The Great Luge of China

After huffing and puffing her way up the Great Wall of China, the Author was delighted and surprised to find an alternative route back down: a luge. Her companion decided that it didn’t look quite up to safety code and chose to walk back down.

The Author, however, was thrilled at the prospect of speeding down a UNESCO World Heritage site on a chunk of plastic. The brake in the middle of the seat is the only way to control your momentum as you descend from 25 feet on a winding metal track.

The Great Luge of China lived up to the Author’s expectations. She waited until the riders ahead of her were out of sight so she could build up as much speed as possible – a decision that she slightly regretted as she wildly rounded a hairpin turn. But she survived! And what fun it was!

The Luge can be found at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is about two hours from Beijing and much less tourist-y than other areas.

Readers may recall the trash can disguised as a tree trunk, also encountered at this section of the Great Wall.

The Great Luge, 2012