January '17 updates

My backyard highline, “The Chateau 210’”, has been the main focus of the end of my 2016 year, and the beginning of 2017.  

TAKING IN THE RARE PITTSBURGH WINTER SUNSHINE Other highlights included a winter solstice slackline celebration at the Carnegie Library (where 7 lines were set up at one time), and a dad milestone: my 4 year old daughter’s first unassisted steps on a slackline (our front yard 20’ line).Starting December 26th, I rigged up - no, "installed", the Chateau 210’ with the intention to keep it up permanently.  Initially I used Aero2 as mainline and backup, but, upon consultation with some veteran highliners, I have since switched it out for a heavier, more stable, and safer, doubled full-tensioned Type18 (mainline and backup), with an Aero1 dampener (hand-tensioned; not a backup).  Had my original Aero2 mainline failed, the lower tensioned backup may not have kept me from striking the ground in certain spots of the highline.  Doubling Type18 at full tension means both mainline and backup are at tensions that would keep me from striking the ground if the mainline failed. The permanent installation has provided the opportunity to highline in many conditions, notably in the dark (pre-dawn), at dawn and dusk, in high winds (up to 25mph gusts), and in temperatures below freezing.  I’ve switched out my boat shoes for neoprene wetsuit booties, when its cold.  As of this post's date, I’ve been out on the line twelve days since the line has been up permanently (averaging once about every two days), from thirty minute solo sessions to multiple sessions per day, with single sessions up to an hour long.I’m hoping this permanent line will continue to build the local highlining community.  Since the line’s inception at Thanksgiving, nine different slackers have sessioned (including me), and two others (my daughter included) have horizontal ziplined, so to speak.  At least five people I’ve never highlined with have reached out and expressed interest; a few I've never met personally.   I have added a second permanent leash to the highline, to make dad-daughter sessions more fail-safe, and to start experimenting with two-at-a-time highlining (and highline buddha battles!)  

HANGING OUT WITH IZZY ON THE HIGHLINE

SOME OF IZZY'S FIRST UNASSISTED SLACKLINE STEPS

WINTER SOLSTICE SUNSET SLACKING