Get Your Wild On pt. 2
By Contributing writers |
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Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
Take to the Wild Blue Yonder
Pulling the cord
Makin' some noise
Zen and the art of movement
Fly fishing - tying one on
On the wall of the New Flyers Association's office at OSU's Don Scott Airport, the words of the poem High Flight perfectly reflect the feelings of the first time flyer, the jubilance experienced upon escaping gravity's weak shackle during their first flight. Dedicated to providing this moment to would-be pilots, the association is a non-profit with eight planes, nine instructors, and over 200 members, each sharing the financial burden of this greatest of freedoms, rendering it accessible to the common man.
Photo: Bart Steck
I couldn't wait to get behind the yoke.
Shortly after being strapped in and given a rundown of essentials, Dick Willis, an affable former Air Force pilot with fifty-plus years of experience, started the plance and announced, "It's your airplane." As we taxied down the runway, I steered the small single-engine Cessna Skyhawk with the foot controls, and when we had lined up with the runway, Willis took the controls and eased us gently into the sky.
As as the single propeller pulled us bodily upward through the atmosphere, I saw cars cruising tiny streets, the houses receding, and felt pity for the gravity-impaired below us. The distinctive boundaries between the city and country dissolved, and as the horizon began to curve, I saw the Earth from a new perspective, a continuum of land and sky stretching out in front of us, begging to be explored. Upon reaching cruising altitude, about 1500 feet, Willis once again announced that I was in control, and I was instructed on executing my first bank, and tried to balance the stick and rudder to equalize the forces felt on my body. I was flying a plane.
Willis requested a fly-by at Columbus International Airport and took over the yoke. We skimmed the runway and roared back into the sky. Suddenly flooded with endorphines, all obstacles to life receded, and anything seemed within reach. Flying an aircraft is likely one of the most exhilarating things you'll ever do.
Costs:
The cost depends on the type of airplane you rent and how much time you spend in the air. 614 correspondent Michael Newman is nearly eight feet tall and could wrestle a bear into submission; the plane used in his lesson was, by neccesity, larger and of a greater horsepower, and costs around $150 to rent, plus $38 for the lesson. A smaller plane can be rented for as little as $85, plus the lesson fee, provided you weigh less than 180 lbs.
The NFA allows would-be pilots to pay as they go, so they can achieve certifications at their own pace; the average cost nationally is around $5,500 for full certification. Find out more and schedule classes at www.newflyers.net.
As an occasional skydiver, I can say with certainty that jumping out of a functioning airplane and plummeting through the atmosphere at hundreds of miles per hour is not only an adrenaline rush, but it is also a kind of spiritual therapy quite unlike anything else: total freedom, within and because of the confines of your humanity.
Photo: Bart Steck
But watch out, Cedar Pointers . . . skydiving has wrecked roller coasters for me.
While many skydiving companies are geared toward jumpers who have the time and money to devote to repeat jumps and solo dives, Skydive Columbus is a small company that focuses on accessible jumps for people who just want to experience the sensation in as safe and exciting a way as possible. For beginners, the only way to experience maximum freefall is with a tandem jump, in which the diver has an experienced jumper tethered to his or her back. While the jumper is responsible for actually exiting the aircraft, watching the altimeter, and pulling the chute-release cord, the instructor is not just a monkey on your back: if something goes wrong, they are there to take care of the problem. At Skydive Columbus, that means your instructor is also your jump partner, and gives you personal attention and instruction throughout the jump process.
The sport is safer than immediately apparent; far more skydivers are killed when the aircraft happens to crash than in skydiving accidents, thanks to computerized reserve chutes and advanced parachute technology. You're not in the 101st Airborne, here; you will be far safer than poor Adventure Girl was jumping off that bridge for the cover photo, so get wild! This is one of the greatest adventures you can possibly experience.
A standard jump costs $239 per person. Rates fall in increments as you add people to the group, so the budget-conscious should bring their bravest buddies. E-mail is the best way to set up appointments, and Skydive Columbus is only open on the weekends; be sure to check out their website.
Skydive Columbus
Carroll, Ohio 43112
(614) 302-3768
www.skydivecolumbus.com
With the economy tanking, this might be a perfect season to make a little noise and figure out how to kill some food. Just in case.
Photo: David S. Lewis
The class "A" supervised range at Deer Creek is spacious and accommodating, permitting the use of a variety of firearms, from pistols and .22 caliber rifles to high-powered semi-automatic assault-style weapons; even archery is acceptable.
While a paid permit is required to use the pistol and rifle range, anyone can use the free Class "C" shotgun range. We focused on the more refined joys of skeet shooting. Both hand-thrown and spring-loaded launchers are permitted, all gratis, although nothing is provided but plenty of space and a couple of porta-johns. Pictured is photo editor Christopher Atwood, the terror of clay pigeons everywhere.
Many local gun shops also offer indoor and outdoor shooting ranges, where you can rent or purchase a gun to use and all the ammo you could need. An added benefit to these kinds of ranges is the expertise found in the employees, who can help you from everything to acquiring the right firearm for you, to giving tips on your shooting stance and breathing control.
Here are a couple noteworthy gun shops, but there are many more out there to explore.
Vance's
3723 Cleveland Ave., Columbus
(614) 471-7000
AimHi-New Albany Shooting Range
10299 Johnstown Rd., New Albany
(614) 939-4867
Rental Firearms available: Semi Auto Pistols - Revolvers - Rifles - Shotguns and Sub Machine Guns (HK MP5 and Colt 9MM SMG)
Parkour
Zen and the art of movement
You have probably seen parkour, even if you don't recognize the word. It is all over the media these days, with lots of footage of the spectacular jumps and rolls that seem to defy the limits of the human body popping up in commercials and action films.
Photo: Michael Newman
Akin to modern extreme sports in its physical rigor, parkour has an underlying philosophy of self-development and altruism, similar to many Eastern martial arts.
French military man Raymond Belle was the pioneer of parkour, and his son David Belle has continued the tradition. Though derived from obstacles encountered in basic training, the senior Belle refined the technique to help save lives after he had moved on to firefighting. His son David has expanded the sport and become the leading proponent of the art, a truly dazzling athlete who has popularized the practice worldwide.
To experience the action in Columbus, check out Parkour Horizons. These very dedicated traceurs, as practitioners are called, are a non-profit organization that meets three times a week on the OSU campus to train their minds and bodies, and improve their techniques.
The classes are free, a lot less expensive than any gym. They're also tough, but enjoyable, reminding one of the freedom of movement experienced as a child on the playground. Starting with warm-ups, the classes move on to a few laps and then into some strength exercises. Using only bodyweight, they manage to target places you didn't know you had muscles (trust me on that one), all the while encouraging participants to strive hard but go at their own pace. They seek to fortify the body against injury, and stress that accidents happen when one is unprepared. Far from the preening jock, these are nice guys, and they seem to represent the ideals of the founders well. They also seem to be pretty talented, leaping walls and balancing on ledges like large felines. The moves have great names, like cat pass and kash vault, and they are very impressive, using momentum and energy dissipation to accomplish astonishing feats. Attendees range from high school students up, and all are welcome. Just be ready to sweat for your enlightenment.
Parkour Horizons
165 W Patterson Ave.
(614) 288-6264
www.parkourhorizons.com
Photo: Christopher Atwood
The concept of fly-fishing may seem, to the urbanite, as dull as playing fetch with a dog that may or may not be in the area. Cast out, reel in. Cast out, reel in. This solitary game could go on for hours, with the angler having nothing to show for it besides a wet pair of booted suspender pants.
Fly-fishing is an introspective sport that encourages anglers to shift their mindset to that of the fish. This is not an activity completely of chance, but one of perspicacity and ingenuity.
In terms of elitism, fly-fishing is considered the golf of water hunting. There is the finesse to a proper cast, a technique to reeling in the lure, and - of course - the exaggeration. Yet for those who have yet to experience this version of aquatic poetry in motion, falsifying a fishing account is not intended to bolster one's ego, but to incorporate the degree of emotional and psychological bliss of validating an afternoon's worth of repetition - catching a fish.
According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Alum Creek (Delaware County, seven miles north of Columbus) provides 'average to excellent' opportunities to catch large and smallmouth bass, muskellunge, saugeye, and channel catfish.
For those looking for a less traditional selection of potential fly fish captures, Hoover Reservoir (Delaware and Franklin Counties, 10 miles northeast of Columbus) features buffalo suckers and longnose gar, in addition to the classic bass, carp, and walleye. (Beware the gar's eggs; they are poisonous.)
The ODNR also states that Buckeye Lake (Fairfield, Licking, and Perry counties, about 23 miles east of Columbus) is annually stocked with hybrid striped bass. Although, anecdotal rumor suggests the closest thing to fish in Buckeye Lake are discarded plastic baggies of goldfish, ODNR claims the lake holds populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, and carp.
To fish in public waters, one must obtain a fishing license, which can be purchased online or at the Wildlife District One Headquarters (1500 Dublin Rd.), as well as many bait-and-tackle shops and hardware stores. A fishing license for those between the ages of 16 and 65 who have resided in Ohio for over six months costs $19, or $11 for a one-day license.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
Originally Published: June 1, 2009
