Barefoot Rappeling

[Longboard]

Sir Richard Branson, his two children, and three others (pros?) rappel down the face of his new spaceport building in New Mexico yesterday.

 

[janson]

I want to do that!

I want to do that!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I bet the window washer guy

I bet the window washer guy is gonna love all those footprints! Hee.

 

[Longboard]

I met Branson a few years ago

I met Branson a few years ago at EAA Airventure Oshkosh on the way to the evening outdoor theatre forum where he spoke along with Burt Rutan.

I was walking fast to get there, as was he when we crossed paths.

We did the "you first" hand gesture and nod a few times before he finaly passed in front of me.

I was barefoot, he was not.

But he did give me that "Hey, how've you been?" smile.

No wonder his Virgin ventures have been so succesful.

TJ, you going up in his sub-orbital Virgin Galactic?

Only $200,000 for the ride into space!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

The closest I get to Branson

The closest I get to Branson anything is Virgin Mobile. Besides, if I won't fly over the US, why would I fly into space?

 

[Ahcuah]

Barefoot rappelling:

Barefoot rappelling: .



It's great fun. If anybody near central Ohio wants to try, let me know.

 

[NickW]

Ahcuah, that is amazing!  I

Ahcuah, that is amazing! I miss rappeling a lot. I haven't done it since I left the military. I would imagine it would be awsome barefoot, but I would worry about my toenails. Just afraid I would slip and rip one off.

 

[Ahcuah]

Nick: all I can say is that

Nick: all I can say is that it never seemed to me that my toes were in the least bit of danger. After all, at about 10 feet down, just figuring the angles and weights, the transverse force against the cliff face for me was about 60 pounds, which is a lot less than I put on my feet while walking.



On the other hand, I wasn't trying to do a military-style descent. ;-)

 

[NickW]

Ahcuah, I'm just clumsy. 

Ahcuah, I'm just clumsy. Although, since starting to run barefoot I've noticed I'm not so clumsy anymore. Maybe paying attention when I run translates into less clumsiness all the way around because we become more aware of our surroudings.