Jump Off a Bridge

I officially have felt the change in my body when it goes from adrenaline-pumped directly to complete panic-mode.  They shared the same place in my body for a split second.  Quickly followed by the best feeling of excitement ever.

A couple months ago I got the idea that I absolutely had to go bungee jumping ASAP.  And within 2 weeks I was making the 2 hour trek through the Angeles National Forest to The Bridge to Nowhere.  It was the first weekend of Spring and had rained the weekend before.  The hike itself was awesome.  So beautiful with all the wildflowers poking out of the rocks (we were pretty much hiking along and through a river and crossed it 5 or 6 times one way), the trees were green, it was a rare moment in Southern California.  Things are green for a split second before they return to brown and dried out.  Plus it was through this really cool canyon.  I’d make the hike even if it didn’t result in jumping off a bridge at the end.

When we got to the top, we all took a rest, ate some lunch, and had some quick and thorough instruction from the jump company.  Then it was time.  They had two jump platforms, so they could strap someone in and get them ready while someone else was jumping.  It went a lot faster that way.  Which was good because there were a TON of people there.  Mostly college kids who were celebrating after a week of finals.  The funniest part was watching the people who had paid to come, made the 2 hour hike, got all the way strapped in, climbed over the bridge onto the platform, then didn’t want to jump.  I know there are people in the world frightened by bungee jumping, I just thought they would have worked it all out by the time they got to that point!  They always ended up jumping though after some enthusiastic words of encouragement.

Then came my turn.  I was so stoked.  I couldn't wait.  I strapped in, climbed over the bridge and wait for them to give me the signal.  

"Are you ready?!"

"Yeah!"

"Okay..."

Then, together we yelled, "One, two, three, BOOM!"

And I jumped.  It was amazing.  But like I said before, there was that brief moment of thinking, "I'm going to die!"  But that faded so quickly as I took in what was happening.  As I hit the bottom of the cord's stretch and started hurdling back towards the bottom of the bridge, I thought for a split second how embarrassing it would be to die from colliding into the BOTTOM of a bridge.  Then I looked around as I bounced a few more times.  It was beautiful.  The sun was casting shadows in the canyon, the flowing stream was underneath me, and the sky was so blue.  When they started to pull me up I just wanted to do it again.

On the hike back, I had a feeling of peace from being outside all day, accomplishment for jumping off a bridge like a champ, and left that day feeling like I could do anything.