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Show Wetttsn.JuhM,1W3 5 Tba Summer Chraaiclc thrillls and fun with Bungee Utah 3 u Death-defyin- g Bungee Utah does offer special days. "Two For Tuesday," allows a person to jump twice for $25. PHILLIP SIMON Chronicle Feature Writer BY Wednesday is bungee The bungee craze has come to Salt Lake City. Bungee Utah, located at 17th South and T-sh- irt day, so anyone wearing a Bungee Utah can jump for $10. Utah are avail(Bungee able at the tower for $10.) The tower also holds special T-sh- irt ences someone can have, according to Snow. "It makes jocks mighty humble, and nerds mighty brave. It'll change your life," he said, adding there is a big difference from being safe with two feet on the ground and jumping off a 75 foot tower. Redwood Road, has now been Only 1 percent of first time open for two seasons. The tower contests sponsored by local Lake to for Salt are the Prizes awarded came through jumpers back out, so most peopatrons. affiliation of the Sports Tower winners in many different ple will jump after some hesitaand the national bungee compabungee jumping categories. A tion. Often the bungee jumpmas-ters- , who consider themselves tower The has on special conAir jump and Boingo. ny two sides and employs between test days costs $15. junior psychologists, spend an 11 and 14 people. There are 25 named jumps a average of five and 10 minutes A bungee cord is many long person can do, according to convincing people to jump. "If you can come up with an rubber cords strapped together. jumpmaster and general manag- excuse not to jump, I can Different cords are used come up with one to jump. for the different weights of " If you can come up with an That's the fun of bungee the jumper. The maximum jumping, the fear, the risk weight a person can be excuse not to jump, I can come is what makes it exciting," and still jump is 250 up with one to jump. That's the Gunn said. pounds. The cords are can fun of bungee the jumping, He feels the thrill sells be used 1,000 times, makes the what is it risk fear, Utah bungee jumping to people. although Bungee Two girls visiting from "It jump-mastits times. uses 300 only exciting," Tony Gunn, State University, Montana is for safety reasons," Brad and general manager of and Sharilyn Steph Spencer Snow, owner of Bungee Utah, said. T-sh- J J II' II er Bungee Utah, said. Bungee Utah has done more than 350,000 safe jumps, an impressive figure since 50-6- 0 jumps are done each day, he said. There are more than 1,000 safety checks before a person will be allowed to jump, accord- ing to Snow. Checks range from a harness for the jumper's body to an airbag to land on after the jump. "It's the safest high you'll ever get," he said. The price of bungee jumping is not as expensive as people might think. The price for a first jump is $15 with each additional jump priced at $10. KRCL er Tony Gunn. These jumps range from the beginning Feet First to the totally insane Kamikaze Corkscrew, an upside down twisting flip. Other jumps self-explanato-ry include the Handstand, the Blindfolded Jump, the Spread Eagle, the Aussie, the MacGyver and the Smokestack. Each entails a different style of jump and will give you a rush you won't forget. The tower performs close to 30 jumps each hour and is one of the most exhilarating experi Fluss, were not going to let a little tower scare them or were they? "I'm scared! Why am I doing this?" Spencer said. Afterwards she said it was fun and planned on doing it again. Bungee jumping also knows no age. People as young as four up to those in their seventies have bungee jumped from the tower. The tower is also available to rent at $250 or $150 for one side. For more information on bungee jumping and renting the tower, call Brad Snow at 532-593- CHRONICLE Bungee Utah lets people conquer ' 2. an alternative to mediocre rwvyrf stations top-4- 0 He found that no broadcasters would give airtime to his views. Patterned is nt after a community radio station in Berkeley, Calif., KRCL was founded to provide a platform for those who could not find a niche on commercial radio. KRCL has a paid staff of seven, but volunteers are the Volunteers station's life-bloo- d. work in the office, attract sponsors and underwriters, record public service announcements, and even serve as the station's disc jockeys. "Our DJs are people who want to contribute to their community and who want to have their voices heard," Land said. "Most of the DJs are lay people who never thought of being on the radio. This is not a stepping stone to commercial radio," Land said. The station actively works to CHRONICLE PHOTOErin Hayes A DJ spins the eclectic music of KRCL, "Radio Free Utah." BY ROB ROBERTS Chronicle Feature Writer drove alternative radio into rotations and play lists. Alternative radio became syn- Alternative radio, once the home of mainly eclectic selections of hard rock, reggae and onymous for grunge Top-4Fortunately, real alternative radio, still exists, even in Salt Lake City. On 90.9 on the FM dial, KRCL, original function. With the mainstream popularity of 16,500 watts .of eclectic music and talk to the greater Salt 0. Donna Land, KRCL program director. She categorizes the station as "community radio," a format which recognizes the diverse composition of Salt Lake City and attempts to bluegrass, has lost much of its Radio Free Utah, broadcasts empower and give air time to those members of society who would not normally be given such an opportunity. KRCL was founded in 1979 many of these genres, alternative stations were in a precarious position. The opportunity for mass appeal and big profits Lake Valley. by Stephen Holbrook. Holbrook became interested in communi- self-proclaim- , "KRCL is about giving a voice to people who would not normally have a voice," said ty radio while resisting the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. ensure that the programming reflects the cultural concerns for as many groups as possible. The programs reflect the inter- ests of African-American- PHOTOPaul Reinarz their fear of heights. s, Native Americans, Tongans, women and gays and lesbians. The various programs are hosted by a DJ of the same racial or social group. The station hierarchy will even actively recruit .volunteers from a community group that they feel is not represented being adequately " by the station. KRCL has a very diverse range of scheduled programs, of which are a hodge-podg- e music and talk programs. The music, selected by the show's features a motley confluence of styles and genres folk, bluegrass, hard-cor- e punk, world music, etc. Talk shows focus on community DJ, issues, arts issues, and gay and lesbian concerns. "We hope to eventually have a local news program," Land said. KRCL accepts no advertisers and runs no commercials. "Our music is what you call unmarketable, nothing from the Top-1not even from the Top 100," Land said. The station 0, relies on funds from the for Public Corporation Broadcasting and heavily on contributions from members of the community. fund rais"We have an on-aer twice a year. The last two ir years we've had our greatest response ever," Land said. "Many of the programs are underwritten by small businesses in the community." KRCL's main function is to educate the community and lend airtime to ideas that would not be heard on commercial broadcasting, according to Land. "We are not here to bash anyone. We are here to inform and educate. The more information you have, the better decisions you'll make in life." you are interested in supporting community radio in Salt Lake or working as a vol8 unteer, call KRCL at or stop by their offices at 208 363-181- W. 800 South in Salt Lake City. |