Day 169

I awoke with tons of excitement. I had breakfast. Checked my email. Walked downtown.

Grabbed some souvenirs. Got back to the lodge at about 10.30.

And then alarm bells started to go off.

It turns out when Hannah had called to confirm her adventure, they cancelled on her. I was supposed to go on the same adventure with the same company.

So I got Romy, the manager of the lodge to call on my behalf. I was told that no problem, things were good to go. So I was ready at 11.50 to go for a 12 noon pickup (which is what I had been told the day before).

12.05: Nothing

12.10: Nothing, starting to grit my teeth.

12.20: This isn’t good business practice.

12.30: I have conceded defeat. Romy calls back, and apparently there was a miscommunication as I was supposed to be have told 1 pm instead.

Good things come to those who wait, I suppose?

Just before 1 pm the shuttle arrives. I am indeed going. We pick up the other passenger, and one of the guides, Owen (from Brighton) en route.

It was finally happening. We get to the site. I get paired up with Owen as we were chatting together in the van. I get a briefing.

Do what he says.

It’s important to do what he says.

Pay attention Ryan, this is important.

I struggle to do this. Everything at this moment is so perfect.

Helmet is on, tightened.

All strapped in.

“RUN!” yells Owen. I do this, dragging him backwards as it was explained to me. “KEEP RUNNING!”

And then I realize something. No matter how much more I pump my legs, it doesn’t matter.

I. Am. Flying.

It has been eight years but I have gone from this:

at the top of the Vosges mountains in Alsace to this:

with a feeling that I can’t describe.

I am euphoric. And we are going FAST. We catch “thermals” and actually get much more air than expected. I am taught that when Owen says lean left it means to cross your legs and worry about nothing. It’s like holding it in when you have to go to the washroom really bad.

None of this affects me though.

We take a small dive down to whoosh by Owen’s friends who are also getting ready to launch. We avoid the “monkeys” from another group who don’t seem to know what is going on.
Owen takes out the camera to take a series of photos. I am smiling politely is not a good way to describe it. I am smiling ear to ear and continue this pose with no problems at all. Owen then retrieves the camera, switching it to video mode. I start to babble… I can feel everything around me but it continues to be such an unbelievable event that is occurring. I know I say some things which are relevant but it is like I have taken leave of my body.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa47-EGl_xI

We are halfway, possibly two thirds of the way down when I ask Owen about the turns. I was told about these turns, you see, whereby you go into such a corkscrew spin.

Frankly I’m not sure if my body can handle it as I usually can’t handle the Tilt-A-Whirl at the carnival but I have not come this far not to try everything.

Owen explains that once we start and he calls left and right that I have to do this quickly.

Cuddled in my harness-cum-baby stroller, I am ready to respond. LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! STAY RIGHT!

We then start spiraling down. I don’t mind admitting that I screamed heavily at this point. It is so magical what happens.

I imagine this lasts for thirty, maybe forty seconds, although it felt like it went by in a split second.

It is now time to nail the landing. I am told to put my hands straight in front of me so as to let go of the handles. This is a bit nerve-wracking but I can manage it. I am then told to get ready to run if need be. Apparently I look like Fred Flintstone when I come down and hit the ground, pedaling an invisible car.

We have finished the ride but the natural high. I am speechless. Nothing can put into words to what I have just experienced. I manage to get a picture while still in the harness




and once Owen has finished packing up I get a picture with him as well.

Someone from another company asked me if enjoyed myself.

They could hear me screaming and saw my landing. I am happy that it is then self-explanatory as my thoughts, words and legs are mostly reduced to mush.

It is a natural high that I shall never forget.

EPILOGUE

Most of the rest of the day doesn’t really matter, doesn’t count. I go to the internet café to upload the video to prove to the rest of the world what I experienced. I make pasta for the second night in a row. I watch a recap of Alexandre Bilodeau winning his gold medal on what could be considered the poor taste sport show to end all poor taste poor shows on Kiwi television.

But it really doesn’t matter. I flew.

And I want more.

Cheers,
Vick.

PS - Popped up again in episode five of Kids in the Hall: Death Comes To Town. Expect more once the olympics are done. Thanks to Lisa B. for the screencaps (as I found them accidentally on line and she was nice enough to share!)