No Hands Bridge: the new skimboarding spot in Auburn, California | Photo: Brett Macadam

Two skimboarders have ridden the flat waters of No Hands Bridge, in Auburn, California.

It looks a bit scary and dangerous, but the pedestrian bridge has enough protection for them not to fall off into the abyss. And flatland skimming knows no boundaries.

The idea came from photographer Brett Macadam. He believed he and his friends Nicholas Sheppard and Stephen Leonardi could ride a flooded bridge during the winter. So, why would anybody do it in the first place?

The Mountain Quarries Bridge, also known as No Hands Bridge, was built in 1912 for the railroad and, back then, it was the first concrete bridge of its kind in North America.

Its name derives from the fact that equestrian Ina Robinson had the habit of dropping the reins while riding her horse across the bridge which had no guard rails at the time.

In the last century, the austere 482-foot-long bridge has been surviving the impact of several floods. Today, the historical landmark serves a new, valid purpose.

And, with the appropriate protections, the spot has the potential to hold a skimboarding contest, and attract tourists to the small town of Auburn.

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