Simpy One of Many Stories of a Time Not So Long Ago

"Badwater Bill" wrote

I was sitting there and thinking if I had a heart attack or the power
failed, even at 1000 feet per minute glide, I was 22 minute from
Earth. If I used 500 feet per minute I was 44 minutes from Earth.

.. I feel
much more at home than I do during the day when you look straight down
4 miles to the surface at houses or cars moving along on the freeways.
It's much easier to have no surface, just stars and strobes in the
distance...especially when I'm all alone.

How do you guys feel about that? I'm never on edge at night for some
reason when I'm at altitude and I'm alone. But during the day, I'm
always on edge when I'm alone up there for some reason.

It's like I'm not flying at all, I'm
just sitting there watching out the window at the beautiful heavens
surrounding me.

What do you guys feel in these conditions.

BWB

You said it all, yourself, in your post. At night, it is like a camping
trip, sitting in the middle of a field, or floating down the Amazon it a
boat. I have done that. So many stars. You realize you are not in a normal
place, but the beauty of nature blocks out all other thoughts.

In the day flights, there are two many visual cues to remind you that you
are in a potentially bad situation. You have that programed into your DNA,
from ancient man. A sense of "on edge" is a good thing for a stone age
man, ready to flee danger, when he is at risk.

See, we are all just primitive pukes, with a better bow and arrow, zipping
along where we shouldn't be. That sense of danger, and accomplishment, and
pride over controlling the situation is what appeals to us. Anyone that
flies, is a control freak. Right?

So there it is. You are not in control of your ancient instincts. How does
that sit with you?
--
Jim in NC


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