For those of you who are serious thrill seekers, jumping out of an airplane is probably at the top of your bucket list, and you’ve probably just been waiting for the perfect excuse to make it happen. Well, two locals recently got to check skydiving off their list, and you can too—in the heart of the wine country, just 1.5 hours north. NorCal Skydiving is in Cloverdale, nestled in next to the Russian River and Lake Sonoma. You can make it a day trip or stay the night to re-adjust to gravity and take in some wine tasting. Benician Neil Baker says, 
“The ride up was full of blue skies, beautiful views and loads of anticipation. When we reached altitude the engine slowed, the door opened, the plane pitched and we fell into a 130-mile per hour free fall. The wine country never looked so good. When we hit the ground, my first thought was “again please.” Marene Babula reported that the terror did indeed pass, and it was the thrill of a lifetime. “I can’t wait to go again.”
All beginner divers jump tandem with a licensed instructor, so the pressure to perform important tasks such as, say, opening the parachute, is off and you can enjoy the ride and the view. If your heart is now thumping loudly in your chest (in a good way), visit norcalskydiving.com to make your appointment. And be sure to invest a little extra for a video so we landlubbers can live vicariously from the safety of our armchairs.
