CART
April
Hikes are always more special when there’s a destination involved. I like
walking through a gorgeous canyon, crossing rivers and almost having head-on
collisions with mountain sheep as much as the next guy, but when you know you’re
going to reach an abandoned bridge at the end, put on a bungee harness and jump
100ft into the canyon like a yo-yo, well, it adds just that little extra edge to
the stroll. In fact, it’s pretty much all you can think about. So as the group
of first-time jumpers made their way along the valley, passing guys panning for
gold and some pretty remarkable countryside, all we could really think about was
the jump. Since it was first introduced as a sport by a bunch of lunatics from
Oxford, bungee jumping has come a long way. The elastic chords are
scientifically measured and regulated, and there is no weight limit (you just
add more bungee cords). You could swing an elephant if the support bridge could
handle the stress, and this bridge, sitting in the middle of nowhere as the
remaining legacy of a washed out old road, probably could. But this is a hike in
the canyon, not a walk in the park, so after two hours we were suitably eager to
take the plunge. 
This is the only place you can jump off a bridge in California, and these guys have the oldest company in the country (even manufacturing and selling their own bungee cords around the world). After tucking into some welcome sandwiches and letting our feet dry off in the sun, we got a full safety briefing. The gist of which is: There is no way in hell the cord will snap, so just jump off the bridge and enjoy yourself. Fair enough, that out the way, we put on the harness, which attaches around your waist. You need to have a few jumps behind you before they’ll let you jump with the cord around your ankles, although you can still dive headfirst, or, if you’re feeling inclined, with your head facing the bridge. The first person up was 14 years old, and SHE was fearless. 5-4-3-2-1 Bungee!! After bouncing up and down beneath the bridge a few times, we pull her up to the platform, and its over in minutes. She’d bought a package of jumps, and inspiringly, went straight away! So did the next guy. And the next. By the time I stood on the platform, I was keen and eager, and when the countdown started, it’s like falling down a slippery tube. You know you’re going to do it, and despite your heart beating and brain buzzing, there’s nothing you can do about it. When you suddenly come into a lot of money, it’s called a windfall, but this, my friends, is the real thing! Wind gushing through your hair, before you know it, you’re bouncing up for the second windfall, and then the third. Once you’ve stabilized and stopped screaming – a mixture of excitement and relief – you get pulled back to the platform. Adrenaline is cooking in your bloodstream, the perfect ingredient to help the long walk home quickly pass by. There is no age limit, no weight limit, just the desire to do something completely extraordinary, and entirely unforgettable.
Perfect For: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Team Building
A Review by Robin Esrock - International Travel Writer and Adventurer see Modern Gonzo.com
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