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Not to be confused with Heavendome. I’m callin’ it, this is the largest
staircase in the entire universe. Some aliens eighteen billion light years
away may have a large one of their own, but I doubt it beats this. The stairs
go all along the perimeter of the dome, spiraling up from the surface until
you reach the zenith, which I’ll talk about when we hit that point in the
story. Let’s start with some stats. Each dome has an 83 kilometer diameter.
Ignore topographical variations. A line from one end to the opposite end
crossing through the exact center is 83 kilometers long. Since these domes are
hemispheric, that means the distance from the surface to the top is 41.5
kilometers. Again, ignore varied topography, like mountains and valleys. If
you were to climb a ladder from the bottom to the top, you would be climbing
41.5 kilometers. They’re considering including that as well for an even more
extreme test of your mettle, but I can’t review eventualities. It’s important
to note, though, because the spiral staircase is necessarily longer than the
total vertical distance, due to the tread length of each staircase, and the
length of the landings. There are 207,500 steps. Every 19th step is a landing,
which gives you a little room to stand when you need a break. Some of these
lead to pitstops, while others lead to full-on campgrounds for daily rest
periods. If you can’t make it to the next campground, they’re not going to let
you stay the night at a pitstop, so you best recognize your own physical
abilities before you even take the first step. You will go on practice hikes
before your trek—that’s what the surface is dedicated to—and this training
program takes about as long as the climb, so expect to dedicate two months of
your life to this adventure. There are no transhumanistic enhancements or
cybernetic upgrades here. You’re given a traditional human body between 1.5
and 2.1 meters tall with average muscles. You do get to choose your height,
and it can look like your residual self image, but don’t expect the
superkidneys, or the unidirectional respiratory systems that you’re used to. I
heard some complaints from people who didn’t understand the spirit of the
hike. If you don’t want to work, take an elevator. But not here, the periodic
exit elevators are only for people who had to quit in the middle. There’s no
judgment from me, by the way. You make it more than 50 flights, and I’ll say
you’ve accomplished something impressive. If you do make it the whole way, it
probably took about a month, covering a few kilometers each day. That may not
sound like much, but gravity hates you, and your fight with it will never end
until you beat it...or it beats you. Some will do it faster, others slower.
How you lived your life prior to this will impact your performance. When you
get uploaded into the new substrate, you don’t just end up on equal footing
with everyone else. If you were a mech before, you’re not gonna be used to the
energy expenditure. If you were mostly biological, it should be easier to
adapt to the new body. I met one climber who was born 24 years ago, and never
received any meaningful upgrades. Guy did it in two weeks. He works out
to stay fit, and pretty much always has. His experience was a major advantage.
10,922 flights for a total of 84.44 kilometers is a huge achievement whether
it takes you that month, or double that, and it comes with a reward. It’s a
party. Unlike other domes, there’s a nipple on the top, which is reached by
your last flight. You stay as long as you want, talking to other climbers,
comparing stories. Eat, drink, be merry. You’ve done something that few before
you have, and few will probably try in the future. I think I’m gonna keep this
body, keep working out, and see if I can do it faster next time. Good luck.
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