What sights and sounds separate Ottawa from other quaint, rural Illinois towns full of cornfields, fish-filled waters and dive bars?
Answer: human beings plummeting toward Earth at 120 m.p.h. from 13,500 feet above, and the whoosh their parachutes make before their feet touch down.
Skydive Chicago, the region’s largest parachuting facility, makes the otherwise sleepy town the go-to place for adventurers looking for an activity-packed recreational getaway.
The facility is about an hour-and-a-half drive from Chicago. It draws between 100 and 300 experienced skydivers every weekend, and as many as 7,000 new divers take their first jumps annually during its mid-March to mid-December season.
Aspiring expert skydivers can train at the school for the four licenses — classes A to D — but everyone has to start out with two tandem dives, where divers jump while strapped to an instructor.
A $199 fee will get you the tandem dive and all necessary equipment, along with a required 30-minute training class.
“The joy of a tandem skydive is that you can just let go, and we’re there to make sure everything goes OK,” instructor Donovan Bartlett told RedEye on a recent visit. “Your first jump is like this huge sensory overload. You can imagine what it might feel like, but until you actually go out and do it, it’s hard to explain.”
Jamie Shin and her husband, Peter, spent nearly two hours driving from Lakeview for their first tandem dive on a recent Saturday morning. Because winds were high, and the facility doesn’t allow tandem dives with winds faster than 25 mph, the couple got rain checks that will allow them to dive at a later date.
Jamie said the stomach butterflies she had about jumping from a plane subsided when she found out she was grounded for the day.
“It kinda sucks because we were looking forward to jumping, but we had a good idea it wasn’t going to happen after looking at the weather this morning,” she said. “We’ll be back … it’s not that much of a disappointment.”
The winds didn’t scare off Brad “B-Rad” Vancina, who along with other veteran divers braved breezy conditions that forced some of them to land outside of the established 75-acre landing area.
Vancina, of New Lenox, holds a Class D license, the sport’s highest. He said experience gained in more than 5,000 dives helps him deal with bad weather.
“Right now [the wind is] steady and consistent and we know it’s going to stay that way,” he said. “When the winds start getting choppy and gusty, it’s unpredictable. That’s when it gets scary.”
Scary yes, but Vancina said it’s a myth that skydiving is dangerous. According to the U.S. Parachute Association, a New York-based skydiver’s consortium with more than 30,600 members, there were 21 fatalities out of the 2.1 million reported member jumps in 2006. Skydive Chicago has had 15 fatalities since opening in 1993.
“Skydiving has this persona that just because you’re jumping out of a plane, it’s such a dangerous sport,” said Vancina, who said he’s had more injuries as a downhill biker, skateboarder and snowboarder. “We all know what we need to do up there, and we’re trained from day one to do that. It’s really the safest sport I’ve been in.”
Bartlett said that because each skydiver is equipped with two canopies — a main and a reserve — the odds of an accident from an unopened canopy are very low. He said most injuries and deaths result from skydivers attempting turns too low to the ground.
“There’s very few ‘[bleep] happens’ kind of injuries in our sport,” he said. “It’s more like ‘self-inflicted injuries,’ I like to call them.”
The 230-acre Skydive Chicago isn’t only about flying, diving and landing. It has a campground — where divers often park campers and stay over the weekend — with access to swimming, fishing and barbecue areas. Visitors also will find a banquet area, auditorium, workout room, tanning booth, bar, classrooms and a cafeteria.
Though you have to be 18 to dive, there are distractions for folks of all ages located on the grounds. River Adventures provides kayak and canoe rentals for use in the Fox River, and Black Socks Stables lets patrons trot across the valley on horseback.
When the sun goes down and the planes are grounded for the day, it’s not uncommon to find an old-fashioned bonfire party going down.
“Everyone comes together and no one cares what you do or how much money you make or who you are or the color of your skin,” Vancina said. “These are good people with good hearts. Everyone is here to have fun.”
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
* Don’t wear clothing that will limit your maneuverability such as sandals or open-toed shoes. Always wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and athletic shoes.
* Do a thorough investigation of the skydiving school where you wish to make your first jump. Learning what each school has to offer — including instructor experience levels and accident/fatality statistics — will help provide peace of mind for your dive.
* Keep in decent shape if you want to be a regular skydiver, and visit your doctor if necessary before making your first dive. Many schools require that divers weigh less than 250 pounds.
* Don’t rush out and buy new skydiving gear before you decide you wish to become an experienced diver. Canopies and other equipment can cost thousands of dollars.
* When training, listen very closely to the advice of instructors and veteran skydivers. Skydiving demands respect, and going against sage advice can lead to serious injury or death. [SOURCES: SKYDIVE CHICAGO, EZINEARTICLES.COM]
IF YOU GO …
Skydive Chicago
3215 E. 1969TH ROAD, OTTAWA
* Take I-55 south to I-80 west and get off at Exit 93; the site is about 80 miles from downtown Chicago.
Hours: Dives go from dawn to dusk.
Prices: $209 for your first tandem jump; $199 if you register on the Web site.
* $189 Tandem Tuesday special.
* $23 per-jump rate for licensed skydivers ($20 on Wednesdays).
* $35 per-jump gear rental (licensed skydivers).
Group discount rates also are available.
For more information: 1-800-SKYDIVE; skydivechicago.com
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
River Adventures
Canoe, kayak, bicycle rentals and camping. The 8-mile paddle trip takes three to four hours. Rentals are $40 per canoe, which can be shared by two or three people, or $35 for a single-person kayak. Located at the Skydive Chicago facility along the Fox River; 815-481-2142 or 815-434-2142; canoethefox.com
Ayers Landing
This outfitter rents canoes, offers livery service and has a private campground. Canoes are $45 for the day; 3494 E. 2089th Road, Wedron; 815-434-2233 or 800-540-2394; ayerslandingcanoerental.com
LaSalle Speedway
Route 6 west of Utica; racing Saturday and Sunday nights; 815-223-6900
Court Street Cabaret Theatre
Year-round performing arts theater featuring musicals, comedies, revues and children’s shows. 618 Court St., Ottawa; 815-433-6618; courtstreetcabaret.com
Black Socks Stables
Horseback riding, trail rides and riding lessons; 1998 N. Thirty-first Rd., Ottawa; 815-434-4717.
Ottawa Scouting Museum
Nonprofit museum that houses exhibits and memorabilia promoting the traditions of Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting and Camp Fire. Hosts numerous youth-directed educational programming. 1100 Canal St., Ottawa; 815-431-9353; ottawascoutingmuseum.org
For more ideas: Check out kishauwau.com
WHERE TO SLEEP
Marcia’s Bed and Breakfast
3003 N. Rte. Ill. 71, Ottawa; 815-434-5217
River Loft
201 1/2 W. Main, Ottawa; 815-434-4325
