Grolsch Highline Expedicion:Part IV.
Laundrymat v Moab:Highline festival
Thanksgiving Highline Festival in Moab goes on. It's propably biggest thing of this kind in the whole world. Just 8 months before, I couldn't even take two steps on a slackline and now I have an opportunity to walk side by side with best slackers in the world. Amazing experience.
We live in the middle of a desert, where there are no paths or trails. There are about 20 people - only those totally filled with passion.
As far there are 6 highlines rigged - 8m, 12m, 19m, 23m, 31m and 54m. First four made no problem for any of us, 31m waits for Jordan's send. I've managed to walk it both ways after 3rd try and by that beat my personal best.
Janek without any shake cruised the line in a swami belt in an OS full-man style and have started trying to send the longest line, along with other top world slackers. Unfortunately as far only Michael Payton have managed to walk this highline one way. Both Janek and current world record holder Jerry Miszewski ( yes, yes - polish roots ) had good tries but they ended the day without success. Although it was just a first day and we plan to stay in the desert for full more week.
Terry's house in Fruita, Colorado, 4th December 2009 hour 11:00
The second day of rest at Terry's house is coming to an end. Terry is a local highliner from Moab and an 'organiser' of the Moab highline madness. He claims of course that this year's meeting wasn't organised at all and everything was just a coincidence. In the middle of the desert, 9 highlines and god knows how many highliners have met, including world's best. If I had a possibility, I would definietly invite some other people, like Kwjet and the whole Chech crew. I'm sure that we wouldn't be lacking good chech beer, all night long parties and of course more good sends. But I'll start from the beginning... The ride to Moab was an endless torment for me. Almost 24 hours in the car and suffering from cold in the night. That's how it is, when you're car has no heater. Korny wrote about first two days that we spent in this magical place. As you might have read, we had a good time. As it turned out, next days where just better.
During the first days of our tries on the 177ft/54m „The Great Bong Zilla” line, Damian and I were completely destroyed physically and mentally. I love what I'm doing, highlining is my passion, but after a day like this I wanted to quit everything. Fortunately, next day I woke up with a good mood. I don't know what would I do without Faith's support. Probably I would believe that I simply suck. In the morning, Andy Lewis did the second send and the first fullman of the long line. Shortly after him, Jerry Miszewski smoothly 'flied' across the line. I wasn't able to see this send, because (suprisingly;)) I got up couple hours later than everyone. Damian told me though, that Jerry's send was very solid and perfect. It seemed that there were no other people ready to walk the line, so I decided to try once again.
Suprisingly I did the fullman send in the first try of the day. It was second, and last one on this trip, fullman send of that line. Damian after few good tries finally finds a right rythm and smoothly get's to the other end. I must say that his send was really good and solid. Damian resigns to send the line full-man. After so many tries you run out of strenght and skin under the knees really quickly... I mean, the skin is still there, but it changes it's colour to red and purple (yes, Slackstar's flat webbing is light, good for highlining, and it nicely cut's groins, calfs and thighs) Faith has some good tries but get's frustiated after more and more falls. After a while I finally succeed in convincing her that she is able to walk this lenght.
Our time in Moab was not only filled with highlining. Moab equals campfires with eyebiting smoke, cold nights, cool and crazy people, incredible stories, never enough amount of water and after few days also food (with a slight adding of desert sand) and suprising jam-sessions on a 20$ guitar. I think that we can try to specify every aspect of the meeting:
- As for the campfires, every one is good, because it's warm. Jordan and Dylan were the most productive 'smokers' using desert wood, which made everyone, especially Maria, suffer and shed tears from the unidentified amount of smoke.
- Cold nights? Let's say that me and Faith slept in the puffy sleeping bags and every piece of clothing that we had and it was still too cold...
- Incredible stories and crazy people? It all combines in one person – Dyllan Buffington. Stories about meetings with aliens and „why everyone need to have 14 guns in their house” are now classic.
- There's never enough food, as well as sand. Regular meal contained pasta with tomato sauce and sand, tortilla with peanut butter and jelly bacame the hit of the trip, after few days the amount of food and water was so low, that everyone was a little bit frustriated and the only topic of our conversations was „what will I eat when we finally get out of this *$^&^(#*&@ desert”
- The best jam-session award goes to Phoxx, who was singing/rapping about struggling on his first highline, which he didn't send but despite that he managed to defeat Andy Lewis in a trick-highline duel. Another jamming award goes to Dylan's friend, but you cannot simply describe that jam...
I think that I described the most important parts of the meeting. The next part will be – just like the beginning – about highlining, highlining and HIGHLINING?
So, roll on. Mainly there was a lot going on in Highland Bowl. There were 7 lines rigged in total. From very short ones to 54m „The Great Bong Zilla” Highline or first send of new 45 meter long highline. I had a pleasure to rig that one and walk it as a first person. As a first full-man sender I had an unwritten right to name to line. So this new 45m highline is called „Double Trouble Madness”. This highline was also sent by Damian, Brian, Korny and Faith, who by that has beaten feamale world highline record. Not for long though. Jordan has also had some good shoots but unfortunately highline haven't gave up quick enough. Two days before we left we had to derig the 45m line, beacuase we've needed gear to re-rig „The Great Bong Zilla” Highline. One day before leaving Faith walked that one and breaks record again. Bruises and sratches on her legs don't go empty. She makes it in third attempt. So now new female world record in highlining is 54 meters. If you remember male record, which is 67 meters by Jerry Miszewski – it's not a big difference – only 13 meters. About most important things that's it. Of course during those few days we were able to watch awesome tricks, 3 free solo sends – by Andy Lewis of course. Underneath there's a list of highlines and styles of sends of our crew :
„The Highland Bowl”:
- The Chillum [61 ft./ 19m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man,
Damian Czermak – full-man, OS,
Jan Gałek – full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man, OS,
Jordan Tybon – full-man,
Brian Mosbaugh – full-man, OS
- The Spliff [76 ft./ 23m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man,
Damian Czermak – full-man,
Jan Gałek - full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man,
Jordan Tybon – full-man,
Brian Mosbaugh - full-man
- The Trundler [41 ft./ 12m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man,
Damian Czermak – full-man, OS,
Jan Gałek – full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man, OS,
Jordan Tybon – full-man, OS,
Brian Mosbaugh – full-man, OS
- The Bub [102 ft./ 31m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man,
Damian Czermak – full-man,
Jan Gałek – full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man, OS,
Jordan Tybon – full-man,
Brian Mosbaugh - full-man
- Double Trouble Madness [147 ft./ 45m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man,
Damian Czermak – full-man,
Jan Gałek – full-man + one-way-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man,
Brian Mosbaugh – full-man
- The Great Bong Zilla [177 ft./ 54m] (chronologicly):
Michael Payton – one-way,
Andy Lewis – full-man,
Jerry Miszewski – one-way,
Jan Gałek – full-man,
Damian Czermak – one-way,
Jeremy Louis – one-way,
Faith Dickey – one-way
As a break toghether with Terry we went for one day to highline in „Fruit Bowl” (another highline sector in the neighbourhood), where each one of us had sent two highlines.
„The Fruit Bowl”:
- Fuzzy Peach [61 ft./ 19m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man, OS,
Damian Czermak – full-man, OS,
Jan Gałek – full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man, OS,
Brian Mosbaugh – full-man, OS
- Wet Beaver [92 ft./ 28m]:
Michał Korniewicz – full-man, OS,
Damian Czermak – full-man,
Jan Gałek – full-man, OS-swami,
Faith Dickey – full-man, OS,
Jordan Tybon – full-man,
Brian Mosbaugh – full-man
That's all about fact, sends, etc. Terry have showed me few places for 80 – 120 meters highlines in „Fruit Bowl” and explained to me quite suffisticated rigging of 40 meters long highline, known for Dean Potter's send in „B.A.S.E.line” style. „GGBY 2” (Gobble Gobble Bitches Yeah 2”) will stay for a long time in our memory. Moab has huge potential and Terry is a right person on a right place. Always helpfull, with a great amount of energy and totally into what he's doing. At this point, we all want to thank him for all help and especially for possibility of a great rest in his warm home.
For those, who don't feel like reading the whole article and analize our sends, I give the short list of most important moments for our crew :
- Beating female world highline record by Faith Dickey („The Great Bong Zilla” - 54m )
- Second polish send 50+ by Damian Czermak („The Great Bong Zilla” - 54m )
- Michal „Korny” Korniewicz moves his boarder 14m forward. („Double Trouble Madness – 45m)
- Faith has convinced me to walk 45m „Double Trouble Madness” Highline in a swami belt. I've succeded in third attempt and it's the longest line walked in this style by any polish slackliner. Personally I can say that I've also pushed my limits further. I haven't broken my personal best („Wild Sarah” Highline – 57m), but I've cruised many highlines in swami belt, most of them in first attempts. Longer highlines I was able to walk with less effort han before, so I think there's a progress. I definitely feel that I'm mentaly stronger.
- Each one of us broke records, pushed their limits and I think we have been one of stronger crews at this festival.
In a short time we're about to start packing up, prepare food and water for another days on a desert. This time we head for Indian Creek for almost two weeks, which we are going to spend mostly climbing. Highline gear won't stay behind and if it will be possible we'll rig one of the existing highlines ( maybe the one you can see in a movie „Return 2 Sender”) or maybe we will make our own project there.
Janek „KudLATY”
Více info na http://facebook.com/themarkorgpl
http://slackspirit.pl
Daemon
