SEATTLE – I gripped the railing, took a deep breath and vowed to keep my breakfast down.
And that was just the elevator ride.
So when Marysville Fire Department Battalion Chief Martin McFalls offered to take me up to the roof of the Space Needle’s observation deck, I said no. No way.
Then I realized I’d never get the chance again. I had to try.
I almost gave up when I reached the top of the ladder to the roof. I was sure I was going to slide off, even though I was wearing a harness secured to an orange rope.
McFalls assured me I wouldn’t slip, and I didn’t. Clipped into a roof cable, we carefully inched our way around the sloped surface.
I held my breath every time the cable reached a metal divider. McFalls quickly unclipped my rope, then clipped it on the other side until we reached where the firefighters were training.
He and the other firefighters seemed as comfortable walking around atop the Needle as they are on the ground.
Snohomish County Fire District 7 firefighter Christian DiMonda even persuaded me to stand up and ease closer to the edge, a feat Herald photographer Michael Martina easily accomplished.
With my rope and harness securely holding my weight, I stood and walked out about a quarter of the way on the white roof to get a panoramic view of the Seattle skyline.
A float plane coasted by at eye level before landing on Lake Union. I had a perfect view of Mount Rainier, Capitol Hill and the entire waterfront. It felt like hours before I climbed back down.
But in about a half-hour, I was back on the elevator for the ride down. This time I kept my eyes open.
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