The Craziest Thing I Have Ever Done

Ripcord.

What is Ripcord, you ask?   A ridiculous but extremely fun thing to do, that's what.

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Back in my senior year of high school I decided Ripcord would be a good way to get over my fear of roller coasters.  So one summer day in 2001, Michael and I drove to Cedar Point to do what remains the craziest thing either of us has ever done.

I remember being nearly silent on our drive out to the Challenge Park.  Very rare for me.  Despite being scared and nervous, I knew I would go through with it and not chicken out.  I was on a mission to conquer my coaster fears.  We arrived, paid, got strapped in, and we were on our way up.   This short period of time is probably one of the scariest of my life.   I am not afraid of heights at all.   But I was getting raised off the ground knowing there's one way down.  It was not a ladder.  We had to pull the rip cord.  Yikes!

Ripcord is sort of a fusion of sky diving and bungee jumping.  You're in a harness with a buddy (or two) and get hooked up to a cable, which then hoists you up to the top of a 15 foot tower.  Once you are up 150 feet in the air, the folks on the ground say 3-2-1-FLY! at which point you pull the rip cord and swoop down to the ground.   They say you come within 6 feet of the concrete and that you are going 65 mph at the time.   I have no idea if any of that is true.

What I do know is that Michael was the cord puller and he did a marvelous job.  We dropped, but it was smooth and not at all unpleasant in that regard.  The view was magnificent and the sensation was different than riding a roller coaster.  It felt more like a glide, or what I imagine you'd feel like if you could fly.   The ride up was scary, but after Michael pulled the cord, the experience was amazing.  Exhilarating.  Invigorating.  The craziest thing I have ever done.

Since this was 12 years go, and I did not own a digital camera yet, I have no photos.  I do, however, have a video of this experience at my parents' house in Ohio.  I bought it as proof that I actually went through with it!  I must convert that to a digital copy.  Until then, this video will give you an idea of what it's all about.


Still enjoying the Bring Back the Words Prompts from Ginger at RambleRamble.  What's the craziest thing you've ever done was a fun trip down memory lane!  Can't wait to see next week's prompts.