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Today’s story certainly fits the last as we are coming to you from a remote location in the Arizona desert familiar to many – the Grand Canyon.
What does one of America’s most breathtaking and death-defying locations have to do with electrical construction?
No, the NECA/IBEW team isn’t building a cliff-side power plant, high-rise or hospital.
But, in just a few days, daredevil Nik Wallenda – holder of 7 world records – will attempt his eighth, right here, or should I say out there, by tight-rope walking across the grand canyon.
NECA contractor O’Connell Electric and its IBEW workforce will be tasked with perhaps the most important job of all: making sure the tightrope itself is safely tethered to the earth while Nik isn’t.
That work – done by the best high-tension linemen in the world – begins soon, and we’ll document it for you right here on ETV.
But first, Nik has been busy practicing for this event.
Matthew Walton of our sister site IBEW Hour Power recently caught up with Nik at his Sarasota, Florida training grounds, to ‘talk the walk’ and his confidence in the NECA/IBEW team.
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“Thanks Dom, you’re right. More than 2200 miles away, here in the heat of central Florida, is Nik Wallenda’s home, the place where he’s been practicing. Let’s go now and talk to him and find out what he’s been working on to ensure that his walk at the Grand Canyon is a success.”
Nik Wallenda
“I’ve walked the wire since I was 2 years old. So I’m very accustomed and comfortable walking the wire. At this point in the game, it’s more mental than anything.”
“This wire is rigged at about 1,000 feet long. Grand Canyon will be about 1,400 feet long. You’ll have the same movement. We’ve tensioned it to about 70,000 pounds. And the reason is we’re trying to replicate what the wire will move like as I’m walking across the canyon.”
“I have that balancing bar which weighs about 40 pounds and it’s about 30 feet long in my hands, and as I feel a movement, instead of just a little adjustment, as you’ll see me doing rehearsal, I’ll make a huge adjustment because again, your mind, goes, wait this is a big deal. You better be careful.”
“When you’ve done something your entire life, it becomes very normal. It actually becomes dangerous because I’ve become so complacent up there, it’s so normal. My great grandfather said it best – he said, ‘Life is on the wire, and everything else is just waiting.’”
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“Tell me about you relationship with you and the O’Connell Electric guys.”
Nik Wallenda
“We know these guys, the guys from O’Connell Electric, we have experience with them, they did the Niagara rigging. They proved themselves last time, did an incredible job, and they are, truly, IBEW, the best of the best at what they do.”
“I’m trusting these guys, in a sense, with my life. It’s very important that everything is done properly, that everything is inspected properly, and to be honest that the entire crew is safe the entire time, throughout the entire process as well.”
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“Perfect, let’s get you on the wire.”
Nik Wallenda
“You can see how it sort of dances under my feet. When you’re up high, 1500 feet up, it’s a total different ball game mentally.”
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“That cable isn’t messing around. What’s it weight?”
Nik Wallenda
“The reason we use such a large cable is because it weighs about 8 pounds, almost 9 pounds a foot. And the weight of the cable itself is what is helping stabilize it.”
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“What are you thinking while you are up there?”
Nik Wallenda
“Don’t fall.”
Matthew Walton, IBEW Hour Power
“People might think you’re crazy. Why are you doing this?”
Nik Wallenda
“I have passion for what I do. I love what I do. And I hope that what I do inspires people and encourages people that what seems impossible isn’t always impossible if you set your mind to it, if you train hard enough and are willing to work at it.”
Thanks guys. A lifetime of training and dedication to safety makes Nik’s world records possible.
Be sure to tune into the walk, aired live on Discovery, June 23 in prime time.
And after, we’ll see you right here on ETV for all of the work leading up to Nik walking the line into the record books once again.