a few things about the show that were interesting. First, all the performers are actually animal trainers - there is not a separate crew of entertainers. Sarah recently switched to Sea Lions/Otters from Dolphins so she is also learning the lines to play the Pirate. Second, and this seems obvious in retrospect, they switch off animals constantly backstage - the sea lion that greets the crowd, the one that dives off the ship, the one that slides down the ramp, are probably all different ones. All the animals have their own names, but in the show they use stage names and the trainers can switch off their mic if they need to call the animal by the name the animal recognizes more.
This was a really cool glimpse at the work behind a show! Sarah had to get back to work since there was one more early evening show, so I wandered off to ride the Kraken, Sea World's roller coaster. This was a fantastic coaster - loops, horizontal rolls, below-ground dips including a dark area, plus no floor in the car so you can look down to the ground. Oh yeah!! I'll make use of my Fun Pass this year.
Friday, March 24, 2006
SkyVenture
Amy hadn't been to SkyVenture so I thought it would be great fun for us to go. I called up and made an 8:00 reservation, which we barely made due to heavy traffic on International Drive (I-Drive as it is called locally).
We were placed in a group with 8 or 9 others, most of them were a family vacationing from Mexico. I'd never seen such a large group, and it took a long time for us to get through the introductory class and suited up. Once in the flight chamber, we barely fit.
I wound up going first, which might have been bad. I've done this three times now and I'm OK at keeping my balance and gently floating around... thus giving the impression to the rest of the group that it is easy. My big error now is not looking up (keeping my chin up) - I find there is a huge tendency to keep a relaxed neck and look down towards the floor.
Amy was second up and she entered with a huge grin. After getting positioned by the instructor, she floated around briefly before zooming towards the wall. All the while she kept smiling, and I could tell she was having a great time floating on the column of air!
A few others did OK, but the rest had trouble, from folding in half at the waist, to twisting on their side, to continually kicking like they were riding an invisible bike. It was actually funny, I think this class had almost all the regular failure modes people exhibit, thus keeping the instructor on his toes.
On my second time in I tried a slow horizontal spin, but kept on drifting to the edge. Amy did well and held her balance longer while flying.
Afterwards we drove around the I-Drive area, past a bunch of smaller rides, and looked at the Sling Shot, where a couch is launched into the air via giant elastic bands. It looks fun but neither of us is that interested in trying it - maybe another time we'll hit a theme park for some roller coaster thrills. ;)
We were placed in a group with 8 or 9 others, most of them were a family vacationing from Mexico. I'd never seen such a large group, and it took a long time for us to get through the introductory class and suited up. Once in the flight chamber, we barely fit.
I wound up going first, which might have been bad. I've done this three times now and I'm OK at keeping my balance and gently floating around... thus giving the impression to the rest of the group that it is easy. My big error now is not looking up (keeping my chin up) - I find there is a huge tendency to keep a relaxed neck and look down towards the floor.
Amy was second up and she entered with a huge grin. After getting positioned by the instructor, she floated around briefly before zooming towards the wall. All the while she kept smiling, and I could tell she was having a great time floating on the column of air!
A few others did OK, but the rest had trouble, from folding in half at the waist, to twisting on their side, to continually kicking like they were riding an invisible bike. It was actually funny, I think this class had almost all the regular failure modes people exhibit, thus keeping the instructor on his toes.
On my second time in I tried a slow horizontal spin, but kept on drifting to the edge. Amy did well and held her balance longer while flying.
Afterwards we drove around the I-Drive area, past a bunch of smaller rides, and looked at the Sling Shot, where a couch is launched into the air via giant elastic bands. It looks fun but neither of us is that interested in trying it - maybe another time we'll hit a theme park for some roller coaster thrills. ;)
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Tandem Jump at Skydive DeLand
I did a tandem skydive this morning, which was an extreme thrill. Check out the video of my skydive! I also bought a DVD of my skydive, which includes the jump video (at the link) plus some footage on the plane.
Drop Zone
I was mildly interested in try a tandem jump last year, after seeing Krisanne get into the sport. I didn't go when Gail and I went to see Krisanne jump, because I was training for IMCdA and I didn't want to risk twisting my ankle or any slight injury at all. Now, with no huge event commitment, I decided it would be good timing to go this weekend, since Krisanne is visiting and taking a skydiving course at Skydive DeLand.
I booked a tandem jump for yesterday, but it was rainy and the drop zone called to inform me the weather probably wouldn't clear. So I rescheduled for today, which was sunny, clear, but with gusty winds.
I arrived at the drop zone, signed up, and watched a brief video about skydiving that explained various risks. After initialing a very long waiver, I was called back to staging room along with another tandem jumper who was celebrating his birthday. We put on our jump suits, and then Ray, my tandem jump master, held a harness for me while I stepped into it. Ray cinched everything up and explained we would finish the rigging in the plane while we were seated. After this we walked out to the edge of the runway to wait for the plane.
When it arrived, we tandem jumpers loaded first, because we would jump out at a higher altitude. The seats were actually benches we straddled with our legs, and it was a tight fit as the load included a group of four skydivers that were practicing formations. The plane took off and began a near constant climb to 10,000 feet. The rollup door slid open, and after a few seconds to get set, the group of four jumped out.
I looked through the windows, admiring the view, thinking about the upcoming jump. I believe in engineering, physics, careful preparation and practice to lessen risks... still I felt a bit anxious as the plane kept climbing and banking. Ray told me to lean forward and I could feel him snapping his harness to mine, and then he told me to sit in his lap, and he cinched up the straps as tight as possible.
We reached our target altitude of ~13,000 feet and the door slid opened again. The other tandem jumper went first, and then it was my turn. Ray and I inched forward and at the door, I basically sat and let my feet dangle outside. After a countdown, Ray leaned forward and we were out of the plane! We did a backflip and then arched and held my arms in the bent position familiar to me from my minutes at the SkyVenture wind tunnel.
It is hard to describe - it didn't really feel like falling. We got close to the camerman and he motioned for me to smile and give a thumbs up and so forth. I looked from the ground to the horizon while Ray put us into a few spins. Skydiving is surprisingly loud, and the force of the air was strong and I felt my hand pushed hard occasionally. Still, the view was beautiful and I looked about as best as I could. About halfway through the freefall I felt my ears protesting the pressure change - I am sensitive about that for whatever reason - and I started to yawn, swallow and hold my nose and blow, in order to equalize the pressure. It was painful until I got one ear partially equalized which really helped.
The camerman pulled away and I knew we were about to deploy our chute. I was expecting a jolt, but it was gentle - hardly a pull at all. Now that I was vertical I could breathe easier and I kept looking around, trying to spot our landing zone. Ray said he would loosen some straps to make it more comfortable, and for a split second I had the fear I would fall out of the harness. He loosened a chest strap and both leg straps, but I could tell I was still snug in the harness.
We cruised around, making several turns, while descending. The canopy ride was fun and I enjoyed it even more after I finally cleared my ears and thus didn't feel so dizzy when Ray made a turn. I was so wild eyed from looking around and enjoying the view I didn't spot the landing zone until nearly the end - I could see the large circular spot of rocks getting larger and larger until we made our final turn and landed.
Krisanne came up and congratulated me for the jump and for becoming a skydiver! It was very exciting and I felt woozy trying to stand while Ray unhooked the harness.
Jump Certificate
As for another jump... I must admit afterwards I had a huge "I just went skydiving" grin on my face, plus a huge rush of adrenalin in my bloodstream... but now that I'm home I'm ready to just take it easy. It was lots of fun, but I'm not sure I would really enjoy going on my own - on a tandem, I could just relax (so to speak) and enjoy the view, and not worry much about steering, air stability, wind conditions, landing, and so forth. I think skydiving is a mentally taxing sport since you need to be 100% focused on what is going on to keep safe. The nearest analogy I can make is with bike riding - at all times when you are on the road you have to remain situationally aware of surrounding traffic, road conditions, other riders, etc. This is all fine but along with my ear pressure equalization troubles, I'm not sure I would enjoy going very often. It was painful until I partially cleared an ear towards the end of freefall, and I wouldn't want to be dealing with that while also being responsible for tracking my orientation and altitude, and deploying my chute.
I certainly had a great experience though. It was extremely exciting and I'm glad I tried it. :)
Afterwards I hung out with Krisanne for a bit, and we watched a few more skydivers come in. The winds were gusting pretty strong and Krisanne didn't feel comfortable diving - great call, this is a sport where patience for the right conditions is key.
Drop Zone
I was mildly interested in try a tandem jump last year, after seeing Krisanne get into the sport. I didn't go when Gail and I went to see Krisanne jump, because I was training for IMCdA and I didn't want to risk twisting my ankle or any slight injury at all. Now, with no huge event commitment, I decided it would be good timing to go this weekend, since Krisanne is visiting and taking a skydiving course at Skydive DeLand.
I booked a tandem jump for yesterday, but it was rainy and the drop zone called to inform me the weather probably wouldn't clear. So I rescheduled for today, which was sunny, clear, but with gusty winds.
I arrived at the drop zone, signed up, and watched a brief video about skydiving that explained various risks. After initialing a very long waiver, I was called back to staging room along with another tandem jumper who was celebrating his birthday. We put on our jump suits, and then Ray, my tandem jump master, held a harness for me while I stepped into it. Ray cinched everything up and explained we would finish the rigging in the plane while we were seated. After this we walked out to the edge of the runway to wait for the plane.
When it arrived, we tandem jumpers loaded first, because we would jump out at a higher altitude. The seats were actually benches we straddled with our legs, and it was a tight fit as the load included a group of four skydivers that were practicing formations. The plane took off and began a near constant climb to 10,000 feet. The rollup door slid open, and after a few seconds to get set, the group of four jumped out.
I looked through the windows, admiring the view, thinking about the upcoming jump. I believe in engineering, physics, careful preparation and practice to lessen risks... still I felt a bit anxious as the plane kept climbing and banking. Ray told me to lean forward and I could feel him snapping his harness to mine, and then he told me to sit in his lap, and he cinched up the straps as tight as possible.
We reached our target altitude of ~13,000 feet and the door slid opened again. The other tandem jumper went first, and then it was my turn. Ray and I inched forward and at the door, I basically sat and let my feet dangle outside. After a countdown, Ray leaned forward and we were out of the plane! We did a backflip and then arched and held my arms in the bent position familiar to me from my minutes at the SkyVenture wind tunnel.
It is hard to describe - it didn't really feel like falling. We got close to the camerman and he motioned for me to smile and give a thumbs up and so forth. I looked from the ground to the horizon while Ray put us into a few spins. Skydiving is surprisingly loud, and the force of the air was strong and I felt my hand pushed hard occasionally. Still, the view was beautiful and I looked about as best as I could. About halfway through the freefall I felt my ears protesting the pressure change - I am sensitive about that for whatever reason - and I started to yawn, swallow and hold my nose and blow, in order to equalize the pressure. It was painful until I got one ear partially equalized which really helped.
The camerman pulled away and I knew we were about to deploy our chute. I was expecting a jolt, but it was gentle - hardly a pull at all. Now that I was vertical I could breathe easier and I kept looking around, trying to spot our landing zone. Ray said he would loosen some straps to make it more comfortable, and for a split second I had the fear I would fall out of the harness. He loosened a chest strap and both leg straps, but I could tell I was still snug in the harness.
We cruised around, making several turns, while descending. The canopy ride was fun and I enjoyed it even more after I finally cleared my ears and thus didn't feel so dizzy when Ray made a turn. I was so wild eyed from looking around and enjoying the view I didn't spot the landing zone until nearly the end - I could see the large circular spot of rocks getting larger and larger until we made our final turn and landed.
Krisanne came up and congratulated me for the jump and for becoming a skydiver! It was very exciting and I felt woozy trying to stand while Ray unhooked the harness.
Jump Certificate
As for another jump... I must admit afterwards I had a huge "I just went skydiving" grin on my face, plus a huge rush of adrenalin in my bloodstream... but now that I'm home I'm ready to just take it easy. It was lots of fun, but I'm not sure I would really enjoy going on my own - on a tandem, I could just relax (so to speak) and enjoy the view, and not worry much about steering, air stability, wind conditions, landing, and so forth. I think skydiving is a mentally taxing sport since you need to be 100% focused on what is going on to keep safe. The nearest analogy I can make is with bike riding - at all times when you are on the road you have to remain situationally aware of surrounding traffic, road conditions, other riders, etc. This is all fine but along with my ear pressure equalization troubles, I'm not sure I would enjoy going very often. It was painful until I partially cleared an ear towards the end of freefall, and I wouldn't want to be dealing with that while also being responsible for tracking my orientation and altitude, and deploying my chute.
I certainly had a great experience though. It was extremely exciting and I'm glad I tried it. :)
Afterwards I hung out with Krisanne for a bit, and we watched a few more skydivers come in. The winds were gusting pretty strong and Krisanne didn't feel comfortable diving - great call, this is a sport where patience for the right conditions is key.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Devil's Millhopper
This afternoon I roadtripped north to Gainesville, to visit Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park, which is basically a very large sinkhole.
After an uneventful trip to the park, I was shocked to find the park immediately next to a housing development (!). I'm no geologist, and I'm sure various experts came in to do all kinds of rock studies, but it seems to me that building a housing development right next to a large sinkhole isn't perhaps the wisest thing to do. Check out this map - the streets that border the park are lined with homes!!
Anyway, I walked in and found my way to the millhopper, which was quite large as far as sinkholes go: 500 feet across, and 120 feet deep. I walked down the stairs to the observation deck and looked around. It sounded like it was pouring rain, from all the little waterfalls that led to the basin.
A large sinkhole that became a state geological park.
I was about to leave but decided to walk around the nature trail. After all, time to work on my fear of getting attacked by snakes and alligators. ;) The trail was only a half-mile long, so soon I was back at the ranger station. I jokingly asked the ranger if that was the lowest point in the state, and he replied in all seriousness that it definitely wasn't. See, we were on the "Sumter Ridge" which apparently soars 175 feet above sea level, leaving the bottom of the Millhopper at an elevation of 50 feet. Well, that's good to know.
Looking up to the sky from the bottom of Devil's Millhopper.
Inside the sinkhole were various plants, such as this one, a Needle Palm. The sign said these plants only grow in ravines or sinkholes in the northern part of the state, where they are protected from freezing temperatures. Um... freezing temperatures... Florida... I can't quite wrap my mind around that.
After an uneventful trip to the park, I was shocked to find the park immediately next to a housing development (!). I'm no geologist, and I'm sure various experts came in to do all kinds of rock studies, but it seems to me that building a housing development right next to a large sinkhole isn't perhaps the wisest thing to do. Check out this map - the streets that border the park are lined with homes!!
Anyway, I walked in and found my way to the millhopper, which was quite large as far as sinkholes go: 500 feet across, and 120 feet deep. I walked down the stairs to the observation deck and looked around. It sounded like it was pouring rain, from all the little waterfalls that led to the basin.
A large sinkhole that became a state geological park.
I was about to leave but decided to walk around the nature trail. After all, time to work on my fear of getting attacked by snakes and alligators. ;) The trail was only a half-mile long, so soon I was back at the ranger station. I jokingly asked the ranger if that was the lowest point in the state, and he replied in all seriousness that it definitely wasn't. See, we were on the "Sumter Ridge" which apparently soars 175 feet above sea level, leaving the bottom of the Millhopper at an elevation of 50 feet. Well, that's good to know.
Looking up to the sky from the bottom of Devil's Millhopper.
Inside the sinkhole were various plants, such as this one, a Needle Palm. The sign said these plants only grow in ravines or sinkholes in the northern part of the state, where they are protected from freezing temperatures. Um... freezing temperatures... Florida... I can't quite wrap my mind around that.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Auckland Sky Tower Jump
My flight from Wellington arrived at 1 pm, and my flight home departed at 7:40 pm. I didn't want to waste the afternoon sitting in the airport, so I stored my bag, bought a return ticket on the city airport bus, and went to the Sky Center.
My goal was to do the Sky Jump! After psyching myself up, I went to the SkyJump booth and signed up. Sky Jump is basically a controlled jump from a 192 meter platform - 630 feet! For comparison, the observation deck of the Space Needle in Seattle is 520 feet.
I had to empty my pockets and put everything into a locker. Then, I put on a jump suit that velcroed shut around the ankles and wrists. After this, my SkyJump guide (Erin) placed the harness on me, which was similar to a climbing harness. However, this harness also looped around my shoulders.
Then, Erin walked me to the elevator, punched the button for the skydeck level, and told me how to proceed. I rode the elevator up with a group of tourists, and we alternated looking through various windows on the way up. She didn't ride up, and instead went to the landing platform to wait for me.
At the skydeck level, I found the skyjump platform, and was greeted by two more SkyJump guides. They both double checked my harness, attached a carabiner and rope, and we edged out on the platform.
I was a bit nervous throughout this whole process, but standing on the platform wasn't as bad. This was probably because the SkyJump guides at the upper platform were talking to me to whole time, describing what they were doing and what was about to happen.
On the SkyJump platform...
We walked out to the edge, and they switched around the caribiner to attach me to the drop wire instead of the platform. They adjusted the tension on the drop wire, and I felt it life me up slightly. Then, they said to grab hold onto some ropes, lean out, and then let go.
"Ready Karl? 3, 2, 1, go!"
I was still there clenching the rope with a death grip. After about 5 seconds, I swiveled my head and said "I guess I have to let go, right?"
"Yes. Remember, we'll drop you 20 meters, take a picture, then drop you the rest of the way. Ready now... 3, 2, 1, go!"
This time, I did let go and step off... into freefall, for 20 meters or less. I left the harness tighten and heard my name. I looked up and smiled for a picture, waved, and then was dropped the rest of the way down. It wasn't freefall, but it was extremely exciting!!
I'm flying!! Sort of...
I landed on the outside of the target, and Erin asked me how it was. I said it was really hard to let go of the rope, but I did the second time and thought it was really fun. She then said, we aren't very busy today, so would I like a second jump? For free? After a split second I said yes, and she walked me to the elevator again.
Next time, after all the safety checks, I was able to let go the first time. They paused me briefly at the 20 meter level, which was the observation deck level, and I waved briefly to the people inside, before I was dropped again.
It was an unbelievable adrenalin rush - easily one of the most exciting things I've ever done!
My goal was to do the Sky Jump! After psyching myself up, I went to the SkyJump booth and signed up. Sky Jump is basically a controlled jump from a 192 meter platform - 630 feet! For comparison, the observation deck of the Space Needle in Seattle is 520 feet.
I had to empty my pockets and put everything into a locker. Then, I put on a jump suit that velcroed shut around the ankles and wrists. After this, my SkyJump guide (Erin) placed the harness on me, which was similar to a climbing harness. However, this harness also looped around my shoulders.
Then, Erin walked me to the elevator, punched the button for the skydeck level, and told me how to proceed. I rode the elevator up with a group of tourists, and we alternated looking through various windows on the way up. She didn't ride up, and instead went to the landing platform to wait for me.
At the skydeck level, I found the skyjump platform, and was greeted by two more SkyJump guides. They both double checked my harness, attached a carabiner and rope, and we edged out on the platform.
I was a bit nervous throughout this whole process, but standing on the platform wasn't as bad. This was probably because the SkyJump guides at the upper platform were talking to me to whole time, describing what they were doing and what was about to happen.
On the SkyJump platform...
We walked out to the edge, and they switched around the caribiner to attach me to the drop wire instead of the platform. They adjusted the tension on the drop wire, and I felt it life me up slightly. Then, they said to grab hold onto some ropes, lean out, and then let go.
"Ready Karl? 3, 2, 1, go!"
I was still there clenching the rope with a death grip. After about 5 seconds, I swiveled my head and said "I guess I have to let go, right?"
"Yes. Remember, we'll drop you 20 meters, take a picture, then drop you the rest of the way. Ready now... 3, 2, 1, go!"
This time, I did let go and step off... into freefall, for 20 meters or less. I left the harness tighten and heard my name. I looked up and smiled for a picture, waved, and then was dropped the rest of the way down. It wasn't freefall, but it was extremely exciting!!
I'm flying!! Sort of...
I landed on the outside of the target, and Erin asked me how it was. I said it was really hard to let go of the rope, but I did the second time and thought it was really fun. She then said, we aren't very busy today, so would I like a second jump? For free? After a split second I said yes, and she walked me to the elevator again.
Next time, after all the safety checks, I was able to let go the first time. They paused me briefly at the 20 meter level, which was the observation deck level, and I waved briefly to the people inside, before I was dropped again.
It was an unbelievable adrenalin rush - easily one of the most exciting things I've ever done!
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Ghost Town Hike
Last week at a party, I met a woman who talked about how much she enjoyed hiking, and that she heard there was a ghost town hike in this area. The party was the Friday before Halloween, so talk of a ghost town seemed extra exciting.
I did some research, and found the ghost town: Monte Cristo. This small town was founded in the 1890's when gold was discovered in the hills, and for a time there was even a railroad line to Everett, funded by Rockefeller. But, mining dried up by 1907 and the town became a ghost when the railroad line stopped in the 1930's. The hike is a popular one, and is also the launching point for two other hikes: Twin Lakes, and Silver Lake.
After a bit of planning, four of us met for breakfast and drove out for the hike. I wound up buying some Green Trails maps, even though the hike to Monte Cristo was along a very well marked trail. Our group was Carrie, who I met at the party, her friend Kevin, a marine from Whidbey Island, and Allison, a co-worker.
Mountains
Trail
The boxer is named Rocky and is Allison's. Rocky had a great time running back and forth along the trail.
The trail is in great condition - it is quite driveable. I'd want a 4 wheel drive though - if you get stuck, you'll need to get yourself out. The access road is blocked by a locked gate, and only property owners and members of the historical society have access.
Stream
A small bridge crosses the stream at the entrance to the town.
Welcome Sign
Here we are!
Building
Not many of the original buildings are standing. This one was in good shape.
Old Turntable
Evidence of the railroad line...
Wheel
A few rusty mechanical parts were laying around in the center of the town.
The lower area of the town is now just a half dozen building spread out around an open field. We wandered around, and then crossed a bridge to Dumas Street, the upper part of Monte Cristo.
Dumas Street Sign
Dumas Street was the main street of Monte Cristo, and at one time there were several houses, a hotel, and a garage. Now, just a shack and the garage are standing.
Shack
Checking out the real estate sign. That's right, this shack is for sale!
At the end of Dumas Street, we followed the trail to the ore concentrator and wandered around. At one time, it was 5 stories high, but now it is just a bunch of rocks, and a few timbers. There is also a sign that warns of high arsenic levels!
We ate lunch in the town center, where there was a picnic bench and bike rack. Then, we packed up and hiked out.
I did some research, and found the ghost town: Monte Cristo. This small town was founded in the 1890's when gold was discovered in the hills, and for a time there was even a railroad line to Everett, funded by Rockefeller. But, mining dried up by 1907 and the town became a ghost when the railroad line stopped in the 1930's. The hike is a popular one, and is also the launching point for two other hikes: Twin Lakes, and Silver Lake.
After a bit of planning, four of us met for breakfast and drove out for the hike. I wound up buying some Green Trails maps, even though the hike to Monte Cristo was along a very well marked trail. Our group was Carrie, who I met at the party, her friend Kevin, a marine from Whidbey Island, and Allison, a co-worker.
Mountains
Trail
The boxer is named Rocky and is Allison's. Rocky had a great time running back and forth along the trail.
The trail is in great condition - it is quite driveable. I'd want a 4 wheel drive though - if you get stuck, you'll need to get yourself out. The access road is blocked by a locked gate, and only property owners and members of the historical society have access.
Stream
A small bridge crosses the stream at the entrance to the town.
Welcome Sign
Here we are!
Building
Not many of the original buildings are standing. This one was in good shape.
Old Turntable
Evidence of the railroad line...
Wheel
A few rusty mechanical parts were laying around in the center of the town.
The lower area of the town is now just a half dozen building spread out around an open field. We wandered around, and then crossed a bridge to Dumas Street, the upper part of Monte Cristo.
Dumas Street Sign
Dumas Street was the main street of Monte Cristo, and at one time there were several houses, a hotel, and a garage. Now, just a shack and the garage are standing.
Shack
Checking out the real estate sign. That's right, this shack is for sale!
At the end of Dumas Street, we followed the trail to the ore concentrator and wandered around. At one time, it was 5 stories high, but now it is just a bunch of rocks, and a few timbers. There is also a sign that warns of high arsenic levels!
We ate lunch in the town center, where there was a picnic bench and bike rack. Then, we packed up and hiked out.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Florida Fun - Airboat Ride
Another thing on my to do list was to take an airboat ride. If you've seen the movie Wild Things, an airboat is what Matt Dillon pilots around in one scene of that movie. Otherwise, an airboat is a flat bottomed boat with a giant fan on the back.
Me and the Airboat
The tour I took was on Lake Tohopekaliga, which is in the headwater system of the Florida Everglades. We saw a few wild egrets as we sped around, but mostly it was lily pads.
Lily Pads
The highlight of the trip was spending some time near wild alligators. The tour guide revved the engine floated us slowly towards a gator nest. This caused the nearby female alligator to become defensive and come out of the water near her nest. I was nearly within touching distance of the alligator which was actually a bit scary.
Gator and her Nest
We also stopped at another gator nest, but this time the gator hid under a marshy area just a few feet away. We could just barely see her nostrils above the mud, proving that gators are essentially invisible. They are quite skilled at camoflauge.
Me and the Airboat
The tour I took was on Lake Tohopekaliga, which is in the headwater system of the Florida Everglades. We saw a few wild egrets as we sped around, but mostly it was lily pads.
Lily Pads
The highlight of the trip was spending some time near wild alligators. The tour guide revved the engine floated us slowly towards a gator nest. This caused the nearby female alligator to become defensive and come out of the water near her nest. I was nearly within touching distance of the alligator which was actually a bit scary.
Gator and her Nest
We also stopped at another gator nest, but this time the gator hid under a marshy area just a few feet away. We could just barely see her nostrils above the mud, proving that gators are essentially invisible. They are quite skilled at camoflauge.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Florida Fun - Indoor Skydiving
I saw this when I was here in February, and made a mental note to definitely do it next time I was in town. Since I'm here in Orlando again on business, I had the chance and it was the MOST fun I've had in quite some time. I may go again before returning home!
SkyVenture Orlando is a building with a giant vertical fan. It generates wind at speeds of up to 120 mph, and on this column of air you can simulate flight.
After signing up, I climbed up the stairs and met the other people in my group. We then watched a short instructional video on correct form and hand signals. Correct form helps the air flow over you evenly: legs slightly bent; arched up from your hips; elbows bent; arms forward and relaxed; hands near your head. After a brief quiz and practicing form on a table, we were given a flight suit, goggles, helmet, ear plugs, and elbow and knee pads. The flight suits had small padded handles along the arms and back which could be used to grabbing and helping correct someone's position while in "flight".
The flight chamber was a small circular room with a mesh floor and ceiling. The walls were clear plastic and there was an observation room on the other side. Finally, the fan cranked up, and when it was my turn, I entered the chamber.
To enter, you hold your arms across your chest with fists under your chin, and gently lean into the room. The instructor grabs you and helps to lay you out horizontally while you stretch out into correct form. I entered and soon was floating on the air current! The instructor reminded me to look up and straighten my legs, but on the whole I got the hang of it quickly and experimented with floating up and down by subtle bending from the waist. It was so fun, I know I was grinning like a fool as I floated around and looked at the audience (friends and family of the others in my group). Too soon my time was up and I exited. To leave the room, you grab the door frame and pull while stepping down.
After a few more minutes, it was my turn again. After floating up and down and doing well controlling myself, the instructor showed me how to start a controlled horizontal spin. He mimed what he wanted me to do, but for whatever reason the first two or three times I didn't catch on and did it wrong. Basically I was only tilting my hands and rotating around my wrist. After another demo, I saw that what he wanted me to do was dip one shoulder slightly and raise the other one. After doing this, I began to turn slowly and was soon experimenting with spin while floating around the chamber. Again, my time was up all too soon and I exited with a giant smile on my face.
I didn't get any pictures, because I was there by myself. However, I bought the video of my time in the chamber and if I can transfer that to the computer, I can isolate a good picture or put the entire thing up for viewing.
SkyVenture
A few cities around the country have this opportunity: see Flyaway Indoor Skydiving and SkyVenture.
I highly recommend this - it is not to be missed!
SkyVenture Orlando is a building with a giant vertical fan. It generates wind at speeds of up to 120 mph, and on this column of air you can simulate flight.
After signing up, I climbed up the stairs and met the other people in my group. We then watched a short instructional video on correct form and hand signals. Correct form helps the air flow over you evenly: legs slightly bent; arched up from your hips; elbows bent; arms forward and relaxed; hands near your head. After a brief quiz and practicing form on a table, we were given a flight suit, goggles, helmet, ear plugs, and elbow and knee pads. The flight suits had small padded handles along the arms and back which could be used to grabbing and helping correct someone's position while in "flight".
The flight chamber was a small circular room with a mesh floor and ceiling. The walls were clear plastic and there was an observation room on the other side. Finally, the fan cranked up, and when it was my turn, I entered the chamber.
To enter, you hold your arms across your chest with fists under your chin, and gently lean into the room. The instructor grabs you and helps to lay you out horizontally while you stretch out into correct form. I entered and soon was floating on the air current! The instructor reminded me to look up and straighten my legs, but on the whole I got the hang of it quickly and experimented with floating up and down by subtle bending from the waist. It was so fun, I know I was grinning like a fool as I floated around and looked at the audience (friends and family of the others in my group). Too soon my time was up and I exited. To leave the room, you grab the door frame and pull while stepping down.
After a few more minutes, it was my turn again. After floating up and down and doing well controlling myself, the instructor showed me how to start a controlled horizontal spin. He mimed what he wanted me to do, but for whatever reason the first two or three times I didn't catch on and did it wrong. Basically I was only tilting my hands and rotating around my wrist. After another demo, I saw that what he wanted me to do was dip one shoulder slightly and raise the other one. After doing this, I began to turn slowly and was soon experimenting with spin while floating around the chamber. Again, my time was up all too soon and I exited with a giant smile on my face.
I didn't get any pictures, because I was there by myself. However, I bought the video of my time in the chamber and if I can transfer that to the computer, I can isolate a good picture or put the entire thing up for viewing.
SkyVenture
A few cities around the country have this opportunity: see Flyaway Indoor Skydiving and SkyVenture.
I highly recommend this - it is not to be missed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)