As I make my way into the world of blogging, I must first say thank you to the couple that has inspired me to finally act on something I have been thinking about for a year or so.  I am ready to step out of my comfort zone and exercise my passion to creatively write.  The couple I mentioned above are Drew Neumann and Brittany Rouille, also known in the blogging world as Mr. & Mrs. Adventure (http://mrandmrsadventure.com/).  Drew and I grew up together and have been adventuring around the world and trying to stay out of trouble for the last 15 years.  Drew and Brittany have been traveling the world for the last four years together and compliment each other very well.  Brittany does a great job of reeling Drew in and keeping him grounded when his ideas become wild and crazy.

I would like to stat my story on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at approximately 7:50 PM pacific time.  I have just stepped off a direct flight from Detroit Metro Airport and landed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  I call my long-time partner-in-crime, Drew, to let him know I have arrived.  Shortly after, I’m loading my luggage into the back of his blue Ford Ranger.  As I sit down and buckle my seat belt this is where the adventure begins. We race out of the Delta terminal arrival lanes (I mean we literally raced out of the parking area).  Driving through Los Angeles traffic can be scary as a driver, but being a passenger may actually be worse, especially with Drew and his lead foot at the wheel.  Two days later, I will find out that Brittany, Mrs. Adventure, has a heavier foot than Drew.  If she ever decides to leave her job as a Help Desk Executive, I’m pretty sure she could become a professional rally car driver with Drew as her navigator.  As we safely arrive at Drew and Brittany’s apartment, Drew and I have a chance to relax, have a few cervezas, and catch up on old times.

After a great breakfast prepared by Mr. & Mrs. Adventure, we gather our gear and head towards the Hollywood hills.  This morning’s mission is to hike to the top of the Hollywood sign.  Arriving at Drew’s secret parking spot near the hills, I step out of the car and nearly fall 20 feet off the side of a cliff.  With my heart beating faster than normal after the near miss, we make our way to the trail that will lead us to one of the most famous and recognizable sights in California.

Our hike to the sign took about 45 minutes with the last 15 minutes consisting of a pretty consistent uphill grade and even a view of “the Valley.”  As we make it to the top of the hill we are greeted with one of the most stunning views.  The sky was clear and we could see the Griffith Observatory, downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Malibu.

After some time at the top it was time to make the trek down the hill and back to the car to ensure Brittany made it to work on time.

With the rest of the day ahead of us, Drew and I decided to head to the University of South California (USC) to view the California Science Center.  The infamous Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum sits next door.

This stadium is the current home of the USC Trojan’s football team and has been the host of the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, and X-Games in previous years.  Unfortunately, the stadium was not open and we were forced to peer through the iron gates at this historic venue.

We would spend the next two hours at the California Science Center seeing the Red Bull Stratosphere, an F-20 fighter jet, acting like sea barnacles and trying to catch ping pong balls, and viewing the space shuttle Endeavour.

The Endeavour is one of the most amazing science exhibits I have ever seen.   This space shuttle was in service for 18 years before being decommissioned in May 2011.  During it’s tenure, the Endeavour flew 25 missions, traveled 122,883,151 miles and spent 299 days in space (Space.com)  

The sheer size of this space ship is stunning and if you think your SUV gets bad gas mileage, the Endeavour’s main engines (3 total) each consume 350 gallons per second!  This much fuel makes each engine capable of producing 418,000 lbf. at take off.

Our stomachs are now rumbling so we head to the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade to meet some of my college friends, Jess & Steve, for dinner.  We decide on a great Italian restaurant, Locanda del Lago, and catch up on old times.  After dinner and drinks, we walk back to Jess & Steve’s apartment.  On the way, Jess asks Drew and I a very unexpected question, “Do you guys know who James “Whitey” Bulger is?” I reply “Yes, but only because I watched the 60 Minutes special on him two weeks ago.”  She next explains that she and Steve live in the same apartment building that the infamous Boston mobster was apprehended in two years earlier.  We proceed into the building and up the elevator and I start to recognize images from the 60 Minutes special.  As we step out of the elevator and onto the third floor we are standing in front of Whitey’s door.

As the high-fives and “Whitey” jokes fly back and forth we snap some pictures and try not to wake the current residents of apartment 303.

As our night nears its end, we said our good-byes and it was time to start mentally preparing myself for Saturday’s main event: bungee jumping.

The alarm goes off and I realize it is 5:30 AM and my head is slightly pounding.  Maybe I had one to many Moscow Mules the night before.  As Mr. & Mrs. Adventure and myself start to get ready we soon realize we are running late.  We scramble to put on our warm hiking clothes and head for the car.  The last twelve miles into the San Gabriel Mountains is full of twists, turns, blind corners, and steep drops off the side of the mountain.  With Drew at the wheel of Brittany’s Honda Fit we have been able to make up some time.  When most would slow down as we enter the rain soaked mountain roads, Drew pushes the Fit harder.  I count down the miles remaining and just pray that our driver manages to keep the car on the mountain and get us to our meeting point.  Thankfully, we arrive safely and as I open the door I can smell burning rubber.  Never in my life have I wanted to get down and kiss the ground more than I have at this exact moment.

With our backpacks and gear on, we get a chance to meet our hiking partners and guides, Matt and Bryce, from Bungee America (http://www.bungeeamerica.com/).

The reality starts to set in. After we hike five miles through the mountains to the Bridge to Nowhere, I will then be jumping off that bridge.  Everyone I have told about this hike/jump in the weeks leading up to my trip has asked, “Why?” With our adventure about to begin, the only answer I have to this questions is, “Because Brittany made me sign up to do it and I get a free t-shirt if I survive.”  Our hike takes us up, down, around, and through streams, canyons and anything else you can imagine.  The serenity of no noise, no cellphones, no car horns is awesome.  We are in the middle of nowhere.

The constant drizzle didn’t seem to bother anyone as the day began but as we gain in elevation and the wind picks up it becomes a nuisance.  With our destination in sight, I start to feel as if I have earned the right to jump off the bridge since I just trekked five miles in the rain to get there.  At that moment, I realize I may be crazy.  I’m terrified of heights and I’m looking forward to diving head first off the side of a bridge into a canyon?  It has been confirmed, I have officially lost it!

Finally on the bridge, we all walk to the edge and peer over to see what is below.  Approximately 130 feet down there is a small creek that runs through the canyon.  After the fear sets in, our group is now huddled like penguins under a tent and around a hot kettle of water.  Our guides do their absolute best in trying to warm us up.  After a cup of hot chocolate my body starts to warm up.  The time is here.  We are about to start the show.  Matt and Bryce take center stage and walk us through the do’s and don’ts of bungee jumping.  They show us that each piece of equipment I will be wearing or relying upon has a backup.  This helps to easy my nerves, sort of.  Bungee America has a perfect record with over 150,000 jumps and no casualties.  The odds are in my favor.  With the safety portion complete the time is here.   I put on my waist and shoulder harness and I then here, “Alright, who wants to go first?”  I see Drew’s hand pop up and and then hear him blurt out “Skipper will go!” Wait? What? Huh? Seriously?  I should have seen that one coming.  It’s officially getting real.  I’m now strapped to four bungee cords as Matt gives the the pep talk of a lifetime, “You’re going to be the first one to do a front dive. I need you to dig deep and set the tone for the group.  I’m need you to do a big powerful dive.  Let’s go.  Set the tone!”  It works.  I’m pumped.  I’m ready but I still have to climb over the side of the bridge.  Not wanting to show Matt or the others how scared I really was, I step over the bridge wall and stand on the platform.  Matt then instructs me to put my arms in front of me and point them at a small flag off in the distance.  I exhale, point my arms out to the target and I hear Matt shout, “Big Powerful Dive in 5,4,3,2,1” and I JUMPED!

                                       

As I free fall head first towards the ground I finally realize the answer to the question “Why?”  The answer is that I have crushed my fear and a predetermined thought that I would never bungee jump because I thought I wouldn’t like it.  Those two seconds free falling straight towards the earth made me feel free and alive.  I have always tried to keep an open mind about people, events, idea, etc., but it’s hard not to make predetermined judgments at times.

I was 100% wrong about bungee jumping.  When you get the right company and leaders who make it safe and fun it is an absolute blast.  I look forward to returning to LA and making my way back to the Bridge to Nowhere with Bungee America.

After all of our group jumped it was time to make the five mile hike back.  Everyone was buzzing about how awesome that bungee jump was or how funny we looked after we realized the bungees didn’t break and we were still alive.  With the hike nearing its end, we stopped to check out some locals gold mining in the stream that ran through the mountain valley.  Finally, back at the car we can take our soaking wet shoes, backpacks, jackets and clothes off and warmed up.  The rest of our day is spent laying on the pullout couch watching movies and ordering take-out.  We were whipped.

The sun rises on my final day in LA and shortly after my hosts are showing me the local “tourist” sights.  Beverly Hills Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica and Venice Beach are all stops we make before they take me to LAX.  It is now time for my trip to end.  I say my thank you’s and good-bye’s to my amazing hosts and friends and promise to be back soon!