Story from Ledok Amprong

On Saturday, December 5^th 2020, finally East Java Parkour held BJB (Bukan Jamming Biasa [not just ordinary jamming]). It was the third one after last time held in 2017 in Blitar. BJB is arguably an informal event from East Java Parkour which focuses more on recreation than parkour training itself (as opposed to regional jamming). The purpose of this event is solely just to increase solidarity and kinship among fellow practitioners.

The camping location for BJB 2020 was at River Tubing Ledok Amprong, in Malang Regency; it could be reached about ±40 minutes from the city center. Regardless of the corona pandemic, this place was indeed still quite deserted because it hasn’t really commercialized yet. Andreas, Hermundo, Dimas, Herry, and I left Surabaya around 09.00 AM. We traveled casually with 3 times stopped by mini mart and the mosque, while making appointment to meet other parkour friends on the way.

The motorbikes convoy finally arrived at the location around 01.30 PM, and almost at the same time the drizzle began to fall. Luckily we had arrived first, because the steep and downhill access path to Ledok Amprong would be so slippery if it rained.

As soon as the rain a little bit subsided, we began to put up tents around the hut/gazebo as other friends arrived. The weather was getting cold at that time, but it didn’t matter because we all really enjoyed our togetherness. There were already 12-13 people present that afternoon, and we chatted and interacted happily with each other. Let's just say this BJB is a mini East Java Parkour regional jamming, which was supposed to be held in Sidoarjo this year, but had to be canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The weather became rainy again at night. Some friends from Parkour Blitar came after around 08.00 PM with soaking wet condition, when at the same time we were doing sharing session in the main gazebo. Our initial intention to make a campfire had to be postponed due to the incessant rain. But even so, it was one of the best nights for me in this bad year. It’s a pleasure for us to still be able to spend time together in the midst of our busy daily routines, plus the uncertain parkour training schedule of each community due to the closing of most city parks (a.k.a. covid-19).

Towards midnight, there’s one more BJB participant who joined: Ardhylies, a senior practitioner from Parkour Surabaya. Salute with his willingness to come in the middle of his busy time. Around that time the other friends were already sleeping in the tent, meanwhile Ardhy and I were still chilling out for a while in the gazebo while waiting for the rain to stop. Later we went to sleep around 01.00 AM.

Suddenly, several other friends woke me up around 04:00 AM. At first I thought they were voices in my head, then it turned out they’re real. The rain had completely stopped so we decided to make campfire while waiting for the sunrise. Indeed, camping without campfire isn’t ideal enough, so we were willing to wake up early to make it happen.

Once the sun had fully risen, some of us (including me) did a mini-tracking around Ledok Amprong at ±5:30 AM. We walked along the river, plantation, and a small part of the forest around there surrounded by the cool morning air. Soon after that, it turned out there’s one more last participant who joined BJB: Ahmad from Parkour Malang. Besides parkour, he’s also active in the running community until now. So, with Ahmad, the total of BJB 2020 participants were 19 people.

For a moment, we relaxed enjoying the atmosphere of Ledok Amprong on Sunday morning as the sun warmed up. Not long after that, we took a group photo as the closing of the 2020 BJB, followed by packing up our tents, meanwhile another community had just arrived here. So, finally we left Ledok Amprong with all of its memories around 09.00 AM.

Even though it only lasted for a short time and was just a simple concept, this is what I always look forward to every year. For me, parkour community is no longer talking about whose skills are the best, or whose physique is the strongest. As time goes by, East Java Parkour community feels like it has become more and more like family. And it’s been proven when I was in a serious personal problem not very long ago, they still gave moral support without judging me. This is what I call a true brotherhood.

Hopefully the situation will be better next year, although we don't even know exactly when the covid-19 outbreak will end, at least let's look 2021 with some optimism.