Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb!

Happy 30th birthday to me!  Tonight we went on the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb (go honeyfund!), and it was totally awesome!

We showed up at the bridge at 5pm for check-in, and man, do they have a whole setup operation in place.  We were scheduled in the 5:15 group, and they gave us jump suits to wear, and wind pants to help with the wind (they looked/felt like MC Hammer pants!).  We got these big climbing belts and a bag with a wind-proof fleece and a rain jacket (since there was a chance for rain) clipped to the belt.  We got these cable clips attached to our belts that we clipped to the cable attached to all the bridge walkways we used to get to the top. So, in short, we felt like we were auditioning for Ocean's 14 and that we were going to have to rope into someone's mansion and steal some valuable artwork or something.

We started our tour by clipping on to the bridge railing and walking the cat walk from the bridge base to the main bridge arch.  It's funny because the scariest part was that catwalk that was 50 feet above the ground, because we're walking along a catwalk that is basically thin metal hand rails and 2 planks of 8" x 1" wood.  Very rickety feeling, and it didn't bode well for the rest of the bridge climb.

However, once we wound through the bridge base on the catwalk and made it to the main arch, everything was fine.  The main arch has steps on it, and is solid steel that's as wide as a city bus, so you don't have to look down past your feet to the ground far far below.  We climbed up ladders from the bridge base through the roadway (there were cars going by at high speed only a few feet away on either side) and walked up the arch to the top.

Once we got on the main arch, the wind was incredible, probably a constant 20mph with gusts up to 40mph (thank god for the wind proof clothes)!  However, the views were spectacular!  I wish we could've taken our own camera up there, I would've taken 1000 pictures in the time we were up there.  The whole experience was awesome, the top of the bridge is 134 meters (that's like 450 feet!) above the harbor and at night, you can see Sydney lit up like a Christmas tree.

After the bridge climb, we went to dinner at Phillip's Foot in the Rocks, which is a cool restaurant that has you grill your own food on the barbeque.  The deck out back is awesome, it's kind of secluded in a courtyard and has some candle light and heaters to keep everyone warm.  After that, it was on to Copenhagen Creamery for some ice cream (Butterscotch and Honeycomb ice cream is the best ice cream ever!) for dessert.  Overall it was a good night, with some adventure and steak.  I couldn't ask for a better 30th birthday. . .

Scott