Monday, October 15, 2012

Are There Even Words for Such a Thing?






UPDATE: Here are some quotes and remarks about the jump that my friend Maine Character sent me:

"When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive."

Brian Utley, a jump observer from the International Federation of Sports Aviation, said preliminary figures show Baumgartner reached a maximum speed of 833.9 mph. That amounts to Mach 1.24, which is faster than the speed of sound. No one has ever reached that speed wearing only a high-tech suit.

"I know the whole world is watching now. I wish you could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to be up really high to understand how small you are. I'm coming home now."

Baumgartner has said he plans to settle down with his girlfriend and fly helicopters on mountain rescue and firefighting missions in the U.S. and Austria.

36 comments:

Natalie Aguirre said...

I know. I saw this on the news.

Josin L. McQuein said...

There are many, many words - most of them a convenient, and relatively short four letters long. I would imagine several of them were shouted with conviction about the time he stepped off that platform.

Then there are others considerably longer that come on the sides of prescription bottles because this has to be a form of insanity. (Not to mention his whole family probably had to be sedated while watching this.)

And interspersed between those two, I'd also imagine there were long strings of words turning into prayers for a safe landing. Thankfully, he made one.

I can't even imagine the adrenaline crash that comes after something like that.

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Since he made it, all my words have to do with the indomitable nature of human ingenuity and daring. Those words would still have been appropriate if he hadn't made it, but that's not what people would have said.

Laura Pauling said...

I think I would completely flip out if that were me!

Karen Baldwin said...

No,no words, just sweaty palms and knotted stomach watching.

Donna K. Weaver said...

I know, right?

Christina Lee said...

Oooh, I like what Dianne said! We watched it (and held our breath) with our 8 yo and his friend. They thought it was so cool, they actually walked away from the x-box. :D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Only "What a trip!"

Sarah said...

I watched this yesterday. It was pretty tense right before he jumped! I know I was relieved when he landed safely--I can't even imagine how his family felt.

JeffO said...

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..."

Jay Noel said...

I was bummed when the original jump didn't happen, but it was WAY to windy.

Had to watch this with the kids. There's a picture of him all over the internet going supersonic. Just insane!!!

Elise Fallson said...

The guy went supersonic, broke the sound barrier, AND landed safely to the ground. (O_O)
Amazing.
Makes me wonder what's coming next.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

And thus completes the transition from a sweeping space program that required an entire nation to the personalized space jump by a single man (although he had an impressive support crew!). But the core will always be the same: the determination of the human spirit in the face of the seeming impossible.

Old Kitty said...

Crazy but totally amazing!! Take care
x

Zan Marie said...

Only that we can reach for the Heavens and make it. Amazing!

Unknown said...

Stunning. I could not believe what I was watching.

Steve MC said...

His own humble words:

"I know the whole world is watching now. I wish you could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to be up really high to understand how small you are. I'm coming home now."

What mine would've been:

"I'm really freaking out. I wish I could at least see my house from here. Sometimes you have to get really high to come up with an idea like this, and understand how stupid you are. I wanna go home now."

Bish Denham said...

It only goes to show if a human wants to do something badly enough it will be done.

Bryan Russell said...

If he was wearing crimson and gold, I'd say he was Iron Man.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I don't have the courage to jump off a one story building.

Love the new picture.

Andrew Leon said...

I just want to know what it's like to be in the center of a sonic boom. No one's talking about that. :(

LTM said...

CRAP! Can you believe I didn't even know this was going on? I tuned into FB like an hour after the fact and read everybody's comments. This is just too much. Thanks for posting the video! I can't get over that part where he's just hurtling end over end. Amazing. :p <3

.jessica. said...

People are amazing.

Also nuts. I don't even like roller coasters. :)

Libby said...

Love it. Love it.

Sarah Ahiers said...

I had a great comment, but then i read Maine Character's comment and laughed so much i forgot what i was going to say...

Nancy Thompson said...

Here are a few words: great big giant cojones!

Eliza Tilton said...

EPIC.

But how did his brain not explode going that fast? lol

Botanist said...

I am so glad he made it. I've been following this story for weeks now, with all the preparations and obstacles to overcome. Amazing!

Michael G-G said...

How is this even possible?

I like the new blog photo of you and your sis, too.

alexia said...

Holy god.

dolorah said...

That made me dizzy.

........dhole

Angela Ackerman said...

It was something utterly magnificent to watch, wasn't it? It made me think of all those years ago when families huddled around their radios to hear about the moon landing (or watch it if they had a TV).

I think the journey gave him some perspective, which is always a gift.

Angela

Alison Miller said...

Wow...just wow. You're right - there are no words although I did like this: "Sometimes you have to be up really high to understand how small you are."

Unknown said...

It was amazing to watch, especially live. The vertigo up that high must have been insane.

Jamie

D.G. Hudson said...

I'm glad there are still people who show us what is possible. The impossible just takes longer.

Anonymous said...

Seriously? How do you fly a helicopter after a ride like that?!