Slacklining: 'It's actually kind of peaceful'
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EUGENE, Ore. - The sight of a teenager balancing between two trees on a rope is bound to catch peoples attention. For Sheldon High School student Jackson Darland, however, this eye-catching activity it's just something to do.
"It's like trying to ride a unicycle," says Darland, "Or doing anything else kind of crazy. You learn how to do it and it's kind of an experience in and of itself."
The 17 year-old has been slacklining for a couple of years.
The daredevil-like activity requires a good amount of physical stamina, which is a plus for the competitive runner. However slacklining gives Darland more than just a good workout.
"It's actually kind of peacful once you get it," says Darland, "You kind of just relax and settle into the rope and you just kind of feel the balance inside yourself."
"It's a difficult thing to try and so a lot of times that turns people away," explains Darland, "but with a slackline what's really worth it is after you spend a lot of time and effort getting the hang of it ... I don't know it just feels really good."
