2. 2006

Chicago, IL

We got work in Chicago washing the Bahai Temple and stayed there three months.
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Kelsey gets low on a slackline in a park with Lake Michigan behind him.
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Kelsey gets low on a slackline in a park with Lake Michigan behind him.

IllinoisChicagoKelsey GraySlacklining2006

  • Our first week on the job was spent developing a system of spraying acid and pressure washing the white concrete dome of the Bahai Temple just north of Chicago in Wilmette, Illinois. We quickly determined that our protective gear wouldn't keep us dry, but the water we sprayed dilluted the acid enough to prevent harm. Our awesome boss Dave Hadden later bought us all some nicer gear that was a little easier to work with, but we were drenched from sunup to sundown. Left to right: Kelsey, Rob, and myself.
  • Each morning we'd get to the temple before the sun rose to beat the heat, and one of us would don a watertight acid suit, sealing all edges with layers of duct tape and smearing Vaseline on every bit of exposed skin. Then that guy would spray acid over a slice of the dome while on rappel, and we'd all jump in and begin pressure washing. On more than one occasion we cut Kelsey out of his acid suit and watched in a sort of awe as he dumped a full rubber boot of sweat onto the ground.
  • Chicago's "Bean" sculpture is one of downtown's main attractions, surrounded by crowds of tourists the whole length of the day.
  • Another of Chicago's landmark features, the Sears Tower, looms high on the skyline.
  • This sculpture was built by Pablo Picasso, so of course we had to climb it. There's some controversy over what it is supposed to be.
  • Kelsey gets low on a slackline in a park with Lake Michigan behind him.
  • Phil works the slackline in a park north of downtown.
  • We rigged a longer line in a park for an afternoon's entertainment away from work.
  • Working in a crew of climbers always leads to elevated activities of some sort.
  • Phil walks a short line on the sandy banks of Lake Michigan.
  • Kelsey waits for the subway in a three second exposure underground.
  • Work continues on the temple as the greyish color of age turns to a glistening white.
  • Mike takes a bit of a break from the work on the temple.
  • An evening on the town ends with watching the sunset from the rooftops above the Navy Pier.
  • We found a rooftop access that wasn't locked that led to a roof that was never occupied, so we hung out high above the crowds and bustle and just looked down on it all in peace and quiet.
  • A couple climbers stuck in the city find excitement wherever they can. Here, Kelsey walks a handrail over the railroad tracks.
  • The Lincoln Park Zoo is open to the public for free, offering an evening's entertainment walking around checking out the animals.
  • Chicago's heat drives Kelsey to drink big during working hours. We sweated gallons, so we had to replace gallons of fluid every day.
  • After a summer-long road trip living on dimes and quarters, Kelsey shells out exact change for a brand new laptop computer.
  • Sunlight slowly creeps over the horizon well after we start our workday.
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