I'm afraid of heights, but went para sailing!!!

mrg1981 · 07-26-2008, 11:11 AM

OK, I have always had a huge fear of heights. It doesn't bother me to fly in a plane, unless it gets super bumpy. I don't get on tall ladders very often, don't stand close to the edge when on mountains, buildings, etc. I have to fight the fear when others are close to an edge, especially loved ones. We went to the grand canyon and I had a hard time watching my kids and wife get anywhere near an edge, even with a guard rail. My kids are small and I kept picturing them falling through/over a rail and plummeting to their deaths.

Anyway, on to the point, we went to Newport Beach, as we do every year, in June. My wife insisted on going para sailing for her birthday. I told her no way, but she wasn't asking... So we get to the docks and she pays for both of us to go and I tell myself that there is no way I'm going up there. I figured that the para sailer gets about 100 feet off the water. Once we got on the boat and started talking to our crew, I asked how high they take you and they said 400-450 Feet off the water!!!

So, as I watch my wife floating high above the water, I start thinking this is a once in a lifetime thing to overcome my fear of heights. So I did it.

Getting strapped in, I was a bit scared, as you can tell:

It was fun once I was in the air a few feet:

Up pretty high in this one:

It was surprisingly peaceful up there. I didn't like when the parachute caught a gust and I started rocking, but the rest of the time it was quite nice. You can't hear anything other than the ocean and wind up there. I could see all of Balboa Island and Peninsula. It kind of gave me a nice perspective on life to see everything so far away. I realized that the small things that upset us are so small in the right perspective. /end cheesy philosophical insight

I highly recommend para sailing (not around cliffs, though) to those that are afraid of heights. It's way high, but not scary once you get up there.

Z-INCOGNITO · 07-26-2008, 12:56 PM

I know watcha mean...

I have a phobia as well and went Para-Sailing last year. It took my family alot of convincing and nagging to finally get me up there and it was fun as hell...

TreeFiddyZee · 07-26-2008, 03:27 PM

I don't have a fear of heights, or even of falling. I have a fear of the sudden stop at the bottom!
I hate heights too, but I've always wanted to do that. Congrats for facing your fears guys.

mrg1981 · 07-26-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-INCOGNITO

I know watcha mean...

I have a phobia as well and went Para-Sailing last year. It took my family alot of convincing and nagging to finally get me up there and it was fun as hell...

Cool, that looks like fun. Do they call that "tandem?" I considered going with my wife, but I thought I might ruin her fun if I chickened out or screamed like a school girl the whole time.

Who went up with you?

mrg1981 · 07-26-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreeFiddyZee

I don't have a fear of heights, or even of falling. I have a fear of the sudden stop at the bottom!
I hate heights too, but I've always wanted to do that. Congrats for facing your fears guys.

LOL. I'm actually afraid of heights, not just dying after a fall. I know logically that there is nothing wrong with being up high, but irrationally, I become somewhat paralyzed and start having horrible thoughts of falling.

Fluid1 · 07-27-2008, 04:02 PM

Parasailing ain't sh!t. I'd never bungee jump or skydive, but still. Parasailing isn't anything scary

TreeFiddyZee · 07-27-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrg1981

LOL. I'm actually afraid of heights, not just dying after a fall. I know logically that there is nothing wrong with being up high, but irrationally, I become somewhat paralyzed and start having horrible thoughts of falling.

My biggest problem is gravity!

i8acobra · 07-27-2008, 05:41 PM

Bravo for overcoming your fears. If you think 4-500 feet over water with a tether was fun, you should try going on a Paraglider tandem ride. I paraglide. I've been well over 8,000 feet (Catching thermals. We take off from a ridge 250 feet above ground level).

Pics:

surfcity40 · 07-27-2008, 06:03 PM

not a fan of heights. I bungee jumped in the early 90s when it was all the rage (to get over the fear of heights) but i kept my eyes closed so it did no good. but really, i just HATE heights...absolutely HATE them.

TRYNALIVEPRO · 07-27-2008, 07:09 PM

Props to ya'll, I hate heights I got it bad. When I'm in Manhattan and I look up at the buildings my legs tremble. Hate riding my motorcycle over the triboro, George Washington, throgsneck, brooklyn bridge... But I'm perfectly fine in a plane... Wish I wasn't afraid.

surfcity40 · 07-27-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRYNALIVEPRO

Props to ya'll, I hate heights I got it bad. When I'm in Manhattan and I look up at the buildings my legs tremble. Hate riding my motorcycle over the triboro, George Washington, throgsneck, brooklyn bridge... But I'm perfectly fine in a plane... Wish I wasn't afraid.

Christ...bridges? They kill me...I take the coast to SF so I can come in the back way....I don't care if I take another couple hours....I don't have to cross a bridge.

black06z · 07-27-2008, 07:20 PM

I'm not a fan of heights either, but that parasailing looks pretty fun.

mrg1981 · 07-27-2008, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i8acobra

Bravo for overcoming your fears. If you think 4-500 feet over water with a tether was fun, you should try going on a Paraglider tandem ride. I paraglide. I've been well over 8,000 feet (Catching thermals. We take off from a ridge 250 feet above ground level).

That's crazy. Looks like it would be totally fun...if I weren't terrified to even think about doing something like that. I'd feel out of control and probably freeze up.

mrg1981 · 07-27-2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluid1

Parasailing ain't sh!t. I'd never bungee jump or skydive, but still. Parasailing isn't anything scary

It really wasn't bad when I got up there, but the thought of it and getting the balls to commit to doing it is very scary for someone that is afraid of heights. I would never bungee or sky dive. It was a nice way to face my fear and keep to a relatively safe activity. I know someone who is paralyzed from the waste down from a para sailing accident (cliffs), but the likelihood is much lower than it would be in sky diving or bungee jumping.

Mike@Blackline · 07-27-2008, 10:43 PM

props to you man, i havent found anything im particularly scared of yet, but i know it must have taken a lot. looks like fun though ive wanted to do that for a while

mrg1981 · 07-27-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackline

props to you man, i havent found anything im particularly scared of yet, but i know it must have taken a lot. looks like fun though ive wanted to do that for a while

Thanks. It definitely was a challenge to overcome my psychological barriers to trying it. I'm really glad I did. If you don't have any real fears, you can borrow some of mine! You aren't even scared of sharks? Those mofo's creep me out. Go watch open water and see if you change your mind.

i8acobra · 07-27-2008, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrg1981

That's crazy. Looks like it would be totally fun...if I weren't terrified to even think about doing something like that. I'd feel out of control and probably freeze up.

Freezing up is ok. It's when people start squirming that the tandem pilot gets pissed.

Z-INCOGNITO · 07-31-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrg1981

Cool, that looks like fun. Do they call that "tandem?" I considered going with my wife, but I thought I might ruin her fun if I chickened out or screamed like a school girl the whole time.

Who went up with you?

I went up with my brother... not sure what the double was called... butit was so nice and peaceful up there...

The funny thing about it was not only that I was afraid of height... i couldn't swim either... haha so for me it was a double whammy...

mrg1981 · 07-31-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-INCOGNITO

I went up with my brother... not sure what the double was called... butit was so nice and peaceful up there...

The funny thing about it was not only that I was afraid of height... i couldn't swim either... haha so for me it was a double whammy...

LOL, I guess that would suck. I can swim well, but I get worried about sharks when I get into deep ocean water. Not a fan!

Z-INCOGNITO · 08-01-2008, 01:29 AM

Yeah... Sharks would suck!!!

07-26-2008, 11:11 AM	#1
mrg1981 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 943 iTrader: (2)	I'm afraid of heights, but went para sailing!!! OK, I have always had a huge fear of heights. It doesn't bother me to fly in a plane, unless it gets super bumpy. I don't get on tall ladders very often, don't stand close to the edge when on mountains, buildings, etc. I have to fight the fear when others are close to an edge, especially loved ones. We went to the grand canyon and I had a hard time watching my kids and wife get anywhere near an edge, even with a guard rail. My kids are small and I kept picturing them falling through/over a rail and plummeting to their deaths. Anyway, on to the point, we went to Newport Beach, as we do every year, in June. My wife insisted on going para sailing for her birthday. I told her no way, but she wasn't asking... So we get to the docks and she pays for both of us to go and I tell myself that there is no way I'm going up there. I figured that the para sailer gets about 100 feet off the water. Once we got on the boat and started talking to our crew, I asked how high they take you and they said 400-450 Feet off the water!!! So, as I watch my wife floating high above the water, I start thinking this is a once in a lifetime thing to overcome my fear of heights. So I did it. Getting strapped in, I was a bit scared, as you can tell: It was fun once I was in the air a few feet: Up pretty high in this one: It was surprisingly peaceful up there. I didn't like when the parachute caught a gust and I started rocking, but the rest of the time it was quite nice. You can't hear anything other than the ocean and wind up there. I could see all of Balboa Island and Peninsula. It kind of gave me a nice perspective on life to see everything so far away. I realized that the small things that upset us are so small in the right perspective. /end cheesy philosophical insight I highly recommend para sailing (not around cliffs, though) to those that are afraid of heights. It's way high, but not scary once you get up there. __________________ Greddy TT, Built Longblock, Built 5AT, Pro-EFI, Etc, Etc, Etc 525WHP @ 14 PSI, high boost tune coming soon.

07-26-2008, 03:27 PM	#3
TreeFiddyZee Do WHAAAAT!? Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hoosier-ville Posts: 2,256 iTrader: (10)	I don't have a fear of heights, or even of falling. I have a fear of the sudden stop at the bottom! I hate heights too, but I've always wanted to do that. Congrats for facing your fears guys. __________________ Is math an sgàthan sùil caraide.

07-27-2008, 05:41 PM	#8
i8acobra Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 2,440 iTrader: (5)	Bravo for overcoming your fears. If you think 4-500 feet over water with a tether was fun, you should try going on a Paraglider tandem ride. I paraglide. I've been well over 8,000 feet (Catching thermals. We take off from a ridge 250 feet above ground level). Pics: __________________ '06 350Z - Daytona Blue, '00 Kawasaki ZX-9R - Green (Duh!), '87 Nissan Hardbody - The "Mud Mobile" (443,000 miles and still counting)

07-27-2008, 07:20 PM	#12
black06z Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Hypocritical World Posts: 5,883 iTrader: (1)	I'm not a fan of heights either, but that parasailing looks pretty fun. __________________ 2004 Chrome Silver * 2006 stock intake * Berk Tech HFC * custom 2.5" piping/resonator with Apexi N1 Muffler * Tein S. Tech w/ Spring mount cut -.7 * Tokico D-Spec Shocks* 20mm/25mm spacers * G35 OEM 18" wheels*Federal SS595 tires http://americanbodybuilding.com/v1/index.php http://gasparinutrition.com/http://www.bsnonline.net/products/pr...d=834266006205

07-27-2008, 10:43 PM	#15
Mike@Blackline Mike Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charlotte / Raleigh, NC Posts: 873 iTrader: (15)	props to you man, i havent found anything im particularly scared of yet, but i know it must have taken a lot. looks like fun though ive wanted to do that for a while __________________ Motegi Wheels Sale / K&N Intake Systems Sale! THE BASSANI EXHAUST AUTHORITY Bassani Exhaust Sale - $950 SHIPPED!

07-26-2008, 12:56 PM	#2
Z-INCOGNITO Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Go A's Posts: 3,672 iTrader: (8)	I know watcha mean... I have a phobia as well and went Para-Sailing last year. It took my family alot of convincing and nagging to finally get me up there and it was fun as hell...

07-27-2008, 04:02 PM	#6
Fluid1 Banned Join Date: May 2005 Location: The End of The Line Posts: 10,868 iTrader: (17)	Parasailing ain't sh!t. I'd never bungee jump or skydive, but still. Parasailing isn't anything scary

07-27-2008, 06:03 PM	#9
surfcity40 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: SoCal Posts: 4,273 iTrader: (0)	not a fan of heights. I bungee jumped in the early 90s when it was all the rage (to get over the fear of heights) but i kept my eyes closed so it did no good. but really, i just HATE heights...absolutely HATE them.

07-27-2008, 07:09 PM	#10
TRYNALIVEPRO Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ZOO YORK Posts: 504 iTrader: (3)	Props to ya'll, I hate heights I got it bad. When I'm in Manhattan and I look up at the buildings my legs tremble. Hate riding my motorcycle over the triboro, George Washington, throgsneck, brooklyn bridge... But I'm perfectly fine in a plane... Wish I wasn't afraid.

08-01-2008, 01:29 AM	#20
Z-INCOGNITO Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Go A's Posts: 3,672 iTrader: (8)	Yeah... Sharks would suck!!!