Backup Challenge 4: Do Some Acro

When I first created my list, I included a number of "backup" challenges - basically alternative challenges that I wouldn't go out of my way to attempt, but which I'd do if the occasion presented itself.  Once done, they count as one of my 40, giving me the option of not doing one of the main list if I don't manage it.  They're official wiggle room, if you like.  And I do like, which, given I set my own rules, is damn handy!


This challenge is courtesy of...

Danielle Christie who, as a Beltaner and general hippy, is well into this sort of thing.

The challenge

A nice simple one: do some acro.


Simple in explanation, at any rate. I'm 6' 4" and about as flexible as an icicle, so acrobatic
s are not my natural mode of physical expression.  I'm more couch potato than circus performer. I'm also nt super strong, so the more physically demanding acrobatic activities (body balance and the like) are well beyond me.  Oh well, time to humilate myself in the name of personal growth!

Challenge accepted.

Entirely unprompted, Magnus brought round a slack line for the kids to have a shot on yesterday.  As it happens, I've tried a small amount of many things acro in my life (tightrope, gymnastics, the trapeze and those funny silk rope things), but I've never done slack line walking.  Plus, the children refused to play on it for some unintelligible reason and it would have been a shame for Magnus to have put in all the work setting it up for it to get no use.  I spy a challenge!  The goal: get to the end of the slack line!  (About 15 feet away.  At most.)  It's just walking in a straight line, so this will be easy, yes?

 No.
Of course, it wasn't just me that had trouble...

The feathers did not enable Magnus to fly.




Or, indeed, just the boys...
Having fun while falling.
That said, Renae was the first to make it to the end.
How to do it.
But would I make?  Can this challenge be completed?
*Chariots Of Fire music plays.*
  
The Face of Determination.


Into the shade - halfway!
Almost there, but starting to get turned sideways.

A last lunge!

Victory!  You can't stand on or past the ratchet, so stepping off here is totally legitimate and in no way just me falling off at the end.  Honest.

The Face of Success.



Challenge complete.

Will I be doing it again?

Yes.  This was fun, pretty challenging and surprisingly hard work.  After an hour of slack line walking, we were all puffed out.  The big kids weren't here, so Magnus has promised to bring the line around again for them to have a shot and I'm rather looking fowards to playing on it again.

Long-term updates

French words "learned" (according to the memrise app):395
 
Daily photos taken? Yes.
 
Swordfighting learnt: Andy and I were drilled into sweaty oblivion (oo-er) by Martin this week.  We practised a couple of cuts and responses plus some footwork.  It's starting to make some degree of sense now.  Sort of.  Fun at any rate.
 
I am currently reading: Nothing right now, as I've not been round to the Laws' house to plunder their books.
 
"Cheat" days on food since last week: Yesterday wasn't great, but nothing terrible.
 
"Cheat" days on exercise: The slack line was hard work, plus the swordfighting.  And we've got a puppy now, so that will help in the future.
Favourite drawing: A character sketch of Tor, Magnus' tech savvy cowboy from our Firefly campaign.
Not pictured - anything tech or sci-fi as the reference photo was just a regular cowboy.

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