Saturday 18 December 2010

Moab, NEW highline area, 4 highlines in 1 day

   On Thursday, the 9th of December, Somewhereelseland team left Terry's apartment for good.


Jordan sending Terry's 120' backyard line before going for some "real stuff" ;) (photo by Jan Gałek)

Our plan was to stop in Moab for the last time, walk as many lines as we could and than leave to Joshua Tree on the way stopping by in the ghost town to slackline and Los Angeles to visit our old friend Ric Phiegh.


Extra GIF file from GGBY III made by Jordan Tybon - our camp-site at the NEW highline area ...

   We went to the new highline area. We are still debating about the name ... On the way we picked up hitch-hiker. His name was Jacob and he appeared to be really nice guy. Jacob stayed with us for two nights and watched us highlining.


Evening sky ... (photo by Jordan Tybon)

   We slept one night in a desert and spent another together night at Brent's house. The three of us are hoping he enjoyed time with us. Afterwards Jacob left with Brian in direction of Oregon.


(photo by Jordan Tybon)


(photo by Jordan Tybon)

   We had arrived just before it got totally dark so we couldn't highline the same day. We met with Terry and his girlfriend, Ryan Matson and Heinz Zak. During this day Terry bolted and walked new 120' line called "The Beagle Has Landed". We also had two new lines ready for the FA's next day (130' and 40').
   Next day Janek and Brian woke up first and started rigging 40' and 60'. Jordan and Faith got up soon after them and helped with finish rigging both lines.


Warming up next to the fire before sending 40' and 60' lines ... (photo by Jordan Tybon)

   Janek got the FA of the 40' line and named it "Just a Quickie". After two full "shackle-leash" walks he sent the line free-solo FM. Faith cruised this line without the leash too.


Faith leash-less on "Just a Quickie" Highline (photo by Jordan Tybon)


... and finishing the FM send (photo by Jordan Tybon)

   Brian walked the 40' one direction leash-less opening his free-solo highline career. Congrats buddy and stay focused ;)!

   The next line was 60' long "Where Cowards Scare" Highline (FA by Jeremy Shive). The four of us send it without any problems but we have to admit that one way on it is pretty exposed. Jordan sent the line in a belt-loop swami and then with "shackle-leash", Janek walked it testing new leash from Andy (1 piece of rope which is used as the leas, ring and swami), Faith sent in a belt-loop swami and Brian after harness walk switched to a swami-belt.


Janek on the "Where Cowards Scare" Highline OS&FM (photo by Jordan Tybon)


Faith on the same line, different angle (photo by Jordan Tybon)

   After everyone walked both lines we took them down, rest for a moment and ate something. We couldn't rest too long though. The days are pretty short right now so we had to start rigging next two lines; 120' and 130'.
   Jordan together with Brian rigged 120' and Faith and Janek 130' new project.    Both lines were not so simple to set up. On the 120' Jordan and Brian had to built super high A-frame from stones, sandbag and make all of it stable enough to hold the line in place. The 130' is bolted really weird. The bolts on the rigging side are placed far away from the edge because of the poor quality rock. On the other side we had to use wooden A-frame to make the line levelled. Both teams were getting tired but we got our lines up. After this rigging-marathon we "just" had to send both lines in a swami ...
   Somewhereelseland team members send both lines OS&FM in a swami. Brian sent both lines OS&FM in a harness.


Jan Gałek on the 120' "The Beagle Has Landed" Highline (photo by Jordan Tybon)

Faith got the first ascent of the 130' and named it "Which Wife Tonight?".


Faith Dickey putting up new FA "Which Wife Tonight?" (photo by Jordan Tybon)

All four lines were rigged with the Type-18 and dynamic rope as a back-up. To speed up the rigging process we left the lines taped together and move them from 40' and 60' to 120' and 130'.
We are happy about how it work out and our team work. We got our camp-site and the lines down before dark. Luckily the drive out of the area went smoothly and we didn't destroy our poor car.
It was a good practice. We think about it as a preparation before more serious highline projects when we will have to be as fast and efficient as much as possible.
We spent the night together at Brent's place hanging out together. Next day Brian and Jacob took off to Oregon. Somewhereelseland team stayed a bit longer in Moab resting and organizing things before the drive to Los Angeles ...

Peace & SlackOn!
Janek

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