The Five Scariest Moments in Trapeze

The scaffolding on top of the building?  That’s the trapeze school!

1.  Climbing the 20 foot tall ladder to get to the platform – exacerbated by the fact that the trapeze structure sits on the roof of a building, making you three stories and 20 feet high in the air.

2.  With your toes over the edge of the platform and your right hand on the bar you’re about to swing from, letting go with your left hand of the cable that is the only thing on your body holding you back from being pulled off the platform and into the air.  Trusting the girl behind you (thanks, Abby!) to hold onto you until you’re ready to jump:

Scene:  Meghan’s first jump

ABBY:

Put your left hand on the bar!

MEGHAN:

I don’t think that’s such a good idea, ABBY!

Thanks for holding onto me, Abby.  I owe you a fruit basket.  Like, a big one.

3.  Hearing the word “Hep!” telling you to JUMP.  I heard it like five times before I actually jumped.  There’s no turning back:  certainly not down the aforementioned shaky 20 foot ladder (shudder) unless you JUMP.  Once you jump, there is free-flying and wind and sun and the rush of swaying in the breeze.  But until you jump, Abby is holding onto you waiting to release you to gravity’s mercy.

This is the “greatest of ease” part.  WHEEE!

4.  Letting go with your hands.  Once your knees are up over the bar and you’re hanging upside down, all you see is the net beneath you.  BUT DON’T LOOK DOWN!  Look at your knees, then release your hands and hang from your legs.  It’s exhilerating to know that you can trust your body to keep you on the bar, but terrifying to have nothing to hold on to.

5.  Getting back on the ground, legs shaking, and realizing you did it all – climbed the climb, trusted someone enough to let go, made the jump, and did it all with nothing to hold onto but yourself.  Realizing that all the fears you had were unfounded, and you can really do anything you set your mind to – including pulling your knees up under your chin.  Finding out that anything is possible and then, everything that happens next.


Comments

3 responses to “The Five Scariest Moments in Trapeze”

  1. That looks so awesome! Was it expensive to do?

    1. It kind of was – $72 altogether per person! But it was really worth it!

  2. I am absolutely terrified of heights and I've done two different high ropes courses. The first time I was too freaked out to do very much and did not enjoy it. But the second time I was absolutely terrified but did everything anyway and I had a lot of fun and left feeling completely accomplished. That being said, I still don't think I would do trapeze school. But you look like you did great 🙂

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