Big news: I got to go UP!
Timings and spoons and everything worked out this month for flying at ROCO. We got there plenty early and got everything set up for the group and then two fly points, one strap and one pulley. We were trying to figure out the last time I got to fly, pre-pandemic, obviously, at the Space, probably. We didn’t do it much there, and the points weren’t Super High. The last Post I can find about a flying suspension is from 2017. Geez, has it really been that long?
Sidenote: We talked with folks about the Original Drum Tie with a carabiner in the crotch and how we switched to a strap. The Most Recent post tagged Suspension, was a sketch I did of that old drum tie carabiner and all, set in the old practice basement dungeon.
Anyway.
It has been a long time and my body has changed a LOT in that time (thanks, Pandemic). So, I decided face-up simple old chest and hip harnesses, like back in the old days was probably best. (He did his first suspension of the day that way, too, with a little bit of rope-burning fun with the tails.) Gotta work my way back up to face-down super-manning and sideways flight.
Stripped down to underwear and bra, there will be no overheating. Tight chest, remember deep breaths, keep your chest filling fully. Excited, but keep breathing. The familiar wraps and knots. Watching, remembering. Block the tails from hitting my face. The feel of it on my hips, just a little lower, tight around my thighs.
Up lines to the ring. Hold the chest lines. Ready? UP! He pulls and I lean back, and swing up into the air. Ow! Yep, it has been a long while. Hip rope is right on a ridge. Hold tight, ties off the legs and then runs a finger through the hip lines. Good enough. The 6mm hurts on my lower body these days, but it’s sustainable for getting to fly. I just want to fly, and beauty is pain.
I lay back into it as he starts swinging me. The chest feels great, pressure is all on the upper bands (always my preference). Just lay back and swing. A little bit of spin, I never can swing straight. And then a BIG push and the tummy flips and I am flying.
Wind rushing, legs pumping (ow), big grins and JOY. The joy of being free, held tight, but free flying through the air. Safe and yet so high and fast that the thrill still lifts your heart and soul. There’s nothing like it. Adrenaline and dopamine and just such a sharing of happiness with him.
Eventually my legs start hurting, calves begging for blood flow, and he brings me back to ground. So grateful. So worth it. The ropes start to come off and I block them a little less. Too high to care if the tails smack my face. Flex the legs, get them fed. All good. Chest felt great. None of my usual issues. Just great.
The ropes are off and I head back to the mat for water and to bliss for a bit as he starts his last tie of the afternoon. Flying is great, sharing flight with others even better. Others come down after class to get their flight on, too. It’s so good to have this space, these high points. Immediately looking forward to next time. It’s already motivated to add more exercise into my day, now if I can just sustain that motivation with all the events coming up, one after another. The community is back and picking up speed.
