Slackline Humbling

I went to Davis to join Hanie for the Balance Community Longline Festival. This got switched to Sacramento for longlines Saturday because of some permitting issues, and then on to the Cosumnes River Gorge on Sunday for some highlines.

I got to Davis Friday evening and Hanie and Peter and I walked to campus to set up an e-line and play on it a bit. I felt pretty good on this line since it is what I am used to. Not so for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday we fortified with kale smoothies and co-op sandwiches and headed to Reichmuth Park. There were a number of lines set up from a mellow 30 or so feet up to a staggering 804 feet. There were all sorts of different materials too, so it was nice to get a feel for the different lines. As the lines got longer they had to be rigged higher to prevent bottoming out in the middle. This made starting a bit tiring and exciting, especially with the gravity assist dismounts. I am glad I brought gloves as they saved my hands from blood blisters and maybe flappers over the weekend.

Hanie brought her silks to play with too

Jerry cruising the 663 footer

bouncing on the rage line

312 and 440 foot lines

standing on the 663 footer

I did ok on the lines around 100 feet, and I even managed to walk almost all of a 230 or so foot line (I came off pushing my way through the tree branches at the end). I managed about 100 feet on a 440 foot line, but beyond that I don't think I even got double digit steps. I did try all the lines though, and managed to at least stand up on them all, although on some that felt like about all I did. It was quite humbling, but also inspiring to see the skills some people had. When I couldn't hold my arms up for balance any more I "rested" by doing acro yoga. Maybe rested is not the right word, but it was fun to try stuff. There was also some very impressive juggling and I even saw some yo-yo tricks.

Sunday I woke up quite stiff and sore, especially my shoulders and sides. It took a while to get going and I ran some errands before heading out to the gorge. There I got an even bigger helping of humble pie on the highlines. The lines that were set up were 70, 115, 240, 400 ish, and a monster 700+ footer (which would be the highline record I think). I only got on the 2 shortest, but that was enough to thoroughly work me. After a number of falls I managed to walk the shortest one, but then fell repeatedly coming back. Eventually I just dangled back the rest of the way. Then I tried the 115 footer and never did get across despite repeated attempts. I did manage a few runs of 10 or more steps, but then I was so tired I could barely stand up straight and I knew it was time to call it quits.

people on the 2 shortest lines

walking the 70 footer

trying to balance...

Jerry on the 700+ footer

a little more perspective of the longest highline - and this is a 55mm lens on a crop camera

there were some good falls

no slackers were hurt in the making of these pics...

...much

There was a lot of waiting around between goes while others tried the lines, so I had plenty of time to take pictures and talk to other slackers. It was again humbling and inspiring to fail so much and to see such impressive slacking.

Thanks a lot to Jerry and the rest of the Balance Community for setting this up. It was an awesome opportunity to get together with others and try a lot of lines I don't normally get a chance to.