My TR from Slackline.com of Ouray Ice Fest 2009
All right my friends! I know there have already been a ton of amazing shots posted (and enjoyed!) but for those of you with a lingering interest in our Ouray antics, here is my (slightly more verbose) version of the weekend...
With spontaneity the name of the game and a seeming affinity for grotesquely expensive plane tickets, I booked my flight to Ouray just three days before the start of the festival. (At least this year I didn't have to rent a car! Thanks Alpha Mike and Cardiac Bill!) So, with a 6AM flight out of San Francisco, I met up with Alpha Mike at the Grand Junction Airport by 11:15 and off to the festival we were!
Humping all of Terry's gear up to the fest. Our packs were insanely heavy!
We arrived at the fest to less than optomistic news from Scotty and Dylan: We couldn't rig to the steel structure we had used in years past and the bolts we needed to use on the opposite side were otherwise reserved for clinics. However, not long after we showed up, the folks running the fest relented on the anchors and coupled with our flared rigging creativity, we had it! Using the two bolts on the West side of the Uncompahgre Gorge backed up to a tree and then the tree behind the steel structure backed up to a bolt we put in on the other side, we had the making for a bomber 82 foot line.
Scotty had to pick through a foot of sold ice to get to the base of the bolts.
Dylan, bolting under the viewing structure
Me, digging out snow underneath the structure for the spansets.
However, the sun was setting, the temperature dropping and our bellys definately grumbling (for beer!)...rigging would have to begin in ernest on Saturday. That night, we all headed to the community center for the Fireman fundraiser dinner for all you can drink beer (except for Dylan - he got cut off!) and enchiladas!
Inside. All the folks scoping the sponsors gear...
Sarah (is there an 'h' on the end of that?) and I opted into the pull up contest to get a free waterbottle. Hurray for shwag! I sadly only managed 5! I lose!
After things wound down at the community center, our new friend Cardiac and I headed to the slideshow while the rest headed back to the China Clipper for some hot tubbin'!
Inside the Ouray Theatre!
After the slideshow, we headed back with hopes that the party was still going strong in the hot tub...only to find everyone still fully clothed in the room. Finally, we all make it out the front door clad only in flip flops and swimsuits and silently as 6 drunk people can, tiptoed through the house to the back door. Sadly, we found the hottub off and buried in several feet of snow. Bummer!! Maria was unfazed though and felt like ending her night with a swim anyways...in fluffy Colorado powder!
(We learned the next day that the hottub was broken!)
Up early the next AM, we headed to the fest hoping to knock out the rigging in no time flat... Well, five hours later, (ha!) the line was ready for walking!
Dylan casting over the gorge to bring the line across
Scotty - putting on the line lockers
Overlords! Dylan and Cory
About 4 hours into the rigging, I bailed out of the process and went ice climbing with Cardiac. It gave me a great view of the final stages of the rigging.
My first Ouray Ice Climb!
Cardiac about to head out!
A view looking down and across the gorge of my WI4 climb
After we both got fully pumped from the climb, I hurried over to get in line for the line. Unfortunately it was pretty lose and after a few sends by Jeremy, Dylan, me (and I think a few others) the day was coming to a close. We eventually decided to re-tension that day, saving as much of Sunday as possible for walking!
Dylan took the FA I believe
Now that night was the night of the Ice Festival Beach Party! We fueled up on pizza and beer and then to kill time before the party, headed back to the Clipper for some pregaming. The teet was slapped and passed until we tore the bag (yup!), Joe proved to be a very frustratable and entertaining Maow player and our beach costumes were assembled!
Hanging out at the Clipper
Ginger x-treme team!! hahahaha
Cardiac, drinking from the teet!
Sarah slapping away!
Getting ready for the swimsuit party...AHAHAHAHA greatest pic of Scott ever!
James - displaying his nipple warmers for the freezing walk to the party!
Once there, Evan eventaully got asked to leave because he was showing to much skin. Ahaha!! Really? ya think?? hehehe
Cardiac!
Maria and I opted for the warmth of longjohns yet stayed festive with out suits on the outside...!! I think we should have gotten an honorable mention in the costume contest!
The winner of the contest! and deservedly so! yummy...ahahaha!!
What a fun night! Scotty even won an Arc-teryx jacket by winning the limbo contest!! Good times!!
Ok ok...back to the main purpose of this post - highlinin'! The sending really began the next day with multple sends goin' down, Kate giving an awesome effort, Terry showing up!, John getting deep bloody flappers from catching...etc! Pure ridictaculousness! (I don't have a ton of shots from that Sunday but all those pics above cover it nicely!)
EDIT: for LJ - Before I got on the line Sunday, James, Cardiac and I headed for some ice action...
The Uncompahgre Gorge
John's poor hands...
Scotty! x-treme ginger!
Mike was crazy and walked in a cut-off tee!
Not long after this, most of the crew headed out leaving Terry and Cory (and one other I think) to break down the line for us. Thanks a million for doing that guys!!
What a trip, eh? Unfortunately we never managed a group photo but I think we got shots of just about everyone from all the posts.
See all you slackers soon! Lodi Drop Zone in March!! Who's in???
With spontaneity the name of the game and a seeming affinity for grotesquely expensive plane tickets, I booked my flight to Ouray just three days before the start of the festival. (At least this year I didn't have to rent a car! Thanks Alpha Mike and Cardiac Bill!) So, with a 6AM flight out of San Francisco, I met up with Alpha Mike at the Grand Junction Airport by 11:15 and off to the festival we were!
Humping all of Terry's gear up to the fest. Our packs were insanely heavy!
We arrived at the fest to less than optomistic news from Scotty and Dylan: We couldn't rig to the steel structure we had used in years past and the bolts we needed to use on the opposite side were otherwise reserved for clinics. However, not long after we showed up, the folks running the fest relented on the anchors and coupled with our flared rigging creativity, we had it! Using the two bolts on the West side of the Uncompahgre Gorge backed up to a tree and then the tree behind the steel structure backed up to a bolt we put in on the other side, we had the making for a bomber 82 foot line.
Scotty had to pick through a foot of sold ice to get to the base of the bolts.
Dylan, bolting under the viewing structure
Me, digging out snow underneath the structure for the spansets.
However, the sun was setting, the temperature dropping and our bellys definately grumbling (for beer!)...rigging would have to begin in ernest on Saturday. That night, we all headed to the community center for the Fireman fundraiser dinner for all you can drink beer (except for Dylan - he got cut off!) and enchiladas!
Inside. All the folks scoping the sponsors gear...
Sarah (is there an 'h' on the end of that?) and I opted into the pull up contest to get a free waterbottle. Hurray for shwag! I sadly only managed 5! I lose!
After things wound down at the community center, our new friend Cardiac and I headed to the slideshow while the rest headed back to the China Clipper for some hot tubbin'!
Inside the Ouray Theatre!
After the slideshow, we headed back with hopes that the party was still going strong in the hot tub...only to find everyone still fully clothed in the room. Finally, we all make it out the front door clad only in flip flops and swimsuits and silently as 6 drunk people can, tiptoed through the house to the back door. Sadly, we found the hottub off and buried in several feet of snow. Bummer!! Maria was unfazed though and felt like ending her night with a swim anyways...in fluffy Colorado powder!
(We learned the next day that the hottub was broken!)
Up early the next AM, we headed to the fest hoping to knock out the rigging in no time flat... Well, five hours later, (ha!) the line was ready for walking!
Dylan casting over the gorge to bring the line across
Scotty - putting on the line lockers
Overlords! Dylan and Cory
About 4 hours into the rigging, I bailed out of the process and went ice climbing with Cardiac. It gave me a great view of the final stages of the rigging.
My first Ouray Ice Climb!
Cardiac about to head out!
A view looking down and across the gorge of my WI4 climb
After we both got fully pumped from the climb, I hurried over to get in line for the line. Unfortunately it was pretty lose and after a few sends by Jeremy, Dylan, me (and I think a few others) the day was coming to a close. We eventually decided to re-tension that day, saving as much of Sunday as possible for walking!
Dylan took the FA I believe
Now that night was the night of the Ice Festival Beach Party! We fueled up on pizza and beer and then to kill time before the party, headed back to the Clipper for some pregaming. The teet was slapped and passed until we tore the bag (yup!), Joe proved to be a very frustratable and entertaining Maow player and our beach costumes were assembled!
Hanging out at the Clipper
Ginger x-treme team!! hahahaha
Cardiac, drinking from the teet!
Sarah slapping away!
Getting ready for the swimsuit party...AHAHAHAHA greatest pic of Scott ever!
James - displaying his nipple warmers for the freezing walk to the party!
Once there, Evan eventaully got asked to leave because he was showing to much skin. Ahaha!! Really? ya think?? hehehe
Cardiac!
Maria and I opted for the warmth of longjohns yet stayed festive with out suits on the outside...!! I think we should have gotten an honorable mention in the costume contest!
The winner of the contest! and deservedly so! yummy...ahahaha!!
What a fun night! Scotty even won an Arc-teryx jacket by winning the limbo contest!! Good times!!
Ok ok...back to the main purpose of this post - highlinin'! The sending really began the next day with multple sends goin' down, Kate giving an awesome effort, Terry showing up!, John getting deep bloody flappers from catching...etc! Pure ridictaculousness! (I don't have a ton of shots from that Sunday but all those pics above cover it nicely!)
EDIT: for LJ - Before I got on the line Sunday, James, Cardiac and I headed for some ice action...
The Uncompahgre Gorge
John's poor hands...
Scotty! x-treme ginger!
Mike was crazy and walked in a cut-off tee!
Not long after this, most of the crew headed out leaving Terry and Cory (and one other I think) to break down the line for us. Thanks a million for doing that guys!!
What a trip, eh? Unfortunately we never managed a group photo but I think we got shots of just about everyone from all the posts.
See all you slackers soon! Lodi Drop Zone in March!! Who's in???