Grand Canyon tightrope crossing to air on Discovery

As a young boy, I was amazed by the Great Blondin. Blondin, a Frenchman, was famous for his tightrope walks, including crossing Niagara Gorge (near Niagara Falls) on a 1,100 foot tightrope that measured 3.25 inches in diameter and was 160 feet above the water. He completed this act a number of times, the first in 1859. Soon, just crossing on a tightrope was not enough - he had to raise the stakes, be with with a blindfold on, in a sack, on stilts, carrying his manager across his back, and even sitting down midway through to cook and eat an omelet.

The man known nowadays as "The King of the High Wire," Nik Wallenda, who crossed Niagara Falls in 2012 at 200 feet above the water, will raise his game to an unbelievable level when he crosses the Grand Canyon on June 23 a whopping 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River. Discovery Channel will air the crossing.

"Discovery Channel continues to bring some of television’s most talked about and historic live events of the year. From Felix Baumgartner setting the world record for highest skydive in Space Jump Live to this latest feat showcasing Nik Wallenda’s greatest challenge yet," said Eileen O’Neill, Discovery and TLC Networks group president. "The stakes don’t get much higher than this. The only thing that stands between me and the bottom of the canyon is a two-inch thick wire.  I’m looking forward to showing the audience a view of the canyon they’ve never seen before."

There is not enough money in the world to get me to do something like that. I will watch, however.