"Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom" Albert Einstein

"A dame who knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up." Mae West

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Breakfast of Champions

They say it's because of dopamine - either too much or too little (researchers haven't figured out which) - that some people have a propensity to risk their lives.

This morning on the Today Show I literally almost threw up breakfast watching 29 year old Nik Wallenda walk a tightrope 235 feet in length, 135 feet up in the air without a net underneath, then cross back over the same wire on a bicycle. Before he crossed back, he sat down on the wire and made a cell phone call to the Today Show. Then he almost lost his balance near the end of his walk. He almost didn't make it up the slight incline at the end of the bike ride. He set a new Guiness Book of World Record for the longest distance crossed on a tightrope on a bicycle. He wants to walk over the Grand Canyon next year.




He is a member of the famous Flying Wallendas family of which several members have been killed in tightrope accidents since the family first began performing in the 1700's.

3 comments:

Crockhead said...

Did you see "Man on Wire" when it was at the Art several weeks ago? It shows a French guy walking between the towers of the World Trade Center. http://www.manonwire.com/

This doesn't look that high. I suppose the MSNBC (glad to see you're watching the "liberal" channel) can claim this is a record because he wrote a bicycle.

Anonymous said...

Whether it was the "man on wire" in the 60s or the current Wallenda setting his bike stunt, my take about these gamblers' brains is something ain't right!

Barb Davis said...

I saw the same program and had to turn the channel. Couldn't stand to watch an accidental waiting to happen!

I ran across your blog this morning and liked what I saw. Please visit mine when you get a chance.

Best wishes!