Man on Wire, and the big project

[SuperSparky]

I saw Man on Wire a few weeks ago, shortly before putting a big multi-year FA project to rest.

 

The compelling force behind each of the 2 stories was the same -- I've never before seen a documentary that so closely captured the whole big-project sleigh ride. Phillipe Petit, he spoke to me (albeit in French).

 

It's still at Harvard Exit, in the wee upstairs theater. Climbing-related, I tell you.

 

-Eric

[JosephH]

He's a character for sure. I spent some time with him a ways back when he was in PDX to do a walk for the ceremonies to open the Schnitz Concert Hall. You do have to hand it to him, and a bunch of other euro long line walkers too. Not sure if Steve Wallenda is still living up your way or not, but he's another interesting guy having survived his uncle's legacy more or less intact.

 

Making a living walking wires is about as far out on the fringe as you can get. I still get out now and then on 11mm cranked down real hard, and can't imagine having to walking on a schedule. Doing stuff like that when you want to do it is one thing, doing it for work and at times when you otherwise might not be into it is a whole other business.

[olyclimber]

I went and saw that movie a couple of weeks ago. There is a very interesting parallel between extremo wirewalking and free soloing. It was insane to watch him walking back and forth between the two towers. And of course, at the end of the movie when he runs off shags some random chick instead of his girlfriend...well...that wasn't too romantic.

 

Great movie for sure. Even found a kids book about it the other day.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Walked-Between-Towers/dp/031236878X/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223568941&sr=8-4

[JosephH]

Well, I did say he was a character - can't say he's someone I'd be interested in being around outside the context of wirewalking. I'm not sure of the freesoloing correlation though. The reason for the pole is because long lines (of any kind), won't stabilize, or 'settle', under your body weight, i.e. instead of just walking a stable line, you are both walking the line in front of you and also 'riding' the longer wave movements of the entire line. The pole droops and has weighted ends which significantly lowers your center of gravity. This allows you to 'walk' the line with relative ease and concentrate more on managing the 'riding' aspects of the walk.

 

On a sufficiently guyed line that can't exhibit a lot of 'long wave' movement, then just walking it with a pole is fairly trivial, though you still have to manage the mental / emotional aspects of a high walk. But given the choice of a highwire walk with a pole and a significant free solo - I'm taking the wire and pole every time.

[olyclimber]

I'm referring to the "one mistake and you're done" type risk taken, as well as the personality type that would take on such activities.

[SuperSparky]

For me, the free-soloing connection wasn't there, it's never been something I found compelling. The movie would have been more or less the same if he'd worn a parachute or strung a net (of the finest gossamer, of course; it has to look good) below him.

 

The years of planning and training and not knowing if the whole thing can ever really happen, though, that's the business. I wonder how many of the established climbs that we take for granted now have that same story somewhere behind them.

 

-Eric