New Year No Limits blog: Saturday at the Rio

— -- (Joe Tessitore and Mark Schlereth will host ESPN's New Year No Limits, Monday, Dec. 31, at 11:15 pm ET.)

"This is scary." That is really the first thought I had when I walked to the top of the dirt mountain Robbie Maddison is going to try and land on. Saturday was my first day at the Rio in Las Vegas where Maddison is set to be the focus of our New Year No Limits broadcast.

I didn't get here in time to see him arrive, but I did see him practice. The view I had from a 14th floor window overlooked the back of the property. All of a sudden I saw this bullet with a motocross rider on top streaming through the closed-off parking lot. He hit the 16-foot high ramp at easily 90 MPH and skyrocketed into the air.

The practice jump was only about 200 feet. The word "only" should never be used in describing any motorcycle jump. This gets me back to my original thought: This is really scary stuff. It's one thing to talk about Robbie Maddison jumping more than 310 feet; it's another thing to stand at the spot where he plans to do it and think about the 'what ifs'.

Early Saturday evening I had to videotape a few on-air segments for ABC's "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight." The top of the landing ramp was the spot chosen. Standing there makes you realize how dangerous this is. How one wrong move, one misjudgment of trajectory, one cross wind that blows in and Robbie will undoubtedly be hurt badly -- or even worse. The landing patch is thinner than I thought it would be. It's also steeper. To look at the follow through landing area I wonder if he will even be able to hit his brakes in time to avoid the back wall. Put attending a world-record setting motorcycle jump on the things you have to do as a sports fan in your lifetime. The venue alone will give you goose bumps

Robbie's practices went well according to all reports. There also was no wind to speak of. Still when you are at the jump site your mind plays games with you. You see just how far the jump is and wonder if he can do it. You see how high the landing ramp is and wonder if he will be able to control the bike.

On Monday, Maddo is going to push the ramp back farther and practice some more. Mark Schlereth, Jamie Little , Cam Steele and I are going to practice, too. Our broadcast is loaded and moves quickly, but as the four of us inch closer to this mega event, I can't help but feel that we will collectively start to lean toward one thought: What we are going to broadcast is very serious business. A young man is truly risking himself to make history in front of our eyes.

Just a few more highlights from Saturday at the Rio. The dirt mountain is painted with Red Bull logos on all three sides. It takes corporate sponsorship to whole new level. I saw a guy on a crane with a giant paint sprayer applying the finishing touches on the Red Bull logos. Only in Vegas.

Bill the shoe shine guy is brilliant. His shine stand is on the first floor of the Rio Casino and it is highly recommended to visit the old timer after you trash your Italian leather boots while climbing the dirt mountain landing ramp. I can shave in the reflection Bill spit polish into these kicks.