This past Saturday I went OVER THE EDGE again for the Special Olympics. The first time I went Over the Edge was in 2010:
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| WHEN PIGS FLY - 2010 |
The event was held at the Sheraton Waikiki again. The signage indicates that rappellers go up (must go up to come down!) and that viewers go out to the RumFire bar.
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| NO TURNING BACK NOW! |
My first stop was to check in. Of course you have to sign one of those waivers that has in bold that you could die or be seriously injured...Lovely. But I signed my life away and got number and name badge.
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| CHECK-IN |
After I checked in I had to go over to a staging room where they harness you up. The guy in the picture was really nice. He goes all over the country for Over the Edge event and after the event in Hawaii he is flying to Texas for an Over the Edge there. The guy that I actually got to harness me up was such a sourpuss and kind of ruined the experience temporarily. This time around there was no cameras allowed up (hence I had to go back around and take all these pictures after I went down) and he made me redo my hair, lectured me about my outfit...what a dud.
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| STAGING |
Next you get a little briefing with other ropes experts and staffers. My briefing this time was actually more thorough as they made us practice the possible scenarios we may run in to - like what to do if you get stuck, how to release your safety, etc. Basically I re-learned that since someone like me doesn't weigh enough to help the rope naturally overcome it's friction after I release my lever, I'd need to use my right hand to feed the rope through.
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| RAPPELLING 101 |
Then they have you do a practice run over just one floor. (The ropes expert in the previous pictures told me on my practice run that I was only the second person he'd ever seen rappel down in heels!) The practice rappel is really pretty because it's right by the koi pond. Once you've successfully rappelled down one floor, they deem you ready to go down THIRTY-ONE FLOORS!
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| PRACTICE RUN |
I went with two other guys. One was an EMT and the other was in the Navy. I went first in the practice run (They told me, "Ladies, first" - right...I'm thinking I was the bravest one!). After we all did the practice run, a volunteer took us up 31 floors to the rooftop!
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| A SHORT, BUT LONG WALK |
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| LAUNCH PLATFORM ON THE TOP OF THE SHERATON WAIKIKI |
The next three photos are some of the previews of the ones the professional photographer took. I know there's more of me, so I can't wait to see the rest of the gallery. However, very happy that out of 160 rappellers, I was one of the few to make the preview in the Honolulu Magazine photo gallery! Here's the link:
http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Event-Photo-Galleries/November-2012/Special-Olympics-presents-Over-the-Edge-11312/index.php?cp=1&si=0#galleryanc
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| DIAMONDHEAD IN THE BACKGROUND |
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| GETTING HOOKED UP IN MY ELF BOOTS |
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| OVER THE EDGE 2012 |
Here's a view up to the top from the ground...you can kind of see a black dot at the top - that's a rappeller!
The hardest part of going Over the Edge at the Sheraton Waikiki is getting over the lip. Basically you climb over the scaffolding and then you have to walk slowly down that lip until you get to the edge. Then you lower yourself until your head is below the lip...so at this point your feet are above you - I can tell you this is VERY difficult to do in heels :) then you drop your feet and hopefully don't bash your head against the lip. The rest of way is a free rappel since you are not in contact with the building at any point for the rest of the 31ish floors :)
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| CLOSEUP OF THE LIP ON THE ROOF |
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When I went, of course the guys said, "Ladies, first" again. All the guys at the top were amazed that I was doing it in my heels. I was like, "PSSSHH, let me show you how a woman does it." Haha.
The EMT guy went over next and actually passed me. He stopped and asked if I wanted him to wait for me...what a gentleman. But I wanted to take my time. I felt like it was harder than I remember. The views were just as gorgeous though. Crazy how small people look from 30 floors up. No turtles swimming around this time that I could see. I really wished they had let me bring my camera...this time I knew what pictures to take! Oh well. I had to keep stopping because it was so tiring! The EMT kept asking me if I was okay. I just told him I was tired...I'll tell you, 350 ft of rope is HEAVY. Eventually I invented my own two-handed grip technique and that made it easier, but by the time I was around the 10th floor up, I just wanted to be DOWN. The sun bakes the hotel and so you feel the sun on you, radiating heat from the hotel wall, and you get no breeze because you're sheltered in the little alcove you rappel down so it's really hot. Also I totally had the blood cut off in my legs from the harness...not the most comfortable of experiences.
At the bottom they do an interview for the live stream. The host is so nice. She works for the Special Olympics and she rappelled down herself!
After your interview, you are greeted by Special Olympians, take a picture and you get your t-shirt. This year's t-shirt is SO much more awesome than the 2010 one. I can't wait to wear it! I also got a helmet because I was a returning rappeller!
After I rappelled down I changed (I wasn't about to go wandering around dressed like a Christmas elf!) and then hung around for an hour and half, taking pictures, talking to people (I got invited to a birthday party!). It was so fun and I wish I could convince some other people *cough* *cough* *HINT* *cough* *wink* *wink* to go with me in the future. I'm just sayin'...
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| I JUST WENT OVER THE EDGE |
It was a fabulous Saturday in Waikiki. I can't wait to do it again! (Although I'll feel better when I've raised the rest of my $200 dollars that I need to make the minimum)
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| BEAUTIFUL DIAMONDHEAD |
