Amazing Feats!

[catherine]

I was going to put this post in "Hobbies and Creativity" but this really goes beyond that!

Have you heard of the 11-year old that climbed Matterhorn? I'm always amazed by mountain-climbers--I was mesmerized by the movie Free Solo, for example. Mountain climbing has never been, and will never be, on my bucket list. But I sure admire people who do it.

Take a look at this video. It's almost mind-boggling to me, and mind-boggling that this is a sport a parent would endorse for a young child.. however, props to both kid and dad.

Maybe this thread could be used for other similarly amazing feats that humans do every day, without us knowing about it.

[iris lilies]

Yeah, I’m not sure that I would applaud that kid’s family, I would want to know more about them and the dangers of that climb. Such a Debbie Downer I am. ��

All I can think about when I read something like this is that little girl whose father insisted she fly a plane at something like age 9 for a world’s record. She crashed the plane, everyone died. Oops.

[catherine]

Yeah, I’m not sure that I would applaud that kid’s family, I would want to know more about them and the dangers of that climb. Such a Debbie Downer I am. ��

All I can think about when I read something like this is that little girl whose father insisted she fly a plane at something like age 9 for a world’s record. She crashed the plane, everyone died. Oops.

I thought about that little girl, too, actually. You're not a Debbie Downer--you are right. I was just applauding this specific accomplishment. Which of course, was predicated on years of very dangerous training.

Having been a stage parent, I am very aware of the constant need to re-evaluate the experiences of the child and the motivations of the parent to determine if the activity is really in the best interest of the child vs an ego-trip for the parent.

[frugal-one]

Yeah, I’m not sure that I would applaud that kid’s family, I would want to know more about them and the dangers of that climb. Such a Debbie Downer I am. ��

All I can think about when I read something like this is that little girl whose father insisted she fly a plane at something like age 9 for a world’s record. She crashed the plane, everyone died. Oops.

I’m with you IL. Imagining a different outcome. Doesn’t seem worth with the risk to me!

[rosarugosa]

Catherine: Have you read Into Thin Air by Krakauer? That's probably my favorite NF book of all times.

[iris lilies]

Catherine: Have you read Into Thin Air by Krakauer? That's probably my favorite NF book of all times.

That is a great book! There was a time where I read all the mountain climbing books.

These people who are compelled to make records annoy me. The first woman to summit Everest. The first blind person to summit. The first …paraplegic? It might be a thing.

Mainly I think of the sherpas who have to schlepp these fools up and down the mountain. Some of them die in the efforts along with their egotistical clients.

[happystuff]

I find it a bit interesting that there were so many people involved in getting him there, yet he can claim the record... doesn't seem fair. I also noted in the story that it said they made several attempts before finally making it - which makes me think that they were pretty safety conscious. Would I like my kids to do it at that age? I don't think so! LOL

[iris lilies]

It used to be that any fool with $50,000 could make an attempt at Mount Everest.. I don’t know how much it costs now but it’s not necessarily a Game of expertise.

[Tybee]

My granddaughter is doing rock-climbing. It would make me faint as I am afraid of heights. She is not. It seems like some people are wired to climb. She sure does not get it from me.

[KayLR]

Not mountain climbing or anything that extreme, but I was surprised by meeting someone extraordinary the other day in a most mundane circumstance.
I was driving home from DD's, a 90-minute drive, when I saw some kids doing a car wash. My car was absolutely filthy and it was on my list of to-do's to wash it anyway, so I swung in.
I walked over to some adults sitting in the shade & asked what the fundraiser was all about...the girls were all busy washing.
Well, turns out it was a fundraiser for one of the girls who is a world-class wrestler! She was invited to a competition in Greece and the funds were for that. She's been a state champ, and competes nationally. She's from a small town just up the highway from me in rural WA. She came up to me when they were finished and I paid her. Pretty typical high school girl but very muscular. Guess she's off to college this fall.
I thought that was pretty cool.