The Wandering Disciple

When it comes to aerial skills of feat, there is no family more famous than the Wallendas. For generations, the Wallenda family has pushed the limits of tight rope walking over some of the world's most notable icons from Niagara Falls to the the Grand Canyon.  This is Sarasota's own Nik Wallenda practicing at Nathan Benderson Park in his hometown in 2014. He was preparing to walk between two skyscrapers in Chicago. Unlike most walks where the wire is level, this walk required the wire to be at a 15 degree angle so Nik replicated this at the park and practiced in front of his hometown audience.  Taken: October 9, 2014 at Nathan Benderson Park (Sarasota, FL)

High wire daredevil Nik Wallenda practices on the tight rope in 2014 as he prepared for a record setting blindfolded walk in Chicago. The Sarasota native practices in his hometown quite regularly when preparing for his breathtaking acts on the tight rope. (Photo: October 9, 2014)

Bello Nock enterains the hometown crowd during the 2016 season of Circus Sarasota. Bello, a native of Sarasota, was named the Clown of the Year by Time Magazine and takes his routine of comedy and aerial acrobatic to people across the globe.  (Photo: February 24, 2016)

Nik Wallenda practices for his latest high wire walk in which he will first cross the Chicago River at a 15 degree incline. From there he will cross between two buildings blindfolded. Wallenda practiced this walk daily in his hometown of Sarasota prior to departing for Chicago. Skyscaper Live will be aired lived tonight on the Discovery Channel. (Photo: October 11, 2014)

Sarasota, Florida: How can one top walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon? Well that is what Nik Wallenda is trying to do. The King of the High Wire has done it all, slowly pushing the bubble a little further. But after the Grand Canyon, it didn't seem like he could get any more daring. That was until he announced his latest walk. Wallenda is planning a two-stage challenge in the Windy City of Chicago. The first walk will be a a 15 degree incline walk across the Chicago River. From there he will then walk blindfolded from one tower to another. From the steepest incline he has ever walked to walking blindfold across the wire, this will be one of the most difficult walks he has accomplished. To prepare for this feat, Wallenda has been training in his home town of Sarasota. Every day, hundreds of visitors are coming to Nathan Benderson Park to watch Nik as he prepares for the dangerous walk. He will be training at the park for three week, practicing daily through O...

Sarasota native Nik Wallenda trains at Nathan Benderson Park for his upcoming high wire act in Chicago.  In November, Wallenda plans on walking across the Chicago River on a wire stretched between the Leo Barnett building and Marina Towers at a 15 degree incline.  From there he will then walk another wire stretched between the Marina Towers in which he will be blindfolded for that portion of the walk.  Wallenda will be practicing these walks at Nathan Benderson Park for the next three weeks.   Click here for more photos from the training session.  (Photo: October 9, 2014)