La-riders mini La

Its been quite sometime, we drove to one of the high passes. My best travels mates the La-Riders Rupesh and Amit were missing.

I was planning to cover some mini “la” considering anything less than 18,000 feet should be considered mini. And to cover some thing incredible like 18,000 feet we need our best group.

Yosemite national park was the place which was there in my list for a very long time. (http://www.yosemitepark.com/)



One of the pristine national forest in northern America, Yosemite has got some wonderful passes. Tioga pass at 9,943 feet was the one i was looking to cover. As this was end of November chances are that the pass might be closed for snow.

I started from my sister’s place early in the morning with some good breakfeast. As I was driving prius I was sure I would not have much of a problem for the gas. With 4 hours of drive I was about to reach Yosemite Valley.



Sierra forest with snow covered trees welcomed me. Inner self happiness was very evident with bright eyes and casual humming of songs. To click some picks of the roads and car was not a problem at all, but being a solo traveler is that you loose interest of taking your own snap after a while.

After halting in couple of view point, I reached the half doom. It wasn’t tough to find a parking near the visitor center considering it was a cold early winter day. The moment I saw the things to do in Yosemite I was sure it would just be impossible to cover Yosemite even in a week.



After walking through the sierra forest, I was patiently waiting for the sun to drop down in the Half doom. Soon the place was filled with numerous photographers trying to get the glimpse of the something spectacular. If you think its worth to see changing color in rock when gradually sun sets then you wouldn’t mind spending an hour just watching this.


Immediately after the sunset the whole valley was at its silent best. People left the place in no time. I wasn’t delaying much as I had to find my hotel. Getting up a place to rest in Yosemite could be challenging, out of our normal travel norms I pre booked Days inn in Oakhrust.

I had to drive south of Yosemite park. After hours drive my GPS was getting cranky it was just showing some random direction. After few min Jill lovingly said you have reached your destination only to find that you are in middle of nowhere.



After wandering for a while, I started to drive in south direction towards the main city. After good half and hour drive I finally found some street light and houses. I was much more than happy to see a small village and Days inn just in the middle. I didn’t mind much about the place as I was already tired enough to crash.

Oh why didn’t I mention the status of Tioga pass. Unfortunately it was closed. I was still lying in the bed still thinking it would open the next day.

I believe every minute is the morning is worth when you are travelling. I was ready and had to wait for few minutes before the hotel folks fixed the breakfeast.

After driving for an hour and half I was in middle of the Yosemite Valley. What would you say when you have spotted a wonderful mule deer just at the start. Not a bad start for a 55-300mm lens.



I crossed a pass at 6,643 to reach the Yosemite valley. Unfortunately Tioga is closed even today. I have to keep it in my list, may be next time.

After trekking for few hours I had already covered couple of view points and waterfalls. I still had few hours left. I decided to trek till Mirror Lake. I was keeping my hopes down as the winter would have dried the lake. I was sure I wouldn’t get the amazing reflecting of the doom on the mirror lake.

After couple of hours of walk , I reached mirror lake , not to my surprise there wasn’t much water, I decided to walk a further till I see a stream of water. I rested for a while grabbing my energy bar and drink enjoying the stream. I trekked back just stopping by the visitor center souvenir center.

Even before sitting in the car , I was just wondering when I can come back here. I still believe we would need more than a week even to cover half of this amazing place. While returning I stopped at the tunnel view. I don’t think Yosemite visit can end without a snap of Tunnel view.



Driving back to SFO was happening quick, As my mind was still wandering in high Sierra’s.

Category A AFF Solo Sky Diving

It was on a nice summer weekend, when there was nothing else to do, I decided to do something which was due for a long time.



After lot of browsing I ended up in start sky diving school. Since I wasn’t doing tandem getting a schedule for an AFF Solo diving wasn’t that difficult. I made sure I booked a day on Sunday so that I can reach the sky diving drop zone by Saturday evening.

Now I wasn’t sure if I should get the license for a solo skydiving , and even if I get where I would do when I get back. After doing the first jump and passing with the wonderful grade, now it’s not anymore about getting a license but just about progressing to next category.

I started on the Saturday late afternoon with the tradition of having a heavy lunch before every trip. A full plate of chipotle bowl with double spicy sauce was good enough to start the trip.

After driving for an hour I decided to pass by an outlet mall just to kill some time. I guess killing time was just a reason as I ended buying a good deal of apparel.

Finally grabbing something to eat , driving 30 more min I end up in a super 8, where else would I go if I just want to spend few hours from the Road. Getting sleep on a shady room, artificially aromated with glade wasn’t difficult after half a day walk.

Sunday stated up very early , I unwillingly ate a biscuit with a glass of milk. For some reason I had this belief that I will definitely throw myself when I jump from the plane. After a quick 20 min drive I reach middletown airport. Since the address I had to reach was an airport it wasn't difficult to find ,except for the fact being it was too small to be an airport.

I check at the reception if everything is ok to start the course. A college going girl responds back saying we are pretty tied for tandem, but for AFF we are fine, just that we are expecting couple of more guys.

After waiting for 30 min I get a quick overview of the sky diving kit. It was too much of information considering the fact that I am hearing them for the first time. Just trying to keep only the important things I was kind of tired with information.



Finally the heart beat goes little on higher side after seeing all the kit and people getting ready. My other buddies have arrived by this time and we went into a nice room behind the drop zone for the long 6 hour course.

The course curriculum had 4 sessions spread over 6 hours. First couples of sessions were fine with just getting used to terminologies of the kit and Jump. After the session we spend sometime in trying to get the arch position. To be honest I was pretty tried after being in awkward situation hearing to keep pelvic position from a lady for a long 30 min.

We break for lunch with lot of information. Again unwillingly I decide to grab a 6 inch sub. I was really hungry by now but the fear of throwing was much more than the hunger. Driving back with the ice lemon tea we start the session back.

Now it was time know about the parachute malfunction. How do I react to this , happy to know possible malfunctions that can happen when I try to open my parachute or be really afraid of possible things that could happen.

Till final session I was afraid of the free fall, but after the possible malfunctions and difficulties in landing a parachute now I was just thinking about the canopy. How am I supposed to react when I have know all the possible difficulties and doing it for the first time. The instructor for instance keeps insisting on the YouTube video of a lady who lands in a church building in downtown. Worst part I happen to see that previous week , my bad.



After exhausting 6 hours she declares the end of the course and we got ready for the written test. By this time it was not about adrenaline rush but by now its just about landing back safe. We sat in a nice cozy room to write the 20 odd questions neatly framed over the course material.

I did pass with a 94 % percentage , not bad ahh.. I had to admit it was easy. We waited for the wind to calm down. The wind by now was blowing around 12 to 14 knots , as a beginner we would be allowed only when the wind speed is 7 to 10 knots.

By this time the weird reaction under the stomach was at its peak, and I was no way prepared to continue this feeling till next week if we aren’t allowed to do the jump. By now the clock was showing 6 of clock. I had to admit I stated feeling tired considering I was there in this place exactly at 8 in the morning. May be it was more tiring considering the excitement , fear and heat 

Finally god heard us and pretty girl from reception calls our name. Within few minutes we get dressed up in the full kit. By this time the weird feeling in my stomach has gone. With too many things running in my mind, couldn’t think of if I was thinking of the freefall or controlling the canopy.

With a quick chat from my photographer , all I could say was I am excited. To be honest I did think for a minute if it was better just watching a movie at home rather than trying these things. I definitely did ask why I was doing these things.

But soon I was engaged with my instructors going quickly about all the things they taught from morning. It was too much of information and I was totally engaged in recollecting the things.

I just managed to clear the hotel check in check out process in a dummy plane exit. Then we quickly went to the plane. By then the feeling of fear had vanished I didn’t know why but It was a much better feeling.



I wasn’t nervous as we started to move gradually. I couldn’t ask for more when I was asked by my instructor to go over, what are the things I am supposed to do when I reach every 1000 ft. Recollecting each action that has to be taken we reached 12,500 in time much sooner than I expected.

All being set to exit the place. I wasn’t loud enough for my instructor ,while proceeding the hotel check in , check out. By then the fear factor has diminished completely and all I was thinking to do was to see some solid land.

It was all set by them, then we go. We jump from 12,500 . Since it was my category A I had to jump with 2 instructors on my either side. Instructor on the right was my primary instructor who would help me if I wasn’t able to open my parachute.



I was kind of sure that even I couldn’t keep my Arch position while in free fall, I was confident enough to pull the pilot chute at 5,500 ft. The tiny pilot chute is what will inflate the whole life saving parachute. What if the pilot chute gets hidden behind your current, oh they thought how to twist the whole body.

Theoretically it was easier to do all kind of twist , but falling from 12,500 I don’t think its easy.Anyways we were now in freefall it took 40 odd sec to cover 6,000 ft. I didn’t believe 40 sec was a big time , but infact that was huge.

I was able to do 3 practice pull , check my altimeter 3 times, Show my instructor that I am going to pull by 5,500 ft.. All these could be done in 40 sec. Infact there was plenty of seconds left.

I got delayed in throwing away my pilot chute. I was just waiting for my instructor to give me a green signal , which cost me 500 ft, around 4,900 ft i pulled my parachute.

Once the parachute is up , all I could remember was all the possible malfunctions from the last session . Top of my head my parachute looks clean nothing like the malfunction photos I saw.



Now time was check the toggle, to make sure I can steer , Pull on braked (Flare). I did so , a gentle right steers with my toggle which looked perfect, Left steer looked perfect. One final thing was flare, which also looked very perfect.

Now I was sure I wasn’t going to crash. All I had to do was to make sure I didn’t land in downtown or in electric cable running around. My fear was more landing right on the blade of the place which took us up ,or on a big Wal-Mart truck running fast on the highway.

I checked my altimeter it was showing 2,000 ft. I wasn’t thinking of any theory at moment , I was just enjoying the view of the city from a well sailing canopy. By then time the clock seems to have stopped working , after feeling too many things from the freefall and opening a parachute. It was a very pleasant.

Oh when I reached 1,500 ft it was time to decide on the landing patterns. I had to take minimal help so that I could progress to next level. I decide on the big patch of green grass nothing near to the runway of the plane, nothing near to airport building , nor a pond of water.

I was pretty sure , I wouldn’t mind walking even quarter mile to do a safe landing. By now I have reached 5,00ft, all I have got is 300 ft to make some adjustments. After 300 ft , we just have to land and no adjustment can be done.

I was moving pretty good on the patch where I thought of landing. I was trying to check if I was facing the wind while I am landing. I wasn’t sure about that I was feeling wind from all the direction. I told myself Never mind I am landing safe.

Finally I hear the golden word , Flare flare flare , keep flaring. I pull my toggles in full flare position making sure I am coming close to land as soon as possible. We were advised not see the ground as it might give a feeling of we moving very fast. It didn’t bother me much as I have managed to come close to 30 feet and I knew I am not going to hurt myself.

Finally I land on a green patch , all I could feel is Land,solid land. I hear a voice “:vivek” how was it . Oh it was my photographer , she landed much before than I did. I was more interested to check with my instructor to know if have passed.

A small drive in a truck back to office was quick. I quickly removed my kit after couple of snaps. I rushed to front desk to check my feedback . Instructor gave me a nice feedback and said I have passed and can progress to next level.

Now I go for Category B , few more jumps I can get a solo license. Just waiting for weather to help me in completing few more jumps.