Yeah, I know, I'm the last guy you'd expect to have something to
say on this topic.  But in the spirit of all the story telling
that's been going on around here, I thought I would share some
thoughts with the group.

It was a number of years ago, back when I was living in Ohio and
doing a lot of jumping at Cleveland Sport.  It was late October and
the season was winding down.  I sniveled onto the last load of the
day just to grab some air.  I was only going up to 6.5 and was
wearing just my sweatshirt and jeans.  It was cool but not very
cold yet.  That certain temperature where you know winter is on
it's way but you've still got some time before the first snows
cover the run-way..

I can't say I remember anything about the plane ride or the free
fall itself, probably just another 20 seconds of style series or
something like that.  The canopy ride was uneventful and would not
have stuck in my mind except for one thing.

I was just drifting around enjoying the cool air.  I could even
smell the leaves on the ground.  I remember thinking that was
pretty neat and decided to slow down the canopy and hang in the
quiet air for a while.  I sunk into deep breaks and just let the
canopy hang above a stall.  It was so quiet and the air was just so
crisp and smelled so wonderful, it was a very peaceful moment.

Suddenly, my radio crackled to life.  Now the guy who usually talks
me down is not known for his "mildness".  He is usually harassing
me, telling me he's going to have me try to do a hook-turn landing,
just generally joking around and so on.  Well anyway, on this
particular talk-down he was apparently in a thoughtful mood.  In a
much softer and mellower tone than his usual bark I heard him
saying:

"Hey Dan.  The sun is just about going down.  It will probably be
down by the time you get on the ground.  If you could look off to
the west you'd see it setting.  It looks real nice.  And the moon
is just rising in the East.  You can see it very clearly.  And
below you all the leaves have turned color and are all these great
shades of red and yellow and gold.  It's really beautiful."

It was perfect timing.  Hanging under that canopy in the cool air,
smelling the leaves, picturing the scenery.  It was really
beautiful.  I could see it in my mind as clear as day.  The way the
sun looks when it's setting.  It looks like the edge of the world
is on fire.  All those shades of red and yellow shifting and
sliding down the sky.  The big mottled grey face of the moon slowly
creeping up to replace the sun.  And those leaves.  The image of
those leaves was very powerful.  I'd seen them before.  I'd seen
them from above just like I was seeing them now.

You see, I haven't been blind all my life. It was back in the late
fall of 1974, I was seven years old at the time.  The time was
drawing near for me to go into the hospital to have my second eye
removed. My family was trying to expose me to many visual stimuli
so that I might remember them in the future.  Trips to Manhattan,
out to the ends of Long Island, relatives, all that stuff.  Well,
one of the last things we did was for me and my dad to go for a
plane ride.  I believe it was a 172 but don't remember
specifically.  We flew around the island a bit and even got
permission to fly over Manhattan.  I saw the twin towers, the
Empire State building, the statue of Liberty, and the hospital
where I'd be going.  But when we flew over Long Island on the way
back home I remember looking down and seeing carpets of red and
gold leaves.  Some of them in the trees and many on the ground.  It
was a beautiful sight.  One that has stuck with me all these years. 
And when my radio-man mentioned it, that vivid flash of color came
into my head again.  I'd seen this before and it was just as
beautiful as it had been long ago.

So, for all of you jumpers living in areas that get to experience
the magic of the changing of the leaves don't forget to stop and
look around when that time comes.  It can truly be an inspiring
view.

Blue skies and colored leaves.