Most Extreme Thing...

500 mile bicycle trek up into mosquito and black fly country.

Arena rigging - walking beams at 50-100' with no protection.

Marriage, childbirth(mostly my wife), and parenting - AMAZING!
 
You went down with a helo?!! That wins, period.


I've made a habit out of doing things I shouldn't do and going places I'm not supposed to go so I've got a bunch of scare stories, most of'em wouldn't mean much to anybody but a serious rock climber or whitewater boater.

The most extreme would be running the Upper Blackwater in West Virginia and I was definitely scared. We'd just done the Cheat at 8' and it left a huge impression so I actually remember it better than the Blackwater... the term 'Yawning, swirling maw' became a visceral memory on that trip. On the Blackwater I got snagged in a wicked hole and lost my paddle. Roger Zbel edged up and offered me the nose of his boat and pulled me out. I was shaky for the rest of the run. I remember thinking, "I just want this to be over.".

I've run a lot of class VI whitewater, I was such a burnout when I finally got married and settled down. Close calls got to be routine.

Closest call ever though was getting pushed into a mushroom undercut on South Sauty Creek at very high water. It was loaded with logs and I thought I'd bought it but I stayed in the boat and washed out. My partner shot a great picture of it with me up to my neck in rock and timber, boat was submerged well under me.

Then there was the time I decided to free solo a 90' route on my home rock. I'd worked up to it, had it wired and soloed it a few times already. The crux was 3 delicate moves in a slight overhang at about 60' and on this particular climb I broke a foothold in the crux, couldn't go up or down so I just held on getting more and more gripped by the second. I finally decided I should die climbing rather than clinging and besides, i might make it... so that's what I did, climbed it out. Felt pretty shaky for a while after that one.

...then there was that time BITD when I tried to outrun the Hoover cops on my RD350...

The definition of extreme is such a fast moving target. The stuff people do nowadays is practically beyond my imagination... kids these days!
 
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You went down with a helo?!! That wins, period.


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That was the most extreme outcome but not even CLOSE to being the scariest thing that happened with the copters that summer...

These tales are all amazing. I don't those of you here (Chip???!!!) who pursue these extreme things have a "death wish". I think it is a "life wish". I don't have any tales of intentional daring at this level but I think I 'get it'.

My hats are off to the fire fighters...THAT WINS! That is putting aside your own safety, comfort and fear for the good of others. Kudos!

And some of you may have served combat. You don't probably want to share that, but know that your sacrifice counts and matters.
 
I used to live in Portland Oregon and I would go zoo bomming alost every weekend. Zoo bomming is riding a bike down side roads from the top of a mini mountain into the streets of downtown. I would top out at about 55or 60 mph on a twenty inch mountain bike. I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat
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Howe and Georgia to Yonge and Queen.

In 48 hours.

On a 1000cc sportbike.

For a $200 bet.

Actually had time for a nap and freshen in Wawa.

Time o' me life.

Northwind
 
Maybe the Wawa thing gave it away, but to any western Canadians who have to get to T.O., go over the top of Lake Superior.

It's a longer route, I know. I love Chicago, lots to do there, Detroit is a kickass town. I don't avoid those cities, I've often been drawn to them.

But the north shore of Superior, my gawd. If you can look at the Rockies and see yesterday bashing upward, you can see in the Canadian Shield millenia of thoughtful quietude and repose.

There is a lonely quality there, you can look upon it holding hands with a loved one and still feel quite solitary.

I believe it truly one of the most beautiful spaces on earth.

Northwind
 
Larrado, Texas to New York City in 40 hrs. none stop in my VW bus. Called the gf and told her I was almost there so she said, "come straight home", so I did.
 
Bombing down the road from Black's Lake in Gatineau National Park on a criterium bike. Hit about 60 mph moving through the curves. Front end shaking like mad and my eyes tearing up. That was the reward for making the ride up there.

Hiking about 5 miles from Jasper Park Lodge across the Athabaska into town in -40 weather.
 
I once did a free solo of a 100' 5.10. Like Blinky the crux was a few key moves on a overhang about 1/2 way up. No broken holds though.
One time I jumped off an 80' cliff at lake Pleasant. NEVER do this. It hurts...alot.
Many other extreme moments some of which may or may not have been legal...mostly rock climbing though.

Someday I will zoo bomb with Justin....maybe at ITCC 2012!
 
climbing water towers at night.

breaking/entering into buildings at night (teenager) like opening skylight on high gym roof; attaching rope and repelling. (a friend was too scared to come down, so i had to climb back up the single rope and convince him) shooting each other with fire extinguishers. We were never thieves, never believed in stealing anything or causing any damage, just fun.

buying cheap cars, trashing them, especially in snow storms at night. later, maybe setting them on fire and jumping them into a quarry.

cliff jumping, 51 feet many times. everyone said it was 70 feet, but we measured one day. 51 feet. many kids died off that spot though. we quit when a firefighter friend told us your neck can snap when u hit the water from that height.

Did skydiving but that was a joke. not thrilling at all, boring. I think wing suit jumping would be exciting though and i dream about doing that.

tried to spend the night in cloud forest in Costa Rica, about 90 feet up in the top of a tree. I thought all rain forests were warm. WRONG. 35 mph wind the whole night, about 63 degrees and blowing rain, freezing..... going to die from the cold. Had to abort and walk for miles, then sleep in a grass field. Saw erupting volcanoe in the distance though (highlight!)

smacked a bull in the butt in a rodeo because it wasn't chasing me mean enough. dumbest thing i ever did, only Gods choice that i lived. he kicked and just missed my head.


holding my breath and swimming through pipes and tight locations. Why? because it's fun to control yourself and show yourself that you can keep from panicing.

that's all from the top of my head, I'll think of more later.

oh, loved jumping my truck over hills and railroad tracks. long full air launches. 1985 chevy silverado full size but shortbed. self made lift kit. truck launched awesome and landed great.

oh, another memory, 4 wheeling with my jeep CJ 5 with AMC 360 engine. rolled it twice. used to launch it also. I still have it, poor thing been sitting for... what... 6 years now? I have a 401 waiting for it too. so sad.
 
just read treebing, yes, we held onto the back of our van roller blading too.

i think 45 or 50mph was the fastest before you got them going into a death wobble.

oh yeah, going 75mph on the hood of my friends camaro when i was like 17.

wow, i sound like i jackasss that should not be alive.

hmmmmm.

Well, most things were very planned and thought out.
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no accidents.

Catching a stingray in Cancun when i was 12 years old... Most pain ever. Barb went through my finger.
 
climbing through abandoned coal mines from the 1940s or earlier, some colapsed places just barely enough space to fit your body through. at times, you have to focus on not getting claustrophobic.
 
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