Royal
Gorge Bridge, Colorado, USA
100403
This
is something you don't see every day. For some, it's just
too difficult to watch. Base jumpers parachuted Friday off
the Royal Gorge Bridge west of Canon City. Base jumpers get
their thrills from parachuting off stationery objects.
"It's
a real honor to have the ability to come here and jump, legally,
so to speak, and we'll leave it at legally," says a base jumper who
calls himself Donk. "It's almost like a prize that's out
there," says event organizer Heather Hill. "It's a location
that people look at and they don't have access to."
The
bridge swings from steel cables 1,053 above the Arkansas River.
After a brief free fall the jumpers pop open their parachutes
and float down, trying not to bump into the canyon walls.
In some spots the canyon is less than 100 feet wide.
Only
experienced jumpers were invited. There's no room for error.
"You want to have at least about 100 base jumps before you
even think about coming to a place like here," says Donk. Adrenaline
is the attraction and the jumpers get a rush every time. "If
you're not freaked out every time you go off on an object,
you should re-evaluate because it's a pretty scary thing."
A
base jumping competition happens all day Saturday and Sunday
at the Royal Gorge
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