All zip lines feature the person hanging underneath, as they make their vertiginous journey, but Skiing Down The Wires is different because it offers the thrill of travelling in an upright position above the wires.

Here's how it works: for a start there are two wires placed parallel to each other a few feet apart. A pair of skiis sits on these wires with an articulated connecting bar joining them together and maintaining the space between them. Under each of the skiis is a lubricated, free moving roller bearing, through which the cables run. The skiis are therefore captured but capable of freely moving along the wires.

Below this arrangement is a streamlined hanging weight that acts like the keel on a yacht for increased stability of the person in motion.

On top of each ski are the boots into which the thrill seeker securely locks their feet, before crouching forward in position while they wait for the release of the retaining hook holding them at the top of the slope.

Once the journey has been triggered, they hurtle down the wires like a speed skier decending a straight slope, accelerating as they go, but with no risk of ever falling off due to the captive nature of the arrangement.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
-- xenzag, Feb 26 2021

A gentle failure mode https://www.google....mgrc=KK-bI4IofI1MKM
... when there's only one line. [pertinax, Feb 27 2021]

//no risk of ever falling off// You first
-- pocmloc, Feb 26 2021


It's impossible to fall from this arrangement as you will cheerfully verify by having the honour of being the first human champagne bottle, when you reach the breeze block wall constructed for the launch day halfway down.
-- xenzag, Feb 26 2021


"hurtle" [+]
-- whatrock, Feb 26 2021


(+) Where do I sign the waiver?
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 26 2021


Failure mode #1: one zip- line goes Boris Johnson, the other does not. Remind me, how heavy exactly was that hanging weight?
-- pertinax, Feb 27 2021


The skiis are completely superfluous. As long as you had enough tension and leverage to keep the boots upright, like with two points of bearing contact spaced far enough apart.

How exactly does one get off at the end?
-- RayfordSteele, Feb 27 2021


//How exactly does one get off at the end?// The same way as the other.
-- pocmloc, Feb 27 2021


//How exactly does one get off at the end?// In a puff of blue smoke.
-- xenzag, Feb 27 2021


whilst I am not this type of thrill seeker, some people might enjoy this! Have a thrilling bun+
-- xandram, Feb 27 2021


Wouldn't a long concave board, perpendicular to cables, and smaller weights(less cable strain) on the ends give a more dynamic, leaning from vertical, ride? Cable board connections being the same.
-- wjt, Mar 01 2021


This is about skiing, and you need skis for skiing.
-- xenzag, Mar 01 2021


Unless I have missed something, the skis aren't independently dynamic anyway. Have some faux skis stuck to the board, to call the cable skating 'skiing'.

With skis ,two attach points per ski and articulated bridge is needed.
-- wjt, Mar 02 2021



random, halfbakery