Bungee Jump - CA

My roommates Shyam, Rajath, Vikas, and I, along with Spoorthi, decided a bungee jump would be the perfect new adventure for Rajath's birthday. This event was just the ignition I needed. I quickly found BungeeAdventures online (I'd also heard of them from my friend Manish) and contacted John. We were incredibly lucky to find open slots for Sunday, July 21st. After confirming with Spoorthi and everyone else, I booked the slots ASAP, and we were set for the jump. While my roommates had skydived before, I knew this must have been the scariest sport Spoorthi had ever agreed to try.

The week passed by with the usual work and home routine. On Saturday, after much procrastination, I finally went for my second windsurfing lesson at CalSail, thanks to a nudge from Anitha on WhatsApp. After a good two hours in the water, I visited my cousin and niece, getting back home at 12:00 AM on Sunday. I managed a quick six hours of sleep before being up and ready for what promised to be an awesome adventure. We had breakfast at home, picked up Spoorthi, filled the car with gas, and drove off towards Yosemite (location undisclosed). We stopped at Starbucks to wait for John, only to be informed he wouldn't make it. Instead, we met Edwin and Isaac, two experienced bungee jumpers who would be our mentors and guides for the day. At 11:00 AM sharp, Isaac and Edwin arrived. I also had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful fellow jumpers, who soon became friends, from Belgium.

We arrived at the "secret" bridge, our jump site. We went down to the river below for a pep talk, instructions, and to finalize the jump order. The whole setup was incredibly fun and professional, with safety being the utmost priority. Our instructors prepared the gear, and then the jumps began. A new feature for me was being pulled back up to the bridge after the jump – that was even more fun! Shyam was first in our group, followed by Spoorthi. Rajath and Vikas went next, and then it was my turn.

(Geronimo!!! without a parachute)

I felt completely comfortable and confident as I was strapped in, knowing I could trust my gear. In no time, I was up and over the rails, ready to jump. Memories of my first jump rushed back, but this time, it was entirely different. I wanted to jump off, not just lean out. I think I managed to do it, and within seconds, I hit the water, submerged for a second or two, and then the recoil kicked in. I was back up in the air, happily waving to the people on the bridge—I must have gotten some great pictures! Falling headfirst with an ankle harness is definitely the way to go.

After all the jumps were complete, we took a nice, peaceful dip in the river below. We then drove back to San Carlos for a delicious dinner at Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was a wonderful weekend, etched firmly into my memory.