Walking across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope

sunflower27 · 16-06-2013 9:38am #1

A guy called Nik Wallender is going to do this next Sunday - without a harness.

What would make someone want to do this? Obviously on some level fame - as you can watch it live on the Discovery channel June 23, but what would make anyone do something so dangerous.

I couldn't watch this. I watched the documentary Man on Wire (which is brilliant) and went to bed feeling nauseas at the risk he had taken.

Bit of info here on it:

http://press.discovery.com/us/dsc/programs/skywire-live-nik-wallenda/

Edit: Wallenda, 34, said that this latest event will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to walk at such a great height as well as a chance to honor his great-grandfather, the legendary Karl Wallenda, who died after falling from a tightrope in Puerto Rico in 1978.

Oh Gawd!

Frosty McSnowballs · 16-06-2013 9:41am

Live on TV?!

I hope he picked a few tricks up off the cartoons, otherwise he may need to pack a parachute or a bodybag.

sunflower27 · 16-06-2013 9:44am

Yep, live on TV.

The Backwards Man · 16-06-2013 9:48am

What would make someone want to do this?]

To get to the other side.

sunflower27 · 16-06-2013 9:50am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

To get to the other side.

There are other, less dangerous, modes of transportation!

16-06-2013 9:52am

He wants to do this without a harness to honour his grandad who died falling from a tightrope. Sounds like a clever guy.

sunflower27 · 16-06-2013 10:00am

He was the first guy to tightrope across Niagra Falls - not sure if that was with a harness or not!

Duckworth_Luas · 16-06-2013 10:13am

Dónal wrote: »

He wants to do this without a harness to honour his grandad who died falling from a tightrope. Sounds like a clever guy.

His grandfather's famous last stunt!

73 years old,no harness, winds of 30mph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAdRMcrzM9M

crockholm · 16-06-2013 10:17am

Dónal wrote: »

He wants to do this without a harness to honour his grandad who died falling from a tightrope. Sounds like a clever guy.

Your sig is truely apt for this topic

LizT · 16-06-2013 10:25am

sunflower27 wrote: »

Yep, live on TV.

It will probably be time delayed by a few seconds in case he falls. I can't imagine them broadcasting that.

IM0 · 16-06-2013 10:30am

meh, do it in winter after the wire has been left over night

IM0 · 16-06-2013 10:38am

LizT wrote: »

It will probably be time delayed by a few seconds in case he falls. I can't imagine them broadcasting that.

why not, its not like you will see the bottom of the canyon where he would fall to [and the sudden stop that comes with it and the big spread out mess it will make, its a 1500ft drop afterall] . its no big deal. someone just posted a clip of his grandfather dying above plus it will be on youtube in minutes by someone there anyway. the only reason people will watch it to see if he dies or not

Ava_e · 16-06-2013 10:49am

I'll be watching.

From behind the sofa.

Edit: agree Sunflower27 Man on Wire was absoultely brilliant, but you knew he was going to get to the other side. The tension in this one will go up to 11 as there is no definitive outcome.

Micky Dolenz · 16-06-2013 10:54am

He is in for some fall if he fails.

kneemos · 16-06-2013 10:59am

He needs to have an ACME rocket strapped to his back in case he falls.

IM0 · 16-06-2013 11:04am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpFSyXLMgEI

Capt'n Midnight · 16-06-2013 11:55pm

sunflower27 wrote: »

He was the first guy to tightrope across Niagra Falls - not sure if that was with a harness or not!

wtf ?

Charles Blondin did it 30 June 1859.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Blondin

Charles Blondin owed his celebrity and fortune to his idea of crossing the Niagara Gorge (located on the American-Canadian border) on a tightrope, 1,100 ft (340 m) long, 3.25 in (8.3 cm) in diameter and 160 ft (49 m) above the water, near the location of the current Rainbow Bridge. This he did on 30 June 1859, and a number of times thereafter, always with different theatrical variations: blindfolded, in a sack, trundling a wheelbarrow, on stilts, carrying a man (his manager, Harry Colcord) on his back, sitting down midway while he cooked and ate an omelet and standing on a chair with only one chair leg on the rope

endacl · 16-06-2013 11:57pm

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

His grandfather's famous last stunt!

73 years old,no harness, winds of 30mph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAdRMcrzM9M

Yep. That was quite the stupid way to go...

Festy · 23-06-2013 10:09pm

Just a reminder that it's on tonight at 1 am on channel 520 (Discovery)

The Backwards Man · 23-06-2013 10:15pm

Festy wrote: »

Just a reminder that it's on tonight at 1 am on channel 520 (Discovery)

Show last 2 hours 20 mins?

Is he walking it lengthways or wha?:eek:

mikehammer67 · 23-06-2013 10:15pm

LizT wrote: »

It will probably be time delayed by a few seconds in case he falls. I can't imagine them broadcasting that.

must be

some station paid out millions a while back cos poeple got traumatized when someone died live on tv

Lapin · 23-06-2013 10:18pm

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Show last 2 hours 20 mins?

Is he walking it lengthways or wha?:eek:

If he's anything like his grandad, it won't last more than 34 seconds !

mikehammer67 · 23-06-2013 10:21pm

prob cut to an ad if he falls

Lapin · 23-06-2013 10:24pm

mikehammer67 wrote: »

prob cut to an ad if he falls

For Specsavers.

mad m · 23-06-2013 10:28pm

Lapin wrote: »

For Specsavers.

Nah....The Andrex toilet roll ad....

looking_around · 23-06-2013 10:30pm

I was wondering when/if someone would post this OP.

endacl wrote: »

Yep. That was quite the stupid way to go...

He was 73! Would it have really mattered if he went by illness?

Personally I'd rather die by the fall, quick.

Lapin · 23-06-2013 10:31pm

Or that Lotto one where the ould granny gets a private jet to the Grand Canyon instead of the Grand Canal.

I'd piss myself if that one came on !

mikehammer67 · 23-06-2013 10:33pm

looking_around wrote: »

I was wondering when/if someone would post this OP.

He was 73! Would it have really mattered if he went by illness?

Personally I'd rather die by the fall, quick.

dunno

don't really fancy falling off a tightrope to my death myself

My name is URL · 23-06-2013 11:13pm

Festy wrote: »

Just a reminder that it's on tonight at 1 am on channel 520 (Discovery)

Fcuk that... it'll probably be on LiveLeak in the morning anyway

BNMC · 23-06-2013 11:17pm

1:00am-3:20am on Discovery.

What time is trip off?

23-06-2013 11:19pm

It will be on tape delay, if he falls there is no chance they will show it live on TV. You'd be better off watching liveleak for a couple of hours.

COYVB · 23-06-2013 11:20pm

mikehammer67 wrote: »

dunno

don't really fancy falling off a tightrope to my death myself

I'd take it over something like terminal cancer personally

BorneTobyWilde · 23-06-2013 11:23pm

If he falls he won't die instantly.......
.. now he's dead

IvySlayer · 23-06-2013 11:44pm

He has a wife and kids...what must they be thinking?

toastedpickles · 23-06-2013 11:46pm

Did he do it??

mikemcdeedy100 · 23-06-2013 11:52pm

toastedpickles wrote: »

Did he do it??

yep
he made it safely to the other side

IvySlayer · 23-06-2013 11:54pm

Doesn't happen until 1am

danger mouse · 23-06-2013 11:59pm

How can I watch this?

Richard tea · 24-06-2013 12:01am

2 hrs 20 min run time. Feck that. It will be over hyped ****e for the first 2 hrs and then the walk for the last 20 mins. Off to porno hub for me:P

Too Tough To Die · 24-06-2013 12:03am

He better fall. I have little interest in watching a man walk a quarter of a mile with fu/ck all happening.

danger mouse · 24-06-2013 12:03am

Are they showing it on sky discovery channel?

BNMC · 24-06-2013 12:03am

danger mouse wrote: »

Are they showing it on sky discovery channel?

Yes. 520 on Sky.

BorneTobyWilde · 24-06-2013 12:16am

Fell on first few steps, wow,
Least he landed on a ledge only 4 ft down
Going to try again
Yay

PizzamanIRL · 24-06-2013 12:17am

Richard tea wrote: »

2 hrs 20 min run time. Feck that. It will be over hyped ****e for the first 2 hrs and then the walk for the last 20 mins. Off to porno hub for me:P

See you in 3 minutes.

The Backwards Man · 24-06-2013 12:19am

What's the paramedic at the bottom of the canyon going to do?

Witcher · 24-06-2013 12:20am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What's the paramedic at the bottom of the canyon going to do?

Catch him:pac:

KeithM89 · 24-06-2013 12:20am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What's the paramedic at the bottom of the canyon going to do?

Soak his remains up with a sponge.

Calibos · 24-06-2013 12:22am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What's the paramedic at the bottom of the canyon going to do?

Use the shovel and buckets to clean up??

marco_polo · 24-06-2013 12:22am

Think the family needs a new trade, Did he just say 7 deaths wirewalking. Wow.

PizzamanIRL · 24-06-2013 12:23am

He'll probably grab onto the rope and get rescued if he feels like he's about to fall.

BorneTobyWilde · 24-06-2013 12:27am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

What's the paramedic at the bottom of the canyon going to do?

He's got but one tool in his medic box
Some chalk

Walking across the Grand Canyon on a tightrope

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