A Day in the Trees

I've always have had a little adventurous side to me.  I like to try new things that might be a little "risky" but yet I need to feel safe enough to give it a try.  A year ago our local paper's travel section wrote an article about a brand new ziplining course that was just about 1 1/2 hours away.  It sounded so cool and fun that my husband and I decided we were going to go as our anniversary trip and then one (or probably both-can't quite remember) of my kids got sick and that ended that opportunity.

Back in July we decided we wanted to attempted to do this again.  My niece and her husband offered to watch the kids overnight so we could go.  Bonus for us!  Then a week or so later my niece realized the timing wasn't going to work out for her.  We were slightly bummed.  Several weeks later I was talking with  a good friend of mine about how we wanted to go on this trip, yet we lost our "babysitter" and she says to me "hello - what about me?".  I guess I never considered her because I hated to put people out by asking them to watch my children so I can have fun.  She was so excited to have the opportunity and the kids were so excited to be able to have her hang out with them for 24 hours.  It couldn't get any better than that!  So we booked our trip to Mohican State Park and patiently waited for this weekend to arrive.

Saturday morning finally arrived and the kids were eager to lose Jon and I.  They gave us a quick hug and kiss and sent us on our way.  They were going to spend the day with my friend Maryjo and that's all they truly cared about!  I did not feel guilty leaving them because they wanted us to leave and I knew they were in great hands!

The directions said it would take 2 hours or so to get there - in reality it was about an hour and a half.  We drove through parts of the state of Ohio that I've never driven through before.  It was quite tranquil and a very enjoyable ride.  It reminded me of our honeymoon trip to Ireland with the farms and the cows and the narrow roads.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, although the temperature was very hot.  At 10am in the morning it was already 88 degrees on the ambient temperature reading on Jon's car.

My husband Jon!

We arrived at our destination, Tree Frog Canopy Tours, about 45 minutes early.  Which was great - gave us enough time to get a lay of the land and to spray down with bug spray and lotion up with sunscreen - and to have that last minute potty break before getting suited up with gear, our life lines, for the next 3 hours.

The "gear" we get suited up with before ziplining.

Our guide Missy, suiting me up

It seems like a lot of gear but it really is necessary and once you get "hooked" up to the line it all seems to make sense and you certainly are glad and relieved that you are wearing such armor!  Don't mind the sweaty pits I'm sporting.  By the time we were getting suited up, the temperature was well into the mid-90s and the humidity was so thick you needed a buzz saw to cut through it.

Jon & I all suited up.

Nine of us, 7 "trainees" and 2 guides, hopped into a "jeep" and made our way up a hill to the beginning of the zipline tour.

Our first plan of action was to learn the "ropes".  We attended "flight school" as they call it.  The guides taught us how to "zip" properly, how to "stop" and how to "self-rescue".  Piece of cake once you got use to it.

I wasn't really nervous about zip-lining.  It has been something I wanted to try for a while now.  However, saying that does not mean I didn't have a healthy respect for being tethered to a wire by a simple connection and harness.  I did make sure that I took my 1/2 zoloft tablet before I left, so I'm sure that helped with the "jitters".  I also didn't "go first" on the first trip down the zip-line - if that says anything!

Me, zipping on the first of 7 lines.
This was also the shortest and slowest of zips.

I didn't realize how internally nervous I was until I landed on the first platform after zipping about 60-70 feet.  When I reached the platform and was unhooked and rehooked to the "safety" area, I noticed my legs were shaking involuntarily.  That was really a weird feeling.

The zip routes would get progressively more challenging as we went.  Some were longer, some were shorter, some were 60 feet off the ground and one had you up so high you were above the trees looking down over the valley, it was gorgeous.  The last zip was really long and very fast, 45-50 mph fast.  I could feel my cheeks flailing the faster I went.  They designed the route in such a way that you progressively worked your way up to the next challenge.

Jon zipping.

Jon zipping.

Me zipping.

Me zipping

By the time you were at the end of the "tour" you felt confident!  Ok, maybe confident wasn't the right words to use for me, but I had shed my fear until probably the last 250 feet of the last zip line when I started zipping side ways about 100 degrees from center (or from heading straight-on) and nearly gave myself a rope burn because I was trying so hard to re-correct my form with my left wrist like I was supposed to, only I didn't quite have the strength to keep myself from going off center.  I started slowing down and my legs were flailing, I was laughing so hard, not thinking that I was probably a good 80-100 feet off the ground - I was only worried about the fact that if I stopped completely I had to "self-rescue" myself to the platform that was 250 feet away, and well, that would have been a lot of work for my very "weak" upper body and arms.  By some stroke of luck, I managed to correct myself about 50 feet from the platform and the guide grabbed my legs and had me standing on the platform safely.  All the while, I was laughing myself silly.

The tour included 7 different zip lines, and I can't remember the distance each one was, and I can honestly tell you it doesn't matter how long or how high up in the air you are - you still, no matter what, are reliant on the expertise of your guides and the security of the gear you are wearing.  In addition to the zip lines we got to walk on two "rope" bridges that would sway back and forth ....

Longest rope bridge.

and two repels from platforms 50 feet and 60 feet above the ground.  The repel was where my fear laid.  It wasn't the height or the fact that I'm hanging by a rope 50 to 60 feet above the ground, I was afraid I didn't have the proper upper body strength to be able to repel.  I have to say, it was a piece of cake and I feel so silly now being even remotely worried about it in the first place.

Me repelling down 50 feet to the ground.

Me at the bottom of the 60 foot repel.

We had such a wonderful time.  I'd do it again in a heartbeat.  We spoke with the owner of the Frog Canopy Tours http://treefrogcanopytours.com/ and found out how extensive the training is for their guides, after the fact of course! We learned about the safety precautions that were taken with the design of the course, as well as, with each guided tour.  He was proud of his "tour" which he should be.  We also found out talking to our guide that the oldest person to zip line on this particular tour was an 87 year old woman, and her next adventure on her bucket list was bungy-jumping.  Got to love that lady!

We had a great time and in no way shape or form felt unsafe.  The guides were great at calming any nerves and made sure we all had fun, and that we did - WE HAD A BLAST!