Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Kind of Crap We Do in New England Part 3

I work for a niche television station in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire.  We are surrounded by ski areas, resorts, fabulous old hotels and granite mountains with waterfalls unsurpassed except by Yosemite's.  

One of my co-workers is a risk-taking wild man; a climber who fell one hundred feet from a rock ledge two summers ago when he became dehydrated, dizzy and inadvertently released his belaying rope.  He survived with a broken clavicle & a few ribs.  It was a minor miracle to say the least.

A few months ago, he ascended Mt. Washington, tallest mountain in the northeast at 6288', via the Mt. Washington Auto Road, on stilts.  Yes.  Stilts.

Last weekend, he ascended the Auto Road again, all 8 miles of it, walking backwards, barefoot, jumping rope.  Swear to God.



                                                                      Top of the Summit Finish
                                                              (Mt. Washington OBS in background)

                                                        Storm Trooper Guy Finish
                                                                         (Clouds descending)


People up here are die-hard, rough and ready competitors.  If they're hardy souls, gifted with athletic ability, they'll try anything.

                                               Pre-race participants  Alton Weagle Day  Mt. Washington, N.H.

Inotherwords, they're crazy.



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20 comments:

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Yes it is.  Up until 2010 or 11, it was the "windiest spot on earth".  It's now the "windiest spot in the northern hemisphere."  Some place down in Australia, an island,  beat the 231 MPH record held by Mt. Washington summit since 1934  
http://www.nh.com/nhbloggers/579798-180/story.html 

pat said...

That looks like a lot of fun! isn't that mountain one of the windiest (or the windiest) spots in the country?

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

thank you for what can only be described as a well written observation of the handicapped negotiating everyday life. and thank you for the compliment :)

Edymallory said...

On the other hand your nuts athlete can't compare in courage with the terribly crippled people in wheel chairs who board our city buses, alone, every day via the bus's special elevator platform, get parked in their special space, go where they're going, deftly manouvre the narrow space and descend to jauntily speed away. With wobbly heads, no legs, crippled hands, deformed, just being  ordinary busy New Yorkers anyway.. I am always amazed by their bravery.  Not bragging, smiling really...This is the first blog I've ever been on...  Best....   

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Thank you for following!  Glad you like us.  You might like my other blog too:  www.womenofcertainage.blogspot.com
Just looked at your blog & hit the "follow" button.  I sometimes hesitate if someone I don't know includes a link as it can be spam.  I googled you instead.  

Adelina_aleks said...

Great blog! I am a new follower! Would you like to follow me back?
xoxo

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CaliforniaGirl500 said...

A man from Boston, 62 or so, fell into a crevasse on Mt. Washington this past April. The Auto Rd is closed in Winter but plenty of hikers make the climb in nearby bowls of ice. His body was finally recovered last week after a deep thaw.

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Actually, it would be funny to have "village people " in the Frankenstein mode (pitchforks, branding irons, torches), waiting for them at the "finish" line.

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

OMG what a great comment!

Edymallory said...

I'll bet he can't cross Second avenue in Manhattan backwards, with a Second Ave subway dig on one side, a Con Ed dig on the other, cement trucks in one lane, an approaching fire engine screaming, and two hotshot electric wheelchair people zooming towards him!  Even forwards yet...  Mally

lisleman said...

Our daughter climbed the trail up to the top once.  As your local TV probably reports all the time the weather gets dangerous on that mountain.  The backward skipper/hiker defines a new crazy and enjoyable news stories.

Mermaidgallerynelson said...

i love a little crazy.....but this takes the jumping rope, walking backwards, barefoot craze to another level....HE'S NUTS!...the village people attire is very cool though.....

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

And for his next trick...

.

DJan Stewart said...

Okaaayy, you are ALL crazy I guess a little bit, but he definitely takes the cake. Oh my, backwards barefoot jumping rope... :-)

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Are you a New Englander?

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Storm Trooper is my favorite outfit.  But our man Hans, in his lederhosen get up, is unsurpassed in a "Believe It Or Not" kind of way.

CaliforniaGirl500 said...

Yes.  I love them because they provide awesome fodder for our tv station!

Grandmother Mary said...

Ya gotta love em!

brian miller said...

haha they are  riot...i love the storm trooper guy...but he does not top the feet or feat of your friend...lol

JInksy said...

I like crazy...