In my line of work, I am asked quite frequently how to find the motivation to get through the days. The answer is always to change up your routine and find something that catches your interest. Okay, how do I find out what I am interested in? The simplest answer is to just get out there and try new things. Throw out those preconceived ideas of how much fun it is or is not going to be and come up with your own opinions.
Those of us who live in Twin Falls are well aware of the outdoor recreation and shopping that is close by. It is pretty easy to give a list of things to do to visitors off of the top of our heads. If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, you can head towards Oakley and visit the City of Rocks. Albion is the home of the historical school that doubles as a haunted mansion in the fall. Keep going up the mountain and you can stop at Independence Lake for a cold swim or camping. A little farther up is the lookout point where you can take in the mountainous scenery for miles. The mountain is also home to the Pomerelle ski resort.
Take highway 30 back to twin and you can detour down Rock Creek road and drive up to Magic Mountain ski resort in the winter, watch the massive hummingbird migration in the spring, or camp along the creek in the summer. If you head to the snake river canyon, you will find a variety of things to do. When the water is roaring Shoshone Falls is a beautiful site to see. I have been told it is nicknamed the “Niagra of the west.” A little farther down you can take a walk down the canyon rim trail and visit Evel Knievel’s jump site. Take a drive down into the canyon and you can enjoy a game of golf, rent kayaks and paddle boards from AWOL, or zipline the snake.
Head down to Buhl and there is a fish hatchery you can tour and hot springs nearby to soak in after you have hiked out to balanced rock. While this list of things to do has a ton of potential to spark some kind of interest or happiness for many people, the most impressive and adventurous activity on the list is back at the I.B Perrine Bridge; BASE jumping.
The Perrine bridge is a massive, beautiful structure that connects Twin Falls to Jerome and the interstate. The structure stands an impressive 486 feet from the river below and is the eighth highest bridge in the United States. It is also the only bridge where a permit to BASE jump is not required and jumpers are free to fly year-round. I know what you are thinking, I’m not a BASE jumper why is this at the top of your list? Well, you can live vicariously through the jumpers by watching from the top or from a kayak in the river, or you can take the leap yourself with a trained professional. Tandem BASE jumping allows anyone (within reason) to take part in this extreme sport. I can almost hear your thoughts as you read this, “skydiving would be so much better than that dinky bridge.” Except it is not a dinky bridge, and this is a completely different experience than sky diving. Besides, you could always try both. This is about the experience of the mind, body and soul, not a competition of extreme sports.
Whether you jump out of a plane, off a cliff or a bridge, or tethered to a bungee cord you can guarantee the chemicals that run your body are drastically changing to prepare for the moment you take that leap into free space. Your amygdala is hyper-aware of the danger ahead. I like to call this part of the brain our ring doorbell. It is always scanning for danger and will set off an alarm when your safety could be in jeopardy. It immediately singles for the release of chemical messengers like adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine. These chemicals are what I like to call “good brain chemicals.” They play important roles in how our body functions and help to regulate mood. Think of it this way, tandem BASE is like jump-starting your brain. An increase in serotonin and dopamine improves motivation and feelings of being happy. I bet you will find that in the days following your jump you notice an increase in energy and feel better about life in general. So, if you are brave enough to take the leap, go ahead and congratulate yourself at the bottom for jump-starting your brain and use that extra serotonin to keep your good mood going.
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