Quincy Quarries Highline Humbling

The title just about says it all. I saw online that the Slackline Boston crew (namely Sonya) was setting up a highline at Quincy Quarries, so I headed down there. After a few navigational challenges I found the spot and got in the queue.

This line is set up from the large rock buttress in the center of the quarry sort of north to another buttress. It runs about 120 feet long and is maybe 35-40 feet high, so by some measures it isn't a highline (higher than it is long), but I am going by the scary high and falling to the ground is completely unacceptable measure. When I got there Benoit was just walking across, but on the far side he threw down his hat and lost his powers and was unable to walk back. A few people later and it was my turn. As usual my heart was pounding and my palms were sweating. I managed to scoot out into position and set up for a sit start. I stood up and managed a few wobbly steps before falling. That was pretty much the theme for the day. I tried a bunch more times and managed to get 6 or more steps a few times but I also had some dramatic falls including one where I failed to grab the line and leashed out headfirst (imagine a dive towards the ground that is caught by a leash and a climbing harness). Actually not that bad, but still a little unnerving. Eventually I was beat up enough and tired so that I came back and passed the leash on to the next victim.

Here I am looking good on the line, but it didn't last

This is the usual result - falling and catching the line

In between goes on the highline I also managed to get a few runs in on topropes that were set up. I definitely felt like I was climbing better than slacking that day, although I think the climbs were all 5.9 or less and it definitely didn't feel like a 5.9 highline.

My second go was no better than the first, although perhaps my falls were a little more elegant. I also mixed up my sit starts with Chongo starts. I failed a few starts, but for the most part I was managing to stand up and get a few steps in before I wobbled and either stuck it or fell. Falling and catching the line isn't always comfortable. I got plenty of scrapes and bruises on the inside of my legs and arms.



In between my attempts others went. Some were just getting comfortable perching on the line over space and others were walking with skill. I took a bunch of pics, but most weren't all that exciting.

My final go was probably my best, I managed on my second or 3rd attempt to walk nearly a third of the way across. My foot got in between the walking line and the backup line which sort of freaked me out, but in reality I just lost my balance and fell.

All in all it was a bit frustrating not being able to walk the line very well, but it is good to get humbled from time to time and gives me something to work towards.

Here is the line from below, plus a climb

Sylvain was really busting some good tricks

Thanks Sonya for setting up the line, and Alex (I think) for taking pics with my camera. It was fun to get out on the line with a bunch of slackers.


Here is another pic taken by Matthias. I swiped it off of his post on facebook. I hope he doesn't mind. There are more pics there on the Slackline Boston page. Hopefully the link works.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.552116901511091&type=1

Here I am looking solid (looks can be deceiving)  Matthias pic