Excitement at Byron

Two days at the Yoga Journal conference wa enough for me and hubby, so we decided to spend the day with Tall Guy, skydiving at Byron if the weather was favourable. Not an easy call to make on whether to drive out there, as the fog seems to be a steady companion to the area, and lifts on a whim, with no clear patterns predicted by the Wx-man. Taking the leap (literally) we made our way out to where our Airstream was parked during our San Fran visitation, and attempted to make as many skydives as possible. slaDE~ being the braver of us two, decided to check out the DZ and serve as the first load ‘wind drift indicator’. Much to my chagrin, he opted for a more exciting venture. He ended up with a Vigil fire (his automatic activation device initiated his reserve deployment whilst his main canopy was fully functional and flying. Never a good scenario to have two canopies out; however, slaDE~ successfully landed safely off the airport, disgruntled by the surprise actuation of  his AAD. I have a Cypres 2, recently purchased, that has a better track record of sequencing properly and at the correct altitudes. The Vigil doesn’t have the same thorough reputation as the Cypres, and slaDE~ has decided to switch to an Argus. I’m grateful that he will jump with such a device after this being his second unexpected firing. Read the quote below from How Stuff Works to appreciate the importance of a skydiver using an AAD. I won’t jump without one, the wiser and older I get.

Automatic Activation Device

There’s not a lot of room for error in skydiving. Let’s say that one of the following three things happens during a skydive:

1. You lose consciousness as you are exiting the plane or falling.
2. You lose track of your altitude because you get distracted.
3. Something completely unexpected happens — maybe an airplane or a second skydiver flies too close to you and either damages your equipment or makes you unstable.

In any of these situations, you may be unable to deploy your parachute yourself, and you need some help. An AAD (automatic activation device) is a small computer that constantly monitors the altitude and activates the reserve chute for you.

Ever the trooper and adventurer, slaDE~ made 3 more jumps (on borrowed gear … thanks Troy!) that day, one of which I also participated in, giving my knee a test run (or should I say slide?). First jump since my injury and probably my last for the next few weeks, ever-cautious, listening to the pain that still strongly emanates through my entire knee cap. So much for kneeling postures in yoga and meditation :).

Oh, and by the way, a tremendous way to end off a day of excitement is with screamingly delicious Mexican food chased with yummy Margaritas! Try La Pinata in Alameda for a real treat!

La Piñata Margarita

1. 2 oz 100% Blue agave Tequila
2. 4 1/2 oz. La Piñata Margarita Mix
3. 1 cup of ice
4. Squeeze a fresh lime wedge
5. Shake and serve on the rocks

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir well. Serve chilled in shot glasses as a chaser alongside room-temperature tequila.