This is a re post from from 3 years ago.
Today is BRIDGE DAY 2011 and we didn't go, so I thought I would post this from our trip there in 2008. If you ever get the chance to go, do it! It is a great adventure, but don't ever expect to see me jumping off of a perfectly good bridge.
BRIDGE DAY 2008
Bridge Day is a BIG event in West Virginia. In fact, it is West Virginia’s largest one day festival. People from 15 countries participated. They were expecting 200,000 people to watch, and I was one of them.
Here I am ........
Standing in the middle of this.
The New River Gorge Bridge officially opened October 22, 1977.
Picture of bridge under construction.
The first Bridge Day was celebrated in 1980 when only 5 BASE jumpers jumped off the bridge. Today they expected 450 jumpers.
Jumpers getting their parachutes ready.
Jumpers in line.
It is 876 feet high and 8 seconds from the bridge to the water below.
One taking off.....
Two taking off....
Our parents used to say to us as kids, "If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" Well apparently for these jumpers, the answer was yes.
One by one........
they glided gracefully to the bottom of the gorge.
Two of my sons watching from above.
Others watched from the lookout on the side of the mountain.
The beautiful view we all saw from the middle of the bridge.
The small winding road below us...
and the long straight road ahead of us, on the long walk back to the car.
An annual, spectacular event held the 3rd Saturday of October for a majestic bridge.
Summer vacation picture taken from the lookout.
Were you at the bridge today walking across? If not, I hope my pictures helped transport you there.
There are a lot of Bridge Day videos on You Tube, if you want to go check them out and watch the jumpers.
I've driven across the bridge many times, but never walked across it.
ReplyDeleteWould love to walk across that bridge but never, never jump off of it. I would definitely be one of the watchers.. Beautiful bridge though..
ReplyDeleteHi Janet! Wow, too scary for me! I would love to walk out or drive over the bridge, but I couldn't jump. It must be fun to watch though, that is quite an event with 200,000 people! Thanks for the pictures and the fun post today. Have a great weekend! Delisa :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the post and it reminded me today was Bridge Day.
ReplyDeleteWe've never been on this day but have traveled many times through the area and driven over the bridge. We even took the old road that runs under the bridge, an interesting, scary winding ride but give a good look at the underside of the bridge. I'm always amazed at me. NEVER would I jump off that thing. No way no how.
Thanks for the great memory.
Blessings, Barb
Didn't see this the first time around - enjoyed the post.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this post before-and the whole thing is just fascinating to me still!
ReplyDeleteMy late father-in-law was an iron worker on this bridge. We've never been to Bridge Day, although we were in the area this past weekend. I have an aversion to crowds, and I think we would have found one there. Especially since the color and weather were so nice. Jim
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