cj

I had an amazing day highlining today. Woke up early, and Jim encouraged me to go first on the line. Managed to take eight steps, which I'm pretty stoked about, though I always wish I could do more. It feels incredible to make progress and identify areas for improvement. One key takeaway is needing to stand straighter and address my tendency to fall to the left. Breakfast was a Starbucks sandwich and some oatmeal by my car, and lunch was just Clif Bars, with dinner still undecided. The highlight was getting on the freestyle line and achieving 10 steps despite the challenge. I haven't checked the videos yet but am looking forward to seeing them. It was also great to catch up with my friend Ray and appreciate Jim's support. There was a solid presence of friends, including Courtney, Kristen, Dane, Juan, Rudy, Jessa, and Daniel, whom I initially met in Joshua Tree. Overall, it was a fantastic day, filled with learning, progression, and good company.

Today I had my first experience solo rigging both a highline and a midline, which ended up being quite enjoyable, though the rigging process was lengthy. I managed to take 16 steps on the line and felt surprisingly stable, almost as if I were walking in a park, due to the absence of exposure. After several short but solid sessions on the line, which felt comfortable and stable, I prepared for what I expected to be a smooth de-rigging process. Additionally, I had engaging conversations with Kevin, a visitor who shared some pictures and introduced me to his dog, as well as with Johnny, a 70-year-old iron-working company owner, who imparted wisdom on community service, the value of hard work, and finding happiness in simplicity. The individual recounts their experience with slacklining, including the challenges of tensioning the line and releasing it without assistance. They express a desire to improve their slacklining skills and emphasize the significance of access to suitable locations for practice. The optimism about slacklining becoming more normalized and the joy it brings to both participants and observers is also conveyed. Additionally, the speaker indicates a need to learn more about proper techniques, such as the best way to tie off the line, and finds instructional videos inadequate for this purpose. The speaker emphasizes the importance of skill, speed, and safety in rigging, particularly in tying techniques. They express confidence in their work, suggesting that the most recent task they completed looks pretty good. The plan is to carry the line back and then stop the recording after a successful highline and midline session. The speaker also appreciates the social aspect of their activity, mentioning that it's cool to meet people.

The speaker has discovered two potential highline spots in Culp Valley and near a climbing area close to the border that are likely unrigged. These areas are ideal for rigging because they are not crowded and attract little attention. They speculate that within Culp Valley campground, several lines could be set up. They also suggest the possibility of establishing lines up to one kilometer long, acknowledging the difficulty but expressing optimism about their feasibility.

Yesterday, I had a great slackline session at Kate Sessions. Now, at 6:20 AM, I'm preparing to go surfing at Swabese, hoping for favorable tide conditions. Despite the really high tide and the potential difficulty of entering the water, the offshore winds could make for good surfing. Additionally, the high tide may reduce the number of people in the water, which could be a plus.