![]() “We’re working on them coming out this year and giving a workshop on the history and ecosystem of the area.” “Last year the BLM rangers came out every day to check on things. But Walsh says Slackline is working closely with the BLM. Slackline US counted 265 attendees, while the Bureau of Land Management estimated 450 participants. It’s unclear just how many folks were at last year’s gathering. As always, everyone will be required to wear a harness and have someone check their knots before they venture out. That’s so newbies can feel more confident stepping into the air for the first time. Of the many more lines - and a much bigger spacenet - stretched across the canyon, two will have double-rope systems. In addition to yoga, GGBY will have classes for beginner slackliners every day of the event. Part of the ticket price - $40 for one day, with the five-day pass going for $150 - will go into paying for the additional amenities. GGBY is also accepting applications to volunteer in various areas. This year, paid shuttle drivers will bring in event-goers in from parking lots, while more porta-potties and groover toilets will be at the campsites. In a statement to Matador Network, Jennifer Jones, the Moab Bureau of Land Management assistant field manager for recreation, said that Slackline US’ “proactive efforts resulted in noticeable improvements in reducing impacts to vegetation and soils in the area, and addressing issues like sanitation, parking, and dispersed camping impacts.” The gathering even has insurance - albeit only for spectators, not participants. Slackline US and the GGBY organizing committee created teams focused on parking, waste management, and health, among other issues. “We did it to continue the spirit of the festival, because it’s a big part of our community, to go to the next level… and to be responsive to the environmental impact,” said Walsh. The extra attention was because last year, on its 10th anniversary, GGBY became an “official” event for the first time, registered with the Bureau of Land Management. ![]() The spacenet was set up in part by pro-slackliner Andy Lewis, who, along with others, helped rig the event’s highlines and re-bolted older ones. ![]() A video of the event quickly went viral, attracting over a million views. As a result, Slackline is putting even more energy into education, the environment, and safety, he said.Ī big reason for the surge in interest was last year’s “spacenet wedding,” a marriage ceremony held atop a web of cables 400 feet above the ground. “We’re expecting a lot more people this year,” Dan Walsh, president of GGBY organizer Slackline US, told Matador. (GGBY stands for Gobble Gobble Bitches Yeah but beyond the fact that turkeys gobble, the name’s origins are murky.) From November 19th to 23rd, 2018, the annual GGBY event will bring together slackliners from around the world for workshops, campfires, and the main focus, highlining - or, better said, ultra-highlining. ![]()
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