Before Zeus found a convenient portal that took him from his Mount Olympus throne to his private vineyard in Athens, his preferred method of descent was the jack-knifed skydive. Experience the chariot of Grecian gods with today's deal: for $99, you get a tandem jump with a professional jumper from 10,000 feet at Skydive Hollister, a $169 value. If a friend wants to share in the experience without the actual falling-out-of-the-plane part, he or she can ride along for $15 (normally $40). The drop zone is about an hour from the heart of San Jose at the Hollister Airport.
While spring flowers dramatically burst from the ground once a year, skydivers usurp daisies and tulips by dramatically bounding from the cloud tops. Skydive Hollister's staff is fully certified by the United States Parachute Association, and all crew members have a minimum of 1,000 jumps under their wind-resistant belts. Extremely safe equipment accompanies a half hour of proper training instruction before boarding the Cessna for the nearly two-mile climb. Upon reaching jump altitude, divers leap from the plane for 20–30 seconds of freefall while confidently connected to their tandem master. Speeds reach upwards of 120 miles per hour before the parachute is pulled, signaling the start of a picturesque float to earth lasting roughly four to five minutes.
A graduated skydiver lives with an expanded perspective of the ground and greater appreciation for the infinitude of California's vertical horizons. The entire experience is borderline comparable to escaping Plato's Allegory of the Cave, as the one-of-a-kind aeronautic adventure opens up a new world of augmented reality.
Must be 18 or older and sign a waiver. Skydive Hollister has a weight limit of 300 lbs.
Reviews
Skydive Hollister scores big with Drop Zoners, who awarded it a whopping five stars. Yelpers were similarly enthused with their skydiving experience, giving it a near-perfect 4.5 stars.
- I am proud to call this my home drop zone. The staff is young and charismatic, the funjumpers are a close-nit [sic] group of people, and the weather is your best friend. – clencion, Drop Zone
- Whatever category you may fit into, the Hollister DZ facility, staff and associated jumpers are the cream of the crop. – TheAtom, Drop Zone
Groupon Says
Playing it Cool
Jumping out of an airplane is quite an adventure, and though you may think that bragging about your new adrenaline-fueled lifestyle is a good idea, refrain from doing so. In fact, future romance-partners and business investors alike will be more impressed if you play it cool and treat your dive as no big deal. Here are some lines you can use to play it cool after an exciting bit of action:
After a Skydive: "I was actually bored by the whole thing because I thought the plane would explode behind me, like in the movies."
After Saving Kittens from a Fire: "Don't worry, most doctors now say that a fair amount of smoke inhalation is actually good for the lungs. Plus, I got these cool second-degree burns to go along with my second degree, in French literature."
After Fighting an Elk Covered in Snakes: "It really wasn't a big deal once I convinced the snakes that the elk was their real enemy."
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