TAKING UP THE SLACK
Chico State Adventure Outings hosts a weekly slackline clinic
CHICO >> With the COVID-19 pandemic putting a hold on nearly all in-person activities at Chico State, Chico State Adventure Outings Program Director Jenna Walker was tasked with finding a way to serve students while leading a primarily outdoor program.
Once the “Wildcat Recreation Center 2.0” opened on Jan. 25, Walker and her team were determined to think of what activities they could offer at the university.
On Wednesday, Operations and Programs Coordinator with Adventure Outings Riley Cox led an hour long slacklining clinic at the Wildcat Recreation Center’s outdoor facility. The clinic was the first of its kind, and will run weekly from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday, pending holidays, Walker said. Students can sign up using their Chico State login on the Adventure Outings’ website https://as.csuchico. edu/index.php/adventureoutings/.
In addition to the weekly slacklining workshop, Adventure Outings will be hosting free one-time events such as how to wax your skis and snowboard from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday. All workshops require prior registration through the Adventure Outings website.
When students at the university for in-person instruction, Cox’s role is to manage the climbing wall at the gym, manage equipment rental and help with student development. With the pandemic limiting much of his duties, Cox has resorted to helping create virtual tours to places such as Yosemite and Mount Lassen, as well as curbside equipment rentals. When he heard of Walker’s idea to bring a slacklining clinic for students, he
offered to help lead it and even instruct.
“I sent ( Walker) a GIF of an excited baby,” Cox said after first finding out about the idea and texting the moving image. “I was stoked. Its a great way to get outside and interact with people.”
For Cox, who graduated Chico State in 2016, slacklining is something he began doing nine years ago in his backyard with his brother prior to his time as a student and later as an employee at Chico State. The two taught themselves everything they know after watching a neighbor and becoming intrigued. He said some weeks he is on his slackline seven days a week, and then some months go by where he doesn’t touch it — similar to riding a bike he said.
The hobby involves taking a flat strap similar to a ratchet strap tie down and tying it between two posts or trees. The line is suspended in the air and tightened, but left with enough slack to be flexible. It can bend and stretch several feet or even yards in any direction. Participants balance on the “slackline” and walk, jump or even do flips and other tricks all while balanced on the strap above the ground.
Cox continued sharing his passion when instructing Chico State sophomore Evan Berger and his girlfriend Kiersten Hufty at the first session Wednesday.
Berger has done two trips to Mount Lassen with Adventure Outings prior to Wednesday, and said he began slacklining once he arrived at Chico State. He and Hufty said they came out on Wednesday to possibly learn techniques as well as simply to associate with likeminded people.
“I went on the website because I like Adventure Outings, and I’m trying to do whatever I can even though its COVID related,” Berger said. “I found out about the slacklining, and I like slacklining and I like Adventure Outings so it was kind of a no brainer.”