Zip Lines

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 6:41 pm

I'd like to build a zip line from a twenty foot tower I'm building out onto open playa.

What do you think would be the best thing to anchor the other side of the line to? Like a big pole or something?

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:24 pm

Put a 20 foot tower on both ends with a line from the top of each. Then you can zip back and forth or have a person go from each end at once and whiz by each other mid-air. (since you asked!)

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:02 am

Shinxy wrote:I'd like to build a zip line from a twenty foot tower I'm building out onto open playa.

What do you think would be the best thing to anchor the other side of the line to? Like a big pole or something?

Car trailer hitch?

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:39 am

Of course you know you'll need to flag that playa end for night visibility....Don't want to literally clothesline people! And don't forget something soft(er) for those who land hard. Just tripping and falling (or passing out) onto the playa is pretty jarring! How about a sign that says, "have you read the back of your ticket lately?".

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 7:34 pm

When one of my lovely assistants zoomed down a zip line last year, she was welcomed by a big, soft mattress attached to a +/- 7' vertical wall. Not sure what the wall was braced with, but I’m assuming some sort of 45 degree 2X4 structure. And there were mattresses to fall onto also, laid out on the ground. You can really pick up some speed on one of those things, man.

Oh, and the handle had a rope tied to it, so as to let the person who just went down give it a sling back up to the next in line.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:39 am

That sounds like fun, mattress crash and all! This year I'm going to do playa research on zip lines so as to finally either install or bail on a long line downhill from our second-floor balcony to the pool.....It's pretty far, though. Maybe a monorail, instead. Just have to build it while the wife's at work.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:59 am

You may want to try this at home first. If not already familiar, you may want to brush up on simple physics (statics/dynamics) to get an appreciation for the forces that you will create on the anchors of a zip-line like this. They are much greater than the weight of the person on the line. The tighter the line, the greater the multiplier effect (a tighter line also makes for a quicker ride, followed by a more sudden stop!). Your structure needs to be able to withstand a lateral force (at the top), without buckling or toppling over, of several thousand pounds (be sure to include a safety factor of at least 5x, 10x is better). Also keep in mind that people WILL fall off or let go early (plan accordingly, a 20' drop onto the Playa is not fun), and that people WILL try to climb it if you are not there to prevent it. Also, remember the potential for 70+mph winds and the wind loading on a tower...(especially if it is covered in signs, etc!).

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:34 am

I'd have to dig for it. But I have some good pics of the Zip last year. It had a hell of a base to hold a bunch of people climbing up and waiting. I was a long way off while shooting then drew in with the range finder. I waited for a guy to be in mid air to take one pic. Zoomed in to much and got a lens full of hairy balls.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:49 pm

One interesting factoid from observing a zip line a few years ago:

The zipline was built using construction scaffolding as the "high" tower. The lower tower was made out of something else (forget now). Anyway, at the end of the zipline were two mattresses. One was placed vertically protecting the rider from smashing into the lower tower the other was set up as a "drop pad" the idea was to let go just before you hit the tower and land on the "drop pad". I sat and watched about a dozen people do just that. Then someone decided that they would hit the vertical mattress and then land on the drop pad. Bad idea! They ended up hitting the vertical mattress so hard that they "bounced" backwards totally missing the "drop pad" mattress and landing flat on his back and was picked up by an ambulance. Not sure if he broke his back or what, but it looked to me like he did. OUCH!

#john408 · Post by **#john408** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:12 pm

OK-it's BM04 and my wife and I are merrily riding the neighborhood on our Playa Bikes when we stubble across Naked Zip Line day. She looks at me and says "I'm in if you are!" So we give it a go. The only topper to that event was - for her riding in Critical Tits and for me Serving and honoring women at the Critical Tits Party.
Back to the Zip Line...being macho it was ok to slam into the mattress at the end of the line and drop onto the mattress on the ground. My wife hit a little harder- shaken not stirred but still ok. The next day my wife and several of her other camp girlfriends did the naked zip line. One smashed too hard at the end, fell and dislocated her shoulder.
Moral...those making the zip line need more padding at the end, or some kind of uphill decelerator. Those using the zip, should have fun, but be prepared for the crash at the end. So would we do it again. HELL YES!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:35 am

Chai Guy wrote: Then someone decided that they would hit the vertical mattress and then land on the drop pad. Bad idea! They ended up hitting the vertical mattress so hard that they "bounced" backwards totally missing the "drop pad" mattress and landing flat on his back and was picked up by an ambulance. Not sure if he broke his back or what, but it looked to me like he did. OUCH!

I worked a fall from a zip line as a medic in 03. Party was probably not permanently injure self, but made a trip to REMSA. Those things scare me.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:50 am

A few years ago at the event:

My Girlfriend: "Hey Look, a roller-coaster, let's go ride it!"

Me: "Sweetie, that's a roller-coaster, at BURNINGMAN..."

My Girlfriend: "Oh, shit, I forgot, sorry."

By the way this wasn't the really cool black spinning one on the Esplanade last year (and the year before) but rather one just off the Esplanade a few years ago made from wood that resembled a boat or log flume ride.

Read Your Ticket.

MissNev · Post by **MissNev** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:46 pm

I remember that roller coaster, Chai Guy. They were camped right behind us. We waited all week for them to get it running. When it was finally running, and after watching it for a bit, only one person from our camp was brave enough to give it a go. I like the reminder that this is a roller coaster...AT BURNING MAN.

Very good point.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:12 am

With all warnings in mind, I am proud to announce what may be the first PLAYA LUGE. So far, I have been unable to seriously injure myself on it during testing.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:17 am

robotland wrote:With all warnings in mind, I am proud to announce what may be the first PLAYA LUGE. So far, I have been unable to seriously injure myself on it during testing.

~
Bet your mother told not to jump off the roof too.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:34 am

Chai Guy wrote:...but rather one just off the Esplanade a few years ago made from wood that resembled a boat or log flume ride.

Read Your Ticket.

If it is the one I remember just down the street from us, they had significant issues with the design - the first few test runs (with sandbags for weight) ended up with the cart leaving the track and crashing onto the ground. That was when I decided to stick to safer camps (like Thunderdome!)

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 8:01 am

unjonharley wrote:
robotland wrote:With all warnings in mind, I am proud to announce what may be the first PLAYA LUGE. So far, I have been unable to seriously injure myself on it during testing.

~
Bet your mother told not to jump off the roof too.

Nope...she was up there with me!

Zip Lines

Zip Lines

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