I was in the Duck Park, pushing my granddaughter in her pram and had my dog on her lead. As we walked out of the Rose Garden, I noticed someone walking on a tight rope, so decided to go and investigate. Yes, I did say someone walking on a tightrope !!!
“Hi you OK, what’s all this about?”
“Slacklining, google it, it’s a whole new world”
“I will do, how long have you been doing it for?”
“About 12 months, it’s great for a work out, improves your core strength”
“Aaah right, are the council OK about you using your line between trees”
“Yes no problem it doesn’t harm the trees, I do it in Woodthorpe park and down by the Trent on the Embankment”
“Is it expensive, the rope looks expensive?”
“Not at all, they start about £40, this one cost £150, I started doing this after a conversation over a few beers at a BBQ. I really like it. Although I’ve not cracked it yet. I need to stand up straight. When I can do that I want to do it over a canyon, but I need to get my head around that first”
“Do you have a net when you go over a canyon?
“No, You are tied to the wire , so if you fall you just dangle on the end”
“I think I’ll give it a miss”
It’s a sport for all, teenagers can do it and I know people in their 60’s who do it”
“Do you need specialist footwear to do this?”
“No, these are just Timberlands, some people do it in bare feet, it’s also popular with surfers as it helps with balance”
I then introduce myself and ask for a stranger photo. Meet Tim, a 46 year Slackliner from Nottingham.
It was a difficult photo to take as it was a bright sunny winter afternoon with low sun and Tim’s slackline was in direct sunlight. I’ve got some blown out highlights, but I couldn’t really ask Tim to move somewhere else !!!
I didn’t have a contact card, so I suggested to Tim that he contact me via email. I told him my email was easy to remember. Willow, Ruby and I then moved on. BTW Willow liked watching Tim
Great stranger shot. I suppose in a way someone that is doing something out of the ordinary is easier to approach, because there are lots of questions! Not something I’ve ever seen anyone doing, interesting nevertheless.
