Mastodawn

Clayton Jan 25

Watching how long it’ll take to climb Taipei 101

#SkyscraperLive #freesolo

Show thread

Clayton

It was crazy seeing him stand in the top of the sky scraper!

Show thread

R.L. Dane

Who??

@rl_dane Alex Honnold. He’s a free solo climber who got famous first for his climb of El Capitan in Yosemite park a few years ago.

Climbed the entire building and mountain face without ropes.

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 25

@clayton @rl_dane

Wait, if I interpreted your tag right, he just climbed Taipei 101?? Crazy. Malaysia has a taller tower now (Merdeka 118), but that's still insane.

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 25

@clayton @rl_dane

Wow, insane. https://apnews.com/article/alex-honnold-taipei-101-solo-climb-netflix-cfe8960237290086cdee581075056fbf

American rock climber ascends Taipei 101 without any ropes

American rock climber Alex Honnold has ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper without any ropes or protective equipment. Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as he reached the top of the spire of the 1,667-foot tower about 90 minutes after he started on Sunday. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, he waved his arms back and forth over his head. Honnold's free solo climb of the iconic building in Taiwan's capital was being broadcast live on Netflix. The ascent was delayed for 24 hours due to rain.

AP News

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 25

@clayton @rl_dane

(in case RL isn't aware of the convention; the number at the end of those building names is the number of stories tall)

Ah, I was thinking it was meters. Stories is definitely better, assuming 10ft/story. :D

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 25

@rl_dane @clayton

Yes, Merdeka 118 is the second tallest building in the world. Taipei 101 used to be the tallest, before the Burj Khalifa was built.

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 25

@rl_dane @clayton

the Burj Khalifa

I've been at the base of it, btw. Can confirm, is tall.

I remember when the #SearsTower held that title for a really long time. :D

That's a sweet building.

Show thread

Corvus Jan 25

@rl_dane @amin @clayton

Got kicked out of the Sears Tower for panhandling when I was 20ish. My friend and I were actually selling friendship bracelets that we had purchased in Guatemala, hoping to afford a loaf of bread and some Balogna. At least we were smart enough to spend the last of our money on bus tickets in Mexico City so we had a ride home.

@corvus @amin @clayton

Dang, I bet you've got some amazing stories to share.

Autobio when? :)

Show thread

Corvus Jan 25

@rl_dane @amin @clayton

Already gave you my best story!

Now an exciting winter evening is making soup and watching curling.

@corvus @amin @clayton

Ah, fun! My sister started a curling club in Vegas. :)

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 26

@rl_dane @clayton

The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, also held that title, from 1996 to 2004. It was Taipei 101 that took the title. :)

They're still the tallest twin skyscrapers, at 88 stories, 451.9 meters (1,483 feet).

I remember, they were the setting for a Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones movie.

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 26

@rl_dane @clayton

Interesting, the Sears Tower is 110 stories but only 441.3 meters tall. Shorter stories in the US, I guess?

That's 13.15 feet per story, though. I thought 10 was normal, but maybe that's for smaller buildings.

Also, there's a huge question of habitable vs. uninhabitable space with the Sears tower. They added big spire at some point.

Show thread

Amin, minor deity of the legume realm Jan 26

@rl_dane @clayton

Yeah, looks like the current standards of measuring which is tallest came about after debate over whether Sears Tower or the Petronas Towers were taller.

Yes, IIRC the Sears Tower added on a spire after the Petronas Tower was complete in order to wrest the title back. I don't know if they were successful.

Dang, that's nuts!