Wallenda to Take on Niagara Falls on Tightrope.

[elleng]

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Nik Wallenda can't visit a new place without envisioning a wire strung high above his head: Linking buildings, landmarks, nations. Even as a 6-year-old at Niagara Falls with his parents, he pictured walking a tightrope over the raging, whitewater maw.

Now 33, he's ready to live out that childhood fantasy when he attempts Friday to become the first person ever to walk a tightrope directly over the brink of Niagara Falls.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/06/10/us/ap-us-travel-brief-niagara-falls-tightrope.html?_r=1&hp

[HopeHoops]

1. Isn't he using a safety harness? I thought I saw that somewhere.

All of the flying Wallendas died naturally or fell to their deaths. He's on the same path. I wish him well.

[elleng]

2. Not exactly.

'Wallenda will have one safeguard, a tether that will keep him out of the water if he falls, but not on the wire. ABC, which is televising the walk, insisted on it. Wallenda said he only agreed because he's not willing to lose this chance and needs ABC's sponsorship to help offset some of the $1.3 million cost of the spectacle.

"This is what we do. I feel like that's taking away from it," Wallenda said. "I feel like I'm cheating at that point."

The tether is another obstacle to contend with in a family whose shunning of safety devices is part of the appeal of the act.

"Life," he said, again quoting his great-grandfather, "is on the wire. Everything else is just waiting."'

[blueamy66]

3. Hell, I don't even like to DRIVE over the Peace Bridge

Or the Rainbow Bridge. This guy is nutso!

Niagara Falls scares the hell outta me. The Niagara River scares the hell outta me.

[Bucky]

4. oh dear, this is not going to end well

[yellowcanine]

5. Somebody could lose an eye!

Oh. Never mind.

[elleng]

6. You mean, 'You'll shoot your eye out?!