There was a bit of drama even before this show started. I had used pre-sale access to try and score some good seats, but was shut out of getting two seats together in the front sections of the amphitheater. So I bought two single tickets (not near each other, but close to the stage) and a pair of lawn tickets that were general admission. My plan was to either go with someone who was a super-fan and didn’t mind sitting by themselves so I could take the best seat or go and sit in the lawn and sell off the two singles. As the show neared, I decided I wanted to keep the best ticket for myself and started looking for people to take the other three. My dad and stepmom were interested in the lawn tickets so they took those off my hands. I couldn’t find anyone else who was crazy enough to sit by themselves so I ended up selling the other single ticket on craigslist (luckily).

After consideration of comfort and visibility, I tried to ditch the lawn tickets and find something in the seats with a better view. A search on Coast to Coast Tickets resulted in some seats that were available in the first row of the second section behind the floor section (where I was sitting). I snagged them for my dad and stepmom and I am glad I did…

I went to will call to pick up the new tickets just before the show and once they were in hand I realized they were VIP. This meant special entrance (although we used the peasant entrance), free food, our own VIP bar and restrooms, and a special garden/sitting area for VIP ticket holders. The problem was that there were 3 of us, but only two tickets were VIP. My dad put on his Opie Taylor face and walked over to the VIP ticket-checkers to explain that we picked up our tickets at will call, but only 2 of the 3 were correct. They decided not to deal with it and just let all three of us in. Score!

After dinner and drinks in the VIP tent it was time to head to the seats. I’ll let these photos and captions tell the rest of the story. These photos were taken with my iPhone with no zoom capability.

Lady Antebellum, the second act of the night after Love and Theft.

Lady Antebellum

Hillary Scott, one of the two leads in Lady Antebellum. What this photo doesn’t show very well was that she was actually singing right to me.

And then Tim came on.

12 rows back.

This is the photo I posted on Twitter. There was a peninsula that came out from the stage into the crowd.

And then later in the night I moved closer to the stage, about two rows back.

I was sitting by myself, but was able to make friends with the people around me. And, it didn’t hurt that the attendance was probably 80%/20% in favor of the females.

So that was that. It was a great show, the music was fantastic, the sound was stellar, and everyone had a great time.

This is a couple of solo jumpers that were on the plane with us. The blue one does a flip in this video. The pops you hear are the rifles at the firing range next door.

This is me on my way in for a landing.

And then the video switches to high def to capture my landing and then Shane’s and finally Lawrence’s.

Man, that was so much fun!

Last Saturday was a day that had been anticipated for over a year. After talking and planning, things finally worked out and I gathered a couple friends and we headed out to SkyDance just west of Davis.

Here’s how the day went down:

We arrived and the first thing the SkyDance staff did was take our money (they do this first for obvious reasons). They had us sign a slew of waivers and then put us into a room with all the other nutballs and adrenaline junkies. An instructor went over the waiver and then walked us through the jump from gear to climb to drop and then landing. We would be performing tandem jumps with other experienced instructors and since we were attached snugly at four points, we were along for the ride. Basically, as students in the tandem jump, we had three things to remember - arch our backs coming out of the plane, don’t ever grab for the instructor, and keep legs up at landing.

Once the training was over we were supposed to wait until our names were called to go in and gear-up. This wait lasted over an hour and the anticipation was awful. Once our names were called, we headed into the gear room to get fitted for our jumpsuits. Then, our instructors grabbed the container packs with the chutes and we headed out to the plane.

Here I am on my way out to the plane.

Still walking out to the plane. That’s my friend Shane on my right.

The plane was rather small, but was not completely full so there was enough room for our three tandems and three more solo jumpers.

Here’s a picture of the plane from the SkyDance website.

The climb to 13,000 feet was about 10 minutes long. To be honest, I was in minor freak out mode at this point and wish I could have enjoyed the plane ride more, but I couldn’t. When we reached altitude, the planed slowed and the back door opened up. One by one the jumpers left the plane and I was the last one out.

The first few seconds were the important part as far as the students were concerned. We need to arch to keep our bellies toward the ground. This would allow safe deployment of the ‘drogue’ which was deployed three seconds after we left the plane. The drogue is a small chute used for stabilization. As I looked across the horizon I could see Lake Berryessa and the Napa Valley. They say you can see the Golden Gate bridge on clear days, but it was a bit hazy this day.

The free fall was 60 seconds long and the fast air was super loud. We spun a few times so I could see all over the valley. I looked down and could see farm land everywhere, Davis, Woodland, and the airport where we came from (and were now hurtling toward at almost 200 feet per second). My instructor pulled the chute out at 5,000 feet, quickly slowing us from 120 mph to about 30 mph. That was tough on the ol’ Milo and Otis.

Sitting underneath the canopy was a completely different experience. In fact, it was actually scarier than the free fall. See, in free fall you eventually reach terminal velocity and it almost feels like you aren’t falling anymore. But with the canopy deployed and the instructor pulling Gs and stalling out a bit, you definitely realize you are suspended in the air… and still pretty high up. However, it was much quieter and even serene.

The ride down to the ground was about five minutes long and as we came in for a landing, I kept my legs up and scooted to a stop on my butt. I’m actually a bit sore from this and think I might have bruised it a tad. I guess I need more junk in my trunk.

The feeling afterward is difficult to describe. The best way I can put it is a mixture of euphoria, disbelief, and relief.

A congratulatory greeting on the ground.

Success! That’s Shane on my left.

And the three of us, Lawrence, Shane, and I, with smiles ear to ear.

(Thanks to EJ for the pictures and stay tuned for video.)

I continue to relive the experience. I’ve been asked several times if have I crossed this off my list? Well, I crossed ‘get first skydive out of the way’ off the list. Not saying I will go again for sure, but the door will be left open. It was a blast and I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for an adventure that is unlike anything else.

And then team members of the eventual stage winner, Mark Cavendish from HTC Columbia.

I missed Lance Armstrong each time he went by. I did catch a few members of Lance’s Radio Shack team and I believe Levi Leipheimer is in the center of picture 2 (in the red and gray). You cycling fans might be able to identify correctly.

Oh, and I made it onto TV… it’s very hard to see, but I’m wearing gray, standing on the corner just to the left of the cop car in front of the portapotty, holding my arms up in a triangle with my camera to my face. I know, it could be anybody, but I swear it’s me.

Turning 30 wasn’t as traumatic as I thought it would be (although with my upcoming post someone could argue different). I spent the week enjoying meals with friends and family and being treated pretty darn well. But generally it was just another birthday.

The best thing about being 30 is the increased respect. A client asked me, “how old are you, to the nearest decade?” I said 30 and he was pleased. Think if I had said 20, would he have been as comforted? I just think that in your 20s you are expected to be inexperienced. In your 30s, you carry three decades of life with you and that is enough to warrant some respect.

Turning 30, however, came with the feeling of wanting to have accomplished many things. I felt like I needed to have so much done by the time I was 30. This was solely self-inflicted, but the pressure I felt was tough. Good thing is that it didn’t last long. Ha ha. During my birthday week, I thought about this a lot, but I eventually got over it and am working hard to have a one day at a time attitude.

My 30s start a new life for me. My divorce was finalized in April and I’ve got a blank slate now. I’m trying new things, broadening my interests, and paying attention to what I really like and what I don’t like. Baseball season is in full swing and I’m enjoying my Christmas present to myself - a mini pack of season tickets to the River Cats right here in Sacramento. I’ve achieved my financial advisor licenses and have acquired a book of business from a mentor who recently retired. The business is slowly growing (cuz I’m still working full time), but I really like working in this advisor capacity. I’m running and working out again now that my knee is healthy (or somewhat healthy) and have already run in a 5K event with the next one in SF in July. So far being 30 has treated me well and I’m encouraged. But, if it weren’t for what I learned and experienced in my 20s and before, I wouldn’t be where I am today.