What are the most exciting adventures you have had so far in life?

[inmate running the asylum]

Sorry to disappoint a couple of you guys... but I aint really no inmate. Although I've had plenty of experience working around jails and dealing with criminals.

I have been a seeker of adventure and knowledge all my life, after reading an old article by John Goddard in Life Magazine when I was in high school. Being a professional adventurer, he probably had more influence on my life then any other person, now that I look back. Goddard had made a list of everything he wanted to see, do and learn, because by the time he got to be an old man, he didn't want to look back on his life and feel that he had missed out on anything. So in a way I guess he and I quantified what we wanted to do with our lives.

http://www.1nomad.com/adventures/default.htm

Because of him I also compiled my list -- which eventually numbered about 200 things I wanted to do, see, or learn before I died -- and began checking them off as I went through life. I have accomplished 188 of them so far or 94%, although a few of them I never really expected to accomplish. Such as "traveling in outer space." Although it's possible to do that now in Russia, you need to have about $20 million bucks to spare.

A few things I also struck from my list as I learned and matured....was big game hunting in Africa and hunting a polar bear on an Arctic ice floe, because I would not shoot a beautiful animal again, like I had done once before with a jaguar in Brazil.

A list of around ten of the most exciting 200 things that I have seen and done so far, is listed below. So are there any other young adventurers on the Extremeskins board? If so, what is the most exciting thing you have seen or done so far?

Or what is it that you want to do, see or EXPERIENCE, if you have a chance?

1. Flew a supersonic MIG jet fighter plane -- yes they do let you

fly the plane at the controls -- over Russia. Although I also

used to be an active pilot, you don't need to be. All you need is

the pesos; to pass a cursory physical and then sign a waiver

that if you have to eject, you won't sue them if you get hurt.

That is, assuming you are still alive after ejecting at supersonic

speed and you can still hire an attorney. :laugh: You can't do

this anywhere else in the world.

This outfit arranged for my MIG flight at the Zhukovsky air base in Russia.

http://www.incredible-adventures.com/migs/

In that I have been the owner of a private investigation

agency for many years, they told me even as late as last year,

that I am still the only gumshoe who has ever flown a Russian

MIG fighter plane over Russia. What's interesting is that

Incredible Adventures was known only as MIGS, etc., when I

flew with them in 1996, offering almost nothing but MIG flights.

After I showed them my list of adventures I had completed,

they merged with another outfit and began offering all types of

adventures and changed their name to Incredible

Adventures. Personally I prefer doing my own thing, but in this

case you need a security clearance from the Russian

government and only they can furnish that.

2. I flew alone to Brazil when I was 21 -- although I didn't speak

the Portuguese language -- after reading a small ad in Sports

Afield magazine, where an outfit was offering jaguar hunts

in the Amazon jungle. It was only after I arrived in Rio that I

learned that the "outfitters" were two men who had never

hunted jaguar themselves, nor had they ever even been in the

jungle! In spite of that I paid to have them get the guns and

necessary supplies and hire a bush pilot. And off we went.

The three of us then spent 6 weeks in the Amazon jungle

hunting for jaguar and crocodiles, and what is more amazing is

that we finally succeeded! I was finally able to shoot a jaguar

out of a tree, the head of which I have today on the wall.

Crocodiles we hunted at night on the river with a flashlight.

They were all over the friggin place. Fortunately there was a

Brazilian settlement in the jungle [about 10 settlers if that],

where we could buy some food and supplement it by hunting

fowl and fishing in the rivers. I wound up eating more piranhas

then I could count. Actually they taste very good except you

have to pick out all their friggin little bones.

Back in those days they had wild headhunter indians there

known as the Chavante, who had killed a number of settlers

who tried to venture to far into their territory. I only saw them

when our Cessna flew near their village, although I was told

they would be watching us while we slept in the jungle.

Our agreement with our Cessna pilot -- who incidentally was

sleeping off a hangover in the hangar when we hired him --

but was the only pilot with nerve enough to fly us into the

jungle, was that he was to pick us up again 6 weeks later at

the dirt clearing where he dropped us off in the jungle. This

was over 200 miles west of Goiania the last outpost of

civilization then. It turned out that the pilot forgot and was

one day late picking us up. If he had not shown up we would

have had to walk and hack our way 200-300 miles out on foot,

to get back to civilization because there weren't any trails or

roads.

Needless to say my family thought I was nuts when I got back

and I told them what happened. Actually they thought I was

nuts when I told them what I going to do in the first place. But

you know what?.... my family never batted an eyelash ever

again when I told them about the newest adventure I was

planning. Nor did my friends ever doubt again that I was going

to do what I said I was going to do.

Believe it or not but we boarded Varig Airlines to fly from Sao

Paulo to Goiania with 2 rifles and a shotgun hidden and

bound up in newspapers under our arms and without knowing

it the stewardess put them in an overhead rack. What the

heck did I know at 21, when my "guide" said it would be o.k.

:doh: But this was before the 1st ever airliner hijacking and

they had no metal detectors then. I also landed in a restricted

off-limit area of the Amazon where I was supposed to have

gotten permission first from the government. But I didn't learn

this until several years later. I also would have been

quarantined at U.S. Customs, had I had told them I had been

in a yellow-fever and malaria infested region. But hey... I was

just an innocent youngin then. :laugh: Its a wonder I'm really

not an inmate for this or in the Gulag after being nabbed in

Russia on another adventure trip. :doh:

3. Made the highest bungi jump in the world -- 40 stories high --

off the Victoria Falls bridge in Zambia, Africa. I have also sky-

dived and para-sailed in Mexico.

40 story high bungi jump off the Victoria Falls bridge in Zambia

http://profiles.yahoo.com/sam_spade_private_investigator

4. Climbed Mt. Sinai at night in order to be able to reach the top

and be able to see the sunrise when it came up in the

morning, where Moses allegedly received the 10

commandments from God. I walked but a number of tourists

who start arriving at about 2:00 a.m., ride up on camels.

There were dozens and dozens of shooting stars out there

that night and because of the clarity of the desert night, the

view was just incredible. I originally went to the area to see St.

Catherine's monastery and only learned about climbing Mt.

Sinai at night by accident. Truly one of my top experiences,

because of the spectacular setting at night and the sunrise.

5. Camped out on the Serengheti plains for two weeks in both

Kenya and Tanzania, being guarded from lions by the Maasai.

When I was in a landrover with other people, we twice got

charged by a bull elephant.

6. Learned falconry in Scotland and went hunting with Harris

hawks, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. A lot of fun

unless you happen to be a rabbit on the menu.

7. Caught a 10' sailfish on the Sea of Cortez, Mexico and fished

for hammerhead sharks in La Paz, Mexico.

8. Walked on the Great Wall and visited the Forbidden City.

Then I flew alone into Xian [central China], although I don't

speak the language, in order to see the terra cotta warriors.

I never travel on guided tours anywhere, but before 1996 the

Chinese communists would not allow you to travel alone in

China.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/

Seeing those 600 or so life-size terra-cotta warriors, who were

scuptured individually into a likeness of real people that once

lived, I think was about the most incredible archaoelogical

thing I have ever seen. Although the Cairo Museum with its

mummies and treasures is also hard to beat too.

9. Sailed a felucca down the Nile River to the Valley of the Kings,

in Luxor, Egypt and went inside King Tut's tomb. On another

trip I climbed the Great Pyramid in Cairo on the inside, to reach

the King's chamber inside. I also visited the ruins at the temple

of Luxor and Karnak and down the Nile at Abu Simba.

10. Backpacked around the world twice - east to west and then

west to east, which included the Running of the Bulls in

Pamplona, Spain.

[PCS]

Okay. I'll play. Though not nearly well rounded, ( so to speak), as Bubba's main......er...... Inmate here. I've done some seeking for adventure in my day, but I'd say the most exciting are the ones I didn't seek. The ones where things just dropped in on me. Which pretty much leaves it kinda boring for many. Almost all those happened in the 4 years that I was in the service back in the 80's and in a hospital to boot. (eeks..bad pun :doh: ).

1-10 ( and at the risk of sounding melodramatic)

1) My first CPR on a real person

2)My first assist on a child birth

3) First time I saved a life, ( whether solo or with help from team mates. And whether it took a couple of minutes or a couple of months).

4) talking with a veteran from a previous war, ( especially that Mp from Pearl Harbor...cool)

5-10 + See above...only leave out first.

[just skins baby]

Being right there for my daughters birth.

Camping on Mt. Fuji in Japan.

Providing communications for the Exxon Valdez oil spill while a member of the Air Force. Received a Coast Guard Special Operations Service commendation.

Went up with the Kansas Air National Guard and refueled F-15 around Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Flew in a C-130 from Anchorage to Tampa for 3 days just to enjoy some warm weather.

[Brave]

This won't look like much following inmate, but:

- Becoming a father.

- Becoming a father of two.

- College. Classes in the morning. Basketball in the afternoon. Chasing girls at night. They had to DRAG me outta there.

- Snorkeling in Cancun

- Going to Las Vegas (twice)

- Skiing in Colorado

[BlitzFiftySix]

a 3some w/2 strippers

[codeorama]

My best experiences came living with my younger brother while he was was playing minor league baseball. (he would get very home sick so I would live with him in the summer so he wouldn't quit, he didn't like being so far away from home)

We lived in Great Falls Montana in 1995 and Savanna Georgia in 1996 and I will never forget the great and crazy times with my bro and all the guys on the team those two years. We got in more trouble and crazy situations than I could ever get into, it was awsome. It was like 2 summers of doing what ever you want when ever you want with a bunch of cool guys. Many of the guys and coaches are in the majors now and I still keep in touch. A bunch are out of baseball too, but I keep in touch with them as well.

[fansince62]

which model MIG?

[Guest SkinsHokie Fan]

Spending the fall of 2002 studying abroad in Europe and living in a gouergous mansion on Lake Lugano in southern Switzerland in an Italian town called Riva San Vitale.

Some of the highlights besides learning Italian were skydiving in Interlaken, cliff diving in Nice, seeing the Mona Lisa, partying at the "largest club in Middle Europe" in Prauge, OKTOBERFEST, being on top of Capri and thinking I could see the whole world, walking through the Collesium in Rome. And of course with views like this from my house you could not possibly beat the expierence of four months in Switzlerand

[Om]

Sunrise at Macchu Pichu.

Walking on water ... upon discovering those were not dolphins cruising slowly around my styrofoam surboard.

Standing atop an apartment building in Santiago, Chile, on 9/11/73, watching 2 Hawker Hunters circle overhead at no more than 500 feet, then dive and fire missiles down into the heart of the city at the Moneda, where Salvador Allende was busy being overthrown. And knowing my Dad was in the embassy about 200 yards from the palace.

Standing there, in a magic trance and with tears running freely down my face, three separate times, watching my children come into the world.

There's more, but I think I'll just enjoy those again for a while.

*

Inmate, my good man, if you now tell us you also have a nine inch johnson, we may well have to ban you from this site.

[TennesseeCarl]

You know, Inmate, that was a great idea for a thread, but given your experiences, you pretty much pre-empted the d@mn thing.

:cool:

I've been thinking about it, and, while one man's stroll in the park is another's adventure, I can't say I've led a very adverturous life.

I'll share a few life experiences, for whatever they're worth:

1. As a young kid, flying with my uncle in a small aircraft over the Army-Navy game.

2. Cliff diving in Arizona (I could not have done it sober)

3. Float tubing down the Tennessee River with a fishing buddy.

4. My first (and perhaps only) motorcycle - I'd always wanted to do it, and got one when I was 41. When the inevitable happened, I broke 8 ribs and had an assortment of other little problems, but I loved riding the thing.

5. Snorkeling in the Virgin Islands and seeing a 5' barracuda next to me. I believe I added a bit of myself to the Carribbean that day.

6. Attending a wedding on a mountaintop in Arizona at sundown. It was spectacularly beautiful (or perhaps it was just the drugs).

7. Flying in on a seaplane to a fishing camp way up in Canada.

8. Getting married (at age 42) on a riverboat in the Mississippi River.

9. Getting a part in a play (To Kill A Mockingbird) last year with the local Theatre Guild and performing in front of 2,000 folks 3 nights running.

10. Trying a juvenile case where the kid was accused of anal rape and throat slitting of an elderly women. The case received enormous press and I felt a little like Atticus Finch defending him. (the kid did about as well as Finch's client)

11. Going to Carlisle the past 2 years and spending time with the Washington Redskins in training camp.

12. Having my Air Force general uncle take me to the War Room of the Pentagon when I was a kid.

I'm sure there were some more, but it'd be hard to play one-upsmanship with you guys.

[inmate running the asylum]

fansince62,

I flew the MIG 21 which was fast enough for me. It previously held the world speed record at around 1500 mph. And when you are flying that fast and upside down on occasion, you don't really have any idea of how fast you are flying anyway.

On the day I flew in Russia, I and a United Airlines pilot flew the MIG 21. A fellow from Canada flew the L-39 Albatross jet trainer and then the MIG 25 Foxbat which we got to witness out on the runway. The MIG 25 is like being strapped to a rocket.... it took him up to 80,000 feet, the edge of space. As I recall if you wanted to fly the MIG 29, it then cost something like $10-12,000 for a 45 minute flight.

For me it was a great 5 day return trip to Moscow. They provided videos of our individual flights, which is something I will always cherish. I've never had any regrets about the money I spent for any of the adventures I dreamed up and went on.

There are fasinating things to see in the museums in Moscow. I also got to see the Russian Space Shuttle from a short distance..... they allow photography there now....if you ask first.

A far cry from the first time I went to Moscow and the KGB were following me around. Then I saw Lenin in his tomb in Red Square again.... he hasn't changed a bit. :laugh:

Om,

9" Johnson? Don't worry... its more like a 6" snubnose - single-shot. :laugh: Those sound like great experiences. Oddly enough I stopped in Lima, Peru briefly on one occasion, but did not get up to Macchu Pichu. That is quite a place and view. Now I have to go back one day. Its quite an interesting read -- if you can get an out-of-print copy of his book -- how Hiram Bingham discovered Macchu Pichu, the Lost City of the Incas in 1911.

SkinsHokieFan,

I stopped and stayed in Lugano, Switzerland for three days once, and that place has such incredible beauty, photographs don't do it justice. You have to be there to appreciate it. When I was there they had these little two-person "peddle boats" I call them -- which you could peddle around on the lake with -- and then there was that magnificent restaurant on top of the mountain, with the view overlooking the lake and everything.....

[Guest SkinsHokie Fan]

Inmate u are right- pictures never could do it justice. Seeing that area in person was amazing

[fansince62]

inmate...nice.......I had the opporuntity one evening years ago of sharing drinks with the russian pilot who absconded with a foxbat (mig-25)......naval aviators have an exclamation point for something well done: "*hit hot". this chartacter was trying to get onboard, but was describing everything as "hot *hit"....cracked me up....

[Tarhog]

Although I've never really subscribed to the theory that you have to be a daredevil, or travel the world over to live life to the fullest, I'll play....

1) Birth of my two kids...maybe trite, but its a shame Dads didn't get to experience that incredible event in the old days. Probably result in fewer wars and more respect for women.

2) Advancing through the burning oil fields of Kuwait as Cobra Helicopters destroyed Iraqi tanks hiding there....about as 'Apocalypse Now' as you can get.

3) Scuba Diving off Okinawa Japan in almost virgin, incredibly rich waters.

4) Fishing in the cove of a basin of an eroded volcano off the coast of Hawaii with wife and friends on the sunniest day of my life.

5) Living 'off the land' for 3 weeks on an Island off Tahiti where we ate freshly caught octopus, sharks that we caught with paracord and homemade hooks at night (7 to 8 foot white and blacktip reef sharks, some of which chased us to shore as we tried to reel them in), coconut crabs, etc...

6) Sitting on a windblown red mountaintop in Morocco that looked like a Voyager Mars-shot.

7) Cheering the Washington Diplomats pro soccer team on to a home win against the hated NY Cosmos along with 55,000 other soccer fanatics at ...RFK Stadium.

8) Running the Marine Corps Marathon at age 17, hitting the 20mile mark at 2 hours dead even (and on pace to break the American under-18 marathon record)...and crashing like a rock at Hanes point (took me an hour to finish the last 6 miles at a run/stumble/walk).

9) Coming into harbor at Hong Kong, an incredible sight of that beautiful city rising from no where out of the sea, aboard the USS Saipan.

10) 'Spierigging' over Quantico Virginia....(this is hanging, harnessed to a rope lifted by a CH46 or 53 helicopter, and being flown at top speed). As close to being Superman as it gets.

11) Pulling my best friend out of a frozen local pond after he fell in as we played hockey and nearly drowned. Not a good memory, but a vivid one.

12) Being on the mall in 1987 for the 4th of July, believe it was the last Beach Boys concert allowed before the stiff government types decided too much fun was a bad thing.

I could go on..but don't want to bore anybody...

[inmate running the asylum]

Tarhog quote:

"Although I've never really subscribed to the theory that you have to be a daredevil, or travel the world over to live life to the fullest... "

Tarhog, I agree with you 100%. I think it boils down to personality types more then anything, as to how we choose to live life to the fullest. There is no "right" and "wrong" way. You've had some great experiences. I'm always looking for new ideas.

Tennessee Carl,

This is not about one-upmanship. You've also had some great experiences. Its also interesting to see if and how any of our paths have crossed, even if at different moments in time.

I should have included in the title of this thread EXPERIENCES, so

that it is not just about adventures or doing, seeing or learning something.

For anyone who is interested, I fleshed out in more detail my adventures at the beginning of this thread.

[Burgold]

One of the best was the first time a curtain when up on a play I wrote. I just remember getting there about three hours before the opening, feeling pretty good. Then the first tech arrived and I began to feel nervous for him. This built for each sound and lighting guy. I sat down by the time they began checking all the glow tape spots and the set. I remember feeling worried for each of the actors, the directors, and finally the audience. I felt responsible to all of them. When the audience laughed the first time (at a moment when they were supposed to thankfully) I think I calmed a bit, but seeing your work live and all those folks striving to fulfill your vision, it was the most exhausting and exhilerating thing. It still is, though I don't get quite as nervous anymore.

I don't know if that's an adventure or a moment. It was a great moment though. Hard to believe it was so long ago.

[inmate running the asylum]

Om,

I know you said you were in the Sinai desert at one time, but did you ever climb up Mt. Sinai at night or get to see St. Catherine's monastery?

[Pete]

I never actually went on any adventures of sorts. My everyday life when I was younger had plenty of excitement. I started racing Motocross at 12, and road racing at 17. I also did a bunch of drag racing of bikes and cars. I raced GT-P (pinto), sports cars, and a few formula ford races. Lots rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, snow sking, hunting, and fishing.

I was also a volunteer firefighter from the age of 16 to 29. I don’t know if you would call that exciting or exhilarating, but it worked for me.

[Henry]

How topical. Just this morning I was thinking I needed to get out of the house more.

1) My two greatest adventures are my son and my daughter. No doubt about it. Because of them I have probably given up many other opportunities to go out and see the world, and that's fine with me.

2) Nevermind.

3) Not as glamorous as Tarhog, but I ran the Marine Corps Marathon three years ago. My first one, on a torn up knee from overtraining no less. And let's just say I ran it a little slower than TH did. I found the Bridge far worse than Haines Point. By the time I got there it was a veritable death march.

4) The first time I delivered a line on stage and got an applause. I'm no thespian. I've only done bit parts, but I it was still a rush.

5) Getting my Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. I failed my first test and spent the next since months beating myself up about it. But I got over it and took the d@mn test again anyway. 12 kids got higher marks than I did that day, but I think I was more proud than any of them.

6) The first time I saw my name on the masthead of a newspaper. Nobody looks at those things, but it's still pretty cool.

7) Hiking in the mountains near Boulder, CO. Swimming in the blue water of Cozumel. Standing in front of Stonehenge. Climbing the Spanish Steps ... All good stuff, but I'm not much of a traveller. I find most of my favorite things don't require a lot of frequent flyer miles.

8) And finally, seeing my name among the 'top 20' list of Extremeskins posters. I can think of no greater honor.

[Om]

Inmate, I didn't get up to St. Kate's, but I was able to do some pretty memorable travelling in Isreal, Sinai, and the greater Cairo area; about 5 weeks worth all told.

I once wrote Terry a long, rambling account by e-mail of some of the highlights (upon request, not preemptively ), which I believe I may have (humbly, of course) saved somewhere on a diskette. I'll dig around and see if I can find it. If I do I'll post some ... if not ... maybe I'll do a consensed version.

[Om]

Then there was the time in my brother and I went to the Grand Canyon, planning a leisurely hike down from South Rim, a peaceful overnight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom, then a leisurely hike back out the following day.

Didn’t count on the blizzard that dumped upwards of 12 inches on our heads the night before.

Wrote this ditty up a couple months later, after my toes had finally thawed:

*

In the desert that year, from that which we hear

two Hermanos did venture, for reasons unclear

to the high Arizona and the Canyon called Grand

where the ususal prescription was granite and sand

This once, it is said, as they rose from their beds

came a blizzard the likes of which mortal men dread

so they looked to each other, these Men Without Fear

said “Well I ain’t admittin’ that I stayed up here”

So heroic resolve, pitons and grit

a monstrous breakfast (and last nervous ****)

found the Intrepids atop a white trail

seen through the howlingest godawful gale

and descending, as angels might, told of in Scriptures

while pausing, of course, for some “look at me” pictures

Now though time has embellished, as is surely the case

one magical moment at one certain place

it’s clear that the storm surrendered that day

and the sun drew a masterpiece ... blew them away

A feast fit for kings, they enjoyed by and by

seated on thrones carved by Time and on high

o’er the green Colorado, silent and cold

like those ham and cheese sandwiches several days old

Soon again they were trekking, and tasting the marrow

of Life on a trail both demanding and narrow

with ledges and edges to tighten the throat

and encountering one obstinate old south-facing goat

Friends, rarely indeed has this world ever known

the likes of these wanderers, a’limp and a’groan

as they entered, with odors to make buzzards blanche

the Spartan surrounding of famed Phantom Ranch

where the lodging and fare were to test their true mettle

what with only two kinds of wine in the kettle

no salad forks, spots on the glasses of tea

and the helpings of cornbread (gasp) rationed to three

Not to mention the fact that the room had no cable

no mints on the pillows, no mums on the table

but then how would this tale read if not for the fact

that our heroes with naught but a whimper unpacked

and faced down the challenge this wilderness carried

saying “how tough could this be, after all, we’re both married”

(Ahem)

So they rather than cower against the cold night

ventured forth on a trail that faded from sight

in a black veil of mystical starlight so magic

that to somehow blaspheme it with chat would be tragic

So hard by a murmuring, burbling brook

relaxing on stones prone positions they took

and claiming the privilege of free psychic wandering

engaged in some rather deep Big Question pondering

And once sleep took the night, both knew well what that meant

for the ‘morrow would bring on the dreaded . . . Ascent

A climb to which only the willful aspire

that men choose to brave once in life, then retire

to the ranks of the mule riders, wise to the core

not nearly as tired, though aft-bruised and sore

Our champions, with steel in their eyes and no fear

began their ascent with a burp and a cheer

and put right front of left in a rhythm so firm

that the breakfast still new to their insides did squirm

Stopping only when Nature asserted her call

to add irrigation to the high desert pall

they drove up, up and on, heavy legs did they lift

over and over, and ... well, you get the drift

There came a short break for the slaking of hunger

but knowing that they nor the day would grow younger

they pressed up the sides of some gorges so steep

that the bulk of their comments The Censor did bleep

So suffice it to say that that day it was clear

that those long wasted years of salchichas and beer

had borne a false witness inside one guys’ mind

and planted lead weights in said fellows’ behind

Yet as day turns to month turns to year without fail

unrelenting they strode, and soon crested the trail

to gaze down at the marvel from whence they’d just come

drank it humbly in, and were stricken quite dumb

by the rich textured memory newly spun in their minds

and sewn in the fabric of the rest of their lives

‘Twas the stuff of True Legend

say those few who did see ‘em

for they honored the true human call

Carpe Diem

*

[Blondie]

Family events are in a class of their own.

Landing on a glacier.....Denali......in a small cessna......and having wine and cheese.....with 4 others.

Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.........looking back over the mall. Breathtaking.

Flying in a helicopter.......skimming over the lake where I live.

These "adventures" are minute compared to the many written about here. However, I can still close my eyes and begin to feel the excitement I felt on those days.

Blondie

[PCS]

Sigh. I need to get out more.