OT: What's the most DANGEROUS thing . . .

you have done in your lifetime? This would be by choice. I got to thinking about it as I'm probably the world's biggest coward. I love adventure but traveling is not dangerous as far as I'm concerned. The only thing I can think of right now is eating uncooked cookie dough with raw eggs in it! That's pretty bad that I haven't done anything more risky than that. I'm searching and fear keeps me from trying so many things.

I got on this train of thought because I'd like to take a hot air balloon ride over Sedona. However, I don't want to do it by myself and Mike so far is not only not the least bit interested but it's more of a "Hell no!"

What have you done that was a calculated risk that you decided to do anyway?

I guess I did drive when I was "impaired" when I was in college. . . and then there was the backseat of a 57 Chevy one time. . . . and my recent stay with the ancient Quaker lady who was a cross betweein my prim and proper 95 yr old mom and Kathy Bates from the movie MISERY.

Truly, that is about as risky as it gets. . .. Share your risks with me please. Maybe you'll give me the courage to try that hot air balloon ride even if it is by myself1

Gosh Karen I am not sure what it is that I have done that was DANGEROUS...lol I guess it would be driving here to Ohio alone for the first time without a GPS and getting lost for a bit...LOL. Maybe it was getting on an old wooden roller coaster with my sister at a fair...OMG I was shaking like a leaf when I got off of that ride!!! Sorry that is the only things I can come up with!!!

As for you wanting to go on a hot air balloon ride...have fun!!! BUT...there are NO bathrooms on them things!!! ;-)

HUGS

Karen,

Dangerous things. . .

Well there is the lifestyle I once led, that put me in places and situations that were dangerous to my life. . .

When I was 15, I got on someone's bumper and said, drop me off at the corner and I didn't think they were going to stop, so I jumped off and wound up bloodied and all the buttons on my dress popped open, luckily I had a raincoat on (lol). . . 

I've driven myself to Indiana and back alone, sleeping in the back seat of my car when I got close to the state line between Ohio and Indiana to get a couple of hours rest, that in my deadhead days, but as I told my Mom, Deadheads are a safe bunch to hang with, only ones they hurt are themselves if they overdo whatever it is they are doing. . . I might add, I was in my late 30s doing this.  I've driven alone a couple of times to Florida and back, catching a couple hours sleep in a rest stop. 

I think, if you're of a mind to take a hot air ballon ride then go for it, me, myself I like my feet on terra firma and so the thought of a hot air ballon, a helicopter ride or bungee jumping just don't appeal to my senses.

Here's something dangerous I used to do without thinking twice, at least my friends would tell me it was dangerous. . .  back before New York was cleaned up, I would think nothing of taking the subway at 2, 3 or 4 a.m.

Hah! This is so funny - speaking of deadheads. I always HATED that music - I'm more of a southern rock girl (Lynrd Skynrd, Allman Bros., etc) but my 18 year old and her boyfriend are into the dead BIG TIME - and they were talking about how deadheads are all so loving and kind, LOL - my husband and I were just CRACKING up and they were getting irritated because we weren't taking them seriously!

Probably the most dangerous thing I've done (and I've done plenty!) is my husband and I going over the BigHorn mountain range in a huge motor home at 1:00 a.m. not having the faintest idea where we were going - the Lord was very merciful to us that night. When we stopped at the first truck stop on the other side white knuckled and having both had some major diarrhea attacks (plus we ruined our brakes about halfway down!) the guy at the check in counter called us stupid easterners when we told him what we had just done.

Ummmm let's see - there was the time we came down a mountain on horseback in yellowstone that had NO trail......I think several times I just leaned over my saddle horn and closed my eyes and let the horse pick his way. Oh - when I was 16 I rode around in a guys car who had spilled a gas can in the bottom of the car and didn't bother to clean it up - and he smoked.

Yup. Done some pretty STUPID dangerous things.

I am extremely afraid of heights, but back in the late 60's the company I worked for was owned by Goodyear.  One weekend they announced that the Blimp was going to be at the airport and would give anyone who wanted to a free ride.....Here I had never even been on an airplane, but I sucked it up and got on that blimp -- it was fantastic and I've never regretted doing it.

I think the hot air balloon would be great -- I'd go with you if I lived closer!!

Zip-lining in Honduras.  It's supposed to be safe, but who knows what they consider safe?  The only things holding me up were cables. 

Did I mention that I don't even climb to the third step of a ladder without breaking out in a cold sweat????

As for Sedona, name the date.  Just give me  enough time time to refill the coffers.  Plane fare is a b**ch.

Life is too short to let fear hold me back.  I did that for too many years.

Candy

 

Karen , Our wild child, Karen's hot air ballon, Candy's zip line, Wow, I'm one of those  lady's that has a bucket list of things I love to do . Both of your choice's would be mine as well. Also , riding a canoe back to the beach in Hawaii. 

Way back in the late 70's, myself and three children drove from Florida to Calif. The only problem we had was the car broke down in a small town in Texas. I have always felt we were being looked out for by our Greater Power. We found a garage to repair the car. The car had a loose nut on a part. As I was talking to the repairman he asked if I was in the Navy,I said no, my Husband was and had just a few more months before he retired . The children and I had headed back to Calif. for me to get a job.He said that there wouldn't be any charge for the repair. He said he was paying our family back for  service to our country. Our Texas Janet , is just one of the people in Texas with Big Hearts.

When we got to Calif. I wrote a thank you note to that repairman and the state of Texas for taking such good care of a traveling  Navy Family. 

Karen, check it out, enjoy the flight, build more memory's.  

Put on your warmest coat and gloves, I 've read that the flights usually start out first thing in the morning, might be a *****illy.Gongrat's on your latest adventure .Hugs , Your Sistah in Red, Peg

Oh my, risky things ... let me see if I can remember them all.

When I was in high school, I had to cross the tracks to get to the bus. We only had the one bus to get to the Catholic high school (the public school had to provide it), and there was a long freight train, and it had stopped on the tracks ... this was/is a common occurrence in Franklin Park, Ill. Fearing I'd miss my bus and not make it to school, I decided I'd climb over the stopped train. Just as I started to climb over, it started to move ... slowly ... I made it over, scraped and bruised but very scared. Never told my mom. Made the bus, but the driver said she was waiting until the train went by, knowing there were students who had to cross the tracks.

There were more than a few times I drove impaired, too, when I was younger ... but after doing a story on a father who lost his wife and mother-in-law to a drunken driver and had his children severely injured ... well, that was it. I never did it again. There was one time I even kind don't remember driving home. Fortunately, nothing happened.

On the job, I have ridden in an aerobatic plane for a story, an armored personnel carrier with National Guard folks, a Guard helicopter ... hey, anything for a story. The plane ride was something else ... thought I'd lose my cookies at the end, but it made for a good column. And you have to remember, I was obese at the time, too ... more than 250 pounds. When I was in Alaska, I wanted to do the helicopter ride on the glacier, but didn't want to pay the extra money because of my weight ... but I did do the plane ride over the glaciers ... got sick, but it was still interesting (hey, everyone got sick ... it was turbulent).

So the balloon ride sounds great to me. I'd love to do it. If I had the money, I'd come join you.

My risks: Learned to Scuba Dive, my ex was passionate about Scuba Diving and did dives on Fresh Water Ship wreaks. I even penetrated a ship (actually went down inside the ship on one) I did cave diving once. Did grubbing in the rivers for old clay pots, bottles and stuff.

On my cruise I did the Zip lines in the rain forest...screamed my fool head off! But it was fun.

Rode in a "bubble like helicopter"...my heart was a bumpin' girlfriend! LOL

Did white water rafting 3 times. What a riot, first time I went rafting my butt went over board. Good thing I was comfortable in the water and didn't panic. Just held on to my oar and steered myself.

worked as a weapons mechanic for fighter jets in the USN, circa 1970's...anyone who knows me thinks this is hysterical

rappelled off cliffs for Army ROTC, out of John C. University in Cleveland late 70's

lived near Cleveland for 20yrs... (heh) its really a great town

massaged headline rockers at the Agora, and a punk concert (they are really all just a bunch of talented kids...who even get homesick on the road)

fell crazy girl in love at age 47

had WLS at age 58...Girl, we are tough folks! You go for that balloon ride.

UP UP AND AWAYYYYYYYYYYY