In case you were wondering what balls of steel can accomplish (186' waterfall)

[eyepaddle]

Video of Tyler Bradt setting a world record by running 186' Palouse Falls in Washington:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/si_video/2009/05/13/0905.palouse.SportsIllustrated/index.html

I get butterflies in my stomach just watching him get geared up for the run. Damn.

Waht, what, wahtever! ;)

[petronius]

1. That's wild - gotta wonder what he was really thinking when he passed

the no-return point...

[eyepaddle]

3. That's a good question,

I know a few guys that do crazy shit like this--after all whitewater kayaking isn't that large of a community--and while they are uniformly pretty nice guys I just have no idea what makes them tick. I think there is a certain amount of fatalism in their outlook. You only truly need the courage to take that first stroke and then you are commited, with no turning back. I'll admit there have been a few times I've sat in my boat and contemplated disaster ahead, and then just pushed off to see what will happen next.

Usually my skill was up for the challenge; but one time I thought I was literally going to die. I knew I wasn't goning to run the line the clean, I just KNEW I was going for a swim in icy waters on a snowy day, but I did it anyway. The beating I took at the base of a FIVE (as opposed to 186) foot waterfall was epic (whoever listed that as a pet peeve, you're just going to have to cope) the violence of the recirculating water was stunning. When I was getting tossed around in the froth I thought about how sad my mom would be that I died before finishing my Master's degree; and then I dug deep and fought like hell and got out of there.

The only thing I can think of that makes it worthwhile (aside from the amusement park WHEEEEEEE factor is how close to our world you feel when running something that is really pushing your limits. It is just you and the river at those moments, and if you can feel the connection it is, sublime is as close as I can think to describe it. There is a brief time when you feel truly at home.

But damn, having to huck off something like that to find the edge--just to see if you like it. Wow.

[petronius]

5. It's a strange mentality - I'm glad I don't have it

I've managed to scare myself a time or two surfing or cross-country backpacking or whatever, but I'm lightyears away from anything that would cause one to wonder "is this even possible?"

On the bright side, these envelope-pushers tend to encourge the development of some really cool gear, which trickles down to the rest of us, and they do give us a vicarious thrill/cringe/horror...

[eyepaddle]

6. Yeah, I am definitely glad they are out there,

hell, if somebody hadn't started doing the "meelow" stuff all those years ago--I wouldn't be doing now!

And there are a lot os seriousl sweet toys these days!

[Orsino]

7. "Will the YouTube vid get more hits if I make it, or if I don't?"

Possibly. Among other, more pressing concerns, perhaps.

[MrSlayer]

2. That looks like a lot of fun.

Pretty cool.

[Inchworm]

4. Insane!

With lots of YEEHAW!

incredible.

:wow:

[BreweryYardRat]

8. And I thought my dream of going cliff-diving someday was risky!

Well done to him.

I wonder, is it safer to do that in a kayak than it would be to do it in swim gear?