K: At some point during the trip, Viggo said, "Hey, you know, we have to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge (SHB)." I had no idea what he was talking about and that even climbing a bridge was possible.
Built in 1932, the SHB is the world's largest steel arch bridge. The BridgeClimb began in 1998, and, as far as I can tell, is an enormous cash cow. A private company runs climbs in groups of up to 14 people, every 5 minutes, about 363 days a year. In the peak season there are up to 1,500 climbers per day. At $200 per climb, it appears to be a pretty profitable business.
It took more than 1o years to solve the logistical problems, and the company seems to have thought of everything. After a short briefing, a breathalyzer test is administered and waivers are signed.
Next up -- clothing and accessories. First, a sleek gray jumpsuit is donned so that motorists don't get distracted by climbers on the bridge spans. Second, hats, hankies, radios and headsets are all attached to your suit by hooks. And, finally, the belt and tether that will ultimately attach you to the bridge are slipped on.
The climb really isn't as daunting as it may seem. The first leg takes you beneath the roadway to just beneath where the arch begins. From there, it is a series of four vertical ladders scaled literally through two lanes of traffic to get onto the arch. Once on the arch, the climb really begins.
Climbing the arch is truly awesome. You are on the edge of the bridge, literally ascending over the Sydney Harbour with stunning views in a 360-degree panorama. Once reaching the summit (135 meters above the water) of the bridge, you traverse across the top of the arch to descend on the other side.
The experience was almost magical with unforgettable views. And now we are trying to figure out how to capitalize on this tremendous business back in the states . . . Ben Franklin Bridge, here we come.
V: Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland, New Zealand, are the three cities with official bridge climbs, in the world, as far as I know. And it seems to be a money-making proposition.
There must be some bridge in the Philadelphia / Delaware River Valley area that can be climbed, officially. Now that's a business I'd like to get into.
It was great to scale the arch. I had a great time going up--woo hoo! Absolutely worth it, and it is truly easier than you would think.
I think anyone could do it. And a great example is the Englishman who scaled with us, Gerald, who had tried to do it four years ago, but basically froze, and did not do the climb. He came back, flew to Sydney from London, with this climb as his primary reason for the trip, and did it this time, in our group. We were all so proud of him, we gave him a special cheer atop the bridge! And Gerald is about 70 years YOUNG, my friends!
You get to Sydney, do consider this activity! It was great!
The climb really isn't as daunting as it may seem. The first leg takes you beneath the roadway to just beneath where the arch begins. From there, it is a series of four vertical ladders scaled literally through two lanes of traffic to get onto the arch. Once on the arch, the climb really begins.
Climbing the arch is truly awesome. You are on the edge of the bridge, literally ascending over the Sydney Harbour with stunning views in a 360-degree panorama. Once reaching the summit (135 meters above the water) of the bridge, you traverse across the top of the arch to descend on the other side.
The experience was almost magical with unforgettable views. And now we are trying to figure out how to capitalize on this tremendous business back in the states . . . Ben Franklin Bridge, here we come.
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V: Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland, New Zealand, are the three cities with official bridge climbs, in the world, as far as I know. And it seems to be a money-making proposition.
There must be some bridge in the Philadelphia / Delaware River Valley area that can be climbed, officially. Now that's a business I'd like to get into.
It was great to scale the arch. I had a great time going up--woo hoo! Absolutely worth it, and it is truly easier than you would think.
I think anyone could do it. And a great example is the Englishman who scaled with us, Gerald, who had tried to do it four years ago, but basically froze, and did not do the climb. He came back, flew to Sydney from London, with this climb as his primary reason for the trip, and did it this time, in our group. We were all so proud of him, we gave him a special cheer atop the bridge! And Gerald is about 70 years YOUNG, my friends!
You get to Sydney, do consider this activity! It was great!
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