Skydive the Lakes

These guys were great! My first skydive was such a blast! I highly recommend going here (check for Groupons!)

I’ve been there, done that
Scratch it off the bucket list
Can I go again?
I have wanted to skydive since I was in high school. Today was the day that I finally got around to doing it.
I bungee jumped at the Minnesota State Fair when I was 18. Couple years ago I did Terminal Velocity at Wisconsin Dells (free fall drop into a net), and last year I jumped off the vertical zip line at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. Scared going in on all three, but always very happy at the end. None of these even compares to skydiving. Sixty seconds at 100 plus miles per hour towards the ground.
I think the waiting was scarier than any of the rest of it. So much of the fear is just never having done it before. My instructor had done over 1,300 jumps he told me. Pretty much like riding a bicycle for him.
The free fall was scary at first. I think I forgot everything they told me when we first jumped out. Hands out, arch your body. After screaming like the pansy I am for about five seconds, I took my hands off my harness and tried to arch my body as instructed. Then I was fine. No screaming. 55 seconds later the parachute was deployed and then it was smooth sailing. Nothing scary at all for me once we were gliding.
I probably won’t go again this year, but I would definitely do it again. Who else is in?

Westside did a great job preparing you for the jump. Told you what you needed to know. Helped keep you call all the way through. The jump itself was so freeing and fun. I will definitely be going again! If you’re considering it, do it!

Jumping out of a plane for the first time is a rush enough, but when you throw in the teamwork from everyone at Westside… Fricken awesome. My video and pictures… Fricken awesome. Well worth every penny for the exhilaration and memories. Hats off to Nick Eadie and the exuberant Nathan Dexter!

By far the most enjoyable skydiving experience I’ve had (though I’ve only jumped a few times). The staff is experienced and laid-​back, but still professional.
My only jump here thus far was a tandem with the owner, Joe. He was very amicable and provided a lot of insight into his new operation. Additionally, since this is the first year of operation for Westside all of their equipment appears to be new (with the exception of the older plane — they should have their new one running in 2011).
Compared to other skydive places, Westside allows tandem jumpers a bit more autonomy than other places in the sense that you get to pull your own chute and control movements under canopy for a bit if you’re comfortable with it.
I’ll definitely be returning to complete my certification.