Je R'appel le Wit - or walking a city block: straight down

This is where you start . . .

click images for larger view

and there is where you're heading . . .

. . . until you finally get here.  Everybody applauds, they steady you on your feet, and you get to start breathing again.

About 100 hearty souls took this year's edition of Skyline Plunge! Chicago, rappelling down the 27 stories of theWit Hotel - the one the with the chartreuse thunderbolt - designed by architect Jackie Koo.  In its second year, the event was expected to raise over $100,000 for lung disease research, benefiting the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago.

I think the organizers may be missing a beat here.  Next year, they should rent out rooms along the plunge route as performance space, allowing less adventurous participants to take pictures, put on a performance or flash the plungers.  Think Redmoon meets spider man/woman.

Here's one participants journey from the heavens down to terra firm . . .