Ziplining Adventure - I'm Alive! I'm Alive!

 I'm alive, I'm alive!

(Aside: right now there's a kid outside playing a one-note horn over and over again...he may want to move a little further down the street if he wants to keep that horn ...and his head in one piece!...)

But I digress...I'm alive...I'm alive!

Yesterday we went on a ziplining adventure with six good friends. Here I am getting my equipment on - stunning aren't I?

 Let me tell you...we women fared a little better with the criss crossed gear between our legs - the men...

were decidedly more uncomfortable.....

 ...especially when their pulley got hauled way up to get clipped onto the cable!! Note Jeff's grimace of PAIN!!

There goes Tracey!! We had to learn where to put our hands (right over left) and how to apply the brake (right palm goes flat on the cable BEHIND the pulley to slow us down when coming in for a landing!), how to do a self-rescue if a lack of speed leaves us stranded in the middle of the cable between landings (never happened - there was PLENTY of speed to get us to each destination!) before we could get onto the ziplining course for REALS!!!

Rockin' Robin was a natural...

 Away she goes.....

 There's one of the two long suspension bridges we had to walk across...I'm not a fan of those wobbly swaying bridges but happily we were clipped on to a cable while walking across...

 The look of exhilaration!

It was a different way to see the forest...sometimes we were above the canopy (that's Lake Erie in the distance)...

 ...and sometimes we were below the canopy - here I come in for a landing - watch out!!

 Phew....made it! What a RUSH!!

 They don't call me "Jane of the jungle" for nothing!  It felt very natural swinging from tree to tree!

Here's what a platform looks like. Believe it or not it was easy to get used to being way up in the trees!

 We were always clipped onto something and we grew to trust our gear. Our two guides had us lean backwards off the platforms to develop that trust...gulp...

 It got easier with each "ZIP" and I became more relaxed as I zipped along and actually started to look around me and below me - a new perspective for sure.

 I can't wait to ZIP again :)

 The steel cables are very strong, each capable of holding several thousand pounds...

 so I guess it can hold me, no problem!

 Here comes Michael in for a landing!

 Together again...

 Rushing through the air, dependent on a pulley on a cable was definitely a new experience for us all.

I LOVED it!!

 YIKES!

 Relying on the cable above me - very thankful to be clipped on just in case the bridge flips me over!

 It wasn't so bad...

 Waiting my turn with great anticipation!

 Gathering together on the last platform...

 and a new adventure awaits each of us!!

 We each had to rappel to the ground from this final platform...

 There I am, hanging off the edge!! This was the scariest part for me - we had to edge our toes over the edge of the platform, put right foot over left and then pivot off the platform trying to keep our feet against the edge...then wait while our guide, Simon, took our bloody picture!!!  Then slowly release our tight grip to bring ourselves down, one at a time...

We did it!!  Great adventurers all!!
We had to sign waivers before ZIPPING vowing that we weren't under the influence of alcohol or drugs. But within minutes of getting back to the campsite we were all imbibing a cold one!! But what a thrill - we plan to make it an annual venture!