Go jump off a bridge: Bungee Jumping in Azusa Canyon, CA
Bungee jumping is on my bucket list. I've been wanting to jump for a long time along with skydiving and parachuting. My cousin Christina has gone a few times-she loved it AND survived. We made plans to go to Azusa Canyon outside Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel mountains.
Christina and I are in the front trying to lead the group in a faster pace. The guide told us it would take 2-2.5 hours to get to the bridge to nowhere. 2 hours for 5 miles? I was determined to make it in less time. We had to make stops for half the group to catch up multiple times. There were lots of trails so we had to stick together in case people got lost or took the long way. We crossed the river multiple times and I was happy I had sandals to feel the cool water and so they would dry quickly.
Our guide explained the procedure and the jumps to us. First jump was superman forward dive. Dive towards the flag on the cliff in front of us. Second jump: backwards starfish. Jump off the bridge backwards sprawling your arms and legs out...like a starfish. Third jump: backward or forward lumberjack. Face backwards or forwards and just fall like an oak tree! After completing all of these, you can try the elevator drop, which the guides say is the scariest! Stand facing instructors and people watching you like your crazy and hop off. Then the ankle drop.
It was time for people to strap on their harnesses. Christina volunteered to go first. I ran away...to take pictures. I watched as people leaped off the platform, screaming, and I thought they were crazy. We are all crazy! But hey, crazy people are the ones who have fun.
I was getting nervous and my stomach was hurting. I decided to try and meditate. I crossed my legs and closed my eyes, but they fluttered along with my stomach. I got my harness on and decided to get it over with. I was worried I would be "that one" who stood on the platform and wouldn't jump. Like at Fish Creek, there were people who stood up on top the water fall for an hour and couldn't jump. I didn't want to be that person. I tried not to think about what I was about to do, but as I climbed over the wall of the bridge, standing on the small platform, I looked below me. I was warned! Look at the flag in front of you and dive! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 BUNGEE!
A scream came out as I jumped and then I thought OH SHIT and went silent, plummeting to death in mid air, about to hit the rocky river below me, my body is weightless and I think I am going to die and its taking a long time and then BOOM! I bounce back up before I realize I've reached the end of the line and I'm jolted back up towards the bridge and OH SHIT I am going to hit the underside of the bridge and I'm screaming now-again. And then I fall again and bounce a few more times and then I am laughing. Oh man that was awesome, but I am still shaking. The sandbag is lowered and I swing by it a few times trying to grab on so I can latch myself on and be pulled up.
I practice the backwards starfish jump with the instructor. I feel confident I can GO BIG like they tell me. But when I get on the platform again I'm thinking this is crazy and I don't want to. I cant see anything. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 BUNGEE!
I am looking into their eyes like they told me and I am falling backwards and I'm not screaming because I am so scared and I don't have time. I have no idea when the rope will stop letting me fall or where the ground is and then all of a sudden I am flying up and then I start screaming. I don't know why I scream after I come up. Maybe because while falling I am so scared and then when I bungee up from the fall I am scared but realize I wont die and allow myself time to scream?
The date was set for September 18th-also my brother Tim's 15th birthday! Love you Timbo! We had to wake up at 4am to get to the site at 6am. Well of course there was no traffic so early in the morning, which was great, and we thought we would arrive early and take a nap. We drove in pitch black through the canyon and up the mountain...for a long time. Christina was worried we had gone to far and didn't remember driving up such a steep winding road. I was getting sick every time she slammed on the breaks and ended up on the other side of the road on sharp curves. I told her if she didn't slow down I would purposely throw up in her car. Because she was driving right on the jeep wranglers ass in front of us, they pulled over and we asked them where the bungee jumping place was. They told us it was all the way down the mountain. Great. So we head back down and act like it was the darks fault why we missed the bridge we were supposed to cross over.
When we got to the parking lot I ran to the bathroom, filled out some paperwork signing my name numerous times without reading what I was signing. I always do that. Who actually reads 6 pages of small type? Later I asked our guide what I was signing my name for and he said, just in case I die or something, then he gets all my money and my car. Too bad he ain't getting much from me! Or if I break my ankle, he doesn't have to carry me out. Figures.
Our group has 21 people and we all begin our 5 mile hike into the San Gabriel Mountain valley at 6:30am. Its cool outside, but not dark anymore. I have on a fleece, yoga pants, t-shirt and my favorite leather Jesus sandals, the same type that broke in Boston after 4 years of use, so I ordered a new pair from Jerusalem. Totally worth it. I love these sandals. I was the only one not wearing tennis shoes, but one of the guys was wearing the toe shoes, which I also love.
Christina and I are in the front trying to lead the group in a faster pace. The guide told us it would take 2-2.5 hours to get to the bridge to nowhere. 2 hours for 5 miles? I was determined to make it in less time. We had to make stops for half the group to catch up multiple times. There were lots of trails so we had to stick together in case people got lost or took the long way. We crossed the river multiple times and I was happy I had sandals to feel the cool water and so they would dry quickly.
Sure enough it took a little over 2 hours to get to the bridge and just as we sat down and i began to eat my uncrustable pb and j the sun came out over the top of the mountain.
I looked over the edge of the bridge to the water below and my stomach dropped. I cant do it.
It was time for people to strap on their harnesses. Christina volunteered to go first. I ran away...to take pictures. I watched as people leaped off the platform, screaming, and I thought they were crazy. We are all crazy! But hey, crazy people are the ones who have fun.
I was getting nervous and my stomach was hurting. I decided to try and meditate. I crossed my legs and closed my eyes, but they fluttered along with my stomach. I got my harness on and decided to get it over with. I was worried I would be "that one" who stood on the platform and wouldn't jump. Like at Fish Creek, there were people who stood up on top the water fall for an hour and couldn't jump. I didn't want to be that person. I tried not to think about what I was about to do, but as I climbed over the wall of the bridge, standing on the small platform, I looked below me. I was warned! Look at the flag in front of you and dive! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 BUNGEE!
A scream came out as I jumped and then I thought OH SHIT and went silent, plummeting to death in mid air, about to hit the rocky river below me, my body is weightless and I think I am going to die and its taking a long time and then BOOM! I bounce back up before I realize I've reached the end of the line and I'm jolted back up towards the bridge and OH SHIT I am going to hit the underside of the bridge and I'm screaming now-again. And then I fall again and bounce a few more times and then I am laughing. Oh man that was awesome, but I am still shaking. The sandbag is lowered and I swing by it a few times trying to grab on so I can latch myself on and be pulled up.
WHEW! They pat me on the back and tell me I did well. How do I feel? Surprised that I am alive! Ready to jump again? Um, NO!
I practice the backwards starfish jump with the instructor. I feel confident I can GO BIG like they tell me. But when I get on the platform again I'm thinking this is crazy and I don't want to. I cant see anything. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 BUNGEE! I am looking into their eyes like they told me and I am falling backwards and I'm not screaming because I am so scared and I don't have time. I have no idea when the rope will stop letting me fall or where the ground is and then all of a sudden I am flying up and then I start screaming. I don't know why I scream after I come up. Maybe because while falling I am so scared and then when I bungee up from the fall I am scared but realize I wont die and allow myself time to scream?
Anyway the backwards jump was so much scarier and I recommend it to anyone if they only get one jump. But I would never recommend one jump! Although I was scared and about to back out, I cant wait to go again, somewhere around the world, or to the same bridge to try out new jumps and use my mind to tell my body to do something that seems so ridiculous. After I jumped, I felt like I could do anything! I mean, after telling myself to jump off a bridge, I can tell myself to quit smoking right? So far, so good! One week no smokes and I'm feeling great!
It feels good to be healthy and happy.
If you would like to try bungee jumping, I highly recommend Bungee America and jumping off the bridge to nowhere. Take a look at the website for more information. Don't research bungee jumping before you jump! Luckily I did not. After the fact, I did and found some disturbing information. You never know how long you have to live, so enjoy life to the fullest!
The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. ~Mark Twain
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