Archive for the ‘Adventure’ Category
Summer stampede stalls to a stroll
I’ve always had a thing for the circus. The color, the characters, the daring feats all mesmerize me. There’s something about the nomad lifestyle that calls to me. I realize it’s fantasy, a dreamlike production, that makes fulfilling the wanderlust so appealing to me. If I was part of the circus machine, I know the sheen would quickly fade, revealing the monotony of daily life.
Photo credit: Lone Star Circus School
I’ve done the flying trapeze, and loved it. What a rush. I got my circus fix for a second time by taking an aerial silk classes at the Lone Star Circus School. Who knew an aerobatic wonderland existed in a warehouse in the middle of Dallas? (well, in a suburb called Farmer’s Branch)
Amidst the trampolines, rings and raucous kids, hang hefty aerial silks (also called ribbons and tissues) in blues, reds and whites. Each is a unique two-way stretch polyester lycra, with different width, length and stretch. I watched the various class participants twist themselves amongst the fabric, engulfed in a childlike freedom.
My instructor Kelly Shea, instructor and Lone Star Circus performer patiently explained each move. A former ballerina and swimmer, Shea easily demonstrated each step, and gave positive critiques.
Some aerial silk tricks we practiced:
- climbing
- double tour
- egg
- handstand
- backpack
- arabesque
- starfish in the loop
And here’s a glossary of acrobatic terms. Check out the pros here.
Lone Star Circus School's Founder and Creative Director Fanny Kerwich
Eighth generation circus has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa, Russia, Canada, India, South America and the Caribbean. She founded the school in 2006.
The best part of aerial silk class was losing inhibitions, and getting a workout that didn’t involve a treadmill. Talk about a whole body workout. My muscles are sore two days later; Shea credited my decent performance with my gymnastics background.
I have to admit upside down handstands and arabesque do wonders for the ego, and gave me that graceful, circusy feeling. I’d trade aerial silk acrobatics to burn calories and develop a strong core to a sanitized gym any day.
Who knows, maybe my Water for Elephants moment is yet to come.
Photo Credit: National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel and a team of scientists, engineers, and two world-class balloon pilots successfully launched a 16′ X 16′ house 18′ tall with 300 8′ colored weather balloons from a private airfield east of Los Angeles, and set a new world record for the largest balloon cluster flight ever attempted. The entire experimental aircraft was more than 10 stories high, reached an altitude of over 10,000 feet, and flew for approximately one hour.
Pretty cool.
Am I the only person who hasn’t heard about a zedonk?
I find this word highly entertaining, and am attempting to insert it into my everyday vernacular. My husband is finding it highly annoying. Mission accomplished!
You should check out this little wildlife refuge gem.
This 126-acre educational park houses roughly 130 animals. During our visit we saw an albino Eastern grey baby kangaroo named Lolli, a two-toed sloth, lemurs galore, a pot bellied pig, zebras, a porcupine named Pooka, a rare blue-eyed camel and of course, the ZEDONK!
Check them out on World’s Dirtiest Jobs! (*Spoiler alert: The host, Mike Roe, gets nipped by a lemur!*)
And now for a few gratuitous family photos at the wildlife ranch.
Zedonk, all!
Now get out there and have an adventure.