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In which the Intrepid Explorer climbs to Great Heights, and later buys the T-Shirt
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So, say you'd flown halfway around the planet and come to a city that, among its many delights, included a 70-year-old bridge spanning 1,600 feet across the harbor (or harbour, as they say here). What would you do? You'd look at it, take pictures, use it as a landmark in orienting yourself.
I climbed on top of it.
About a dozen years ago, a guy who liked to climb tall structures had the brilliant idea that people who had been driving and walking across, flying over, and sailing under the bridge for decades were bored with these standard uses, and that if he dressed them up in unflattering jump suits and charged them 100 bucks a head, he could convince them to walk over the top of the thing. Now, you might think he was nuts. And he probably is. But he was also right. Since they started offering bridge climbs in October 1998, more than 300,000 people have swarmed over the top. Groups of 12 people head out at 10 minute intervals, starting at 7 a.m. and running to 7 p.m. And to be guaranteed a spot, you had to book in advance.
So book we did. We were worried about the weather, since the Bridge Climb company had a no cancellation policy. Unless there's an electrical storm; then they let you off the hook. It had been pouring Sunday evening, so we anticipated having to either argue with the tour operators or get soaked. Fortunately, the day turned out sunny and not too windy.
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Apparently, to climb a large landmark, it is important to be dressed in unflattering clothes, so each of us was issued a two-tone grey jumpsuit. We had to sign a form saying we did not suffer from asthma, heart disease, or depression (in case you were thinking about jumping, I guess). We had to blow a breathalyzer to prove we weren't too drunk to climb (don't want the tourists chundering on the commuters, after all). And they ran a metal detector over us, ostensibly to make sure we weren't carrying anything that could fall on people below, although I think it was really to make sure nobody was trying to bring a camera so they wouldn't be forced to buy pictures from the tour operators.
The climb itself took about two hours, and was really pretty easy. There were a few ladders and a couple long, gently sloping staircases, with plenty of pauses to catch your breath and look around. We were all wearing harnesses that attached to a cable running around the bridge, so even if you lied about the depression thing you'd be hard put to fling yourself into the harbour. And at the end, as you can see, we bought the pictures.
Since I made the climb, they've installed a large set of Olympic rings on the side of the bridge, which will be illuminated during the game. I betting that every time NBC comes back from a commercial, there will be a long, helicopter-based shot swooping over the bridge and the rings. When you see it, I want you to turn to the person sitting next to you and say "I know someone who climbed to the top of that bridge." Either that, or take a drink.
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