My introduction to ziplines – or canopy tours as they are sometimes known – was when i went home to visit my parents this past June. I always look forward to going home; it’s such complete relaxation. (And nobody ever cooks as good as Mom, eh?) This year they had a surprise for me – tickets for a zipline tour with Adventures Unlimited. My parents understand my addiction to adventure – i get it naturally from my Dad. So we headed out one cloudy morning to “get our glide on.” The weather in Florida is always top priority. Only place i know where the Weather Channel is the first thing on in the morning and talk about the weather is serious business and not just idle chatter. As we drove out, we kept a close eye on the clouds and calculated (the very scientific – one, one thousand, two, one thousand,…) how far the rumbles of thunder were. Recently meteorologists counted 8,000 lightning strikes in one afternoon alone. And here we were going to be above the trees. Yup. Having an adventurous spirit means taking calculated risks and rolling with the outcome. (See Note)
The ziplines at Adventures Unlimited are new, just completed this past spring, and are impressive in their overall details to safety. I worked in construction safety for a number of years and i was very happy to see the rig they used for their lines. Everything is brand new and rated. Our guides were knowledgeable and clear in their demonstration in how to zipline safely. Adventures Unlimited puts safety first with fun a very close second. That’s how it should be.
The sprinkling of rain had stopped as did the thunder, so after a short trial zip to make sure we understood how to brake and land, my Dad and i climbed the next platform, hit the lines, and flew across NW Florida like low flying gliders. Whoo-hoo! There’s something about zipping over trees that makes you giddy – a human bird. I laughed. Crazy fun with just the right amount of scary. Dad – ever the perfectionist – worked on getting the braking and timing down so he could land effortlessly on the platform. After a little good-natured teasing, he was doing scissor kicks and “running” as he flew through the air. Good times with my Dad. No amount of money could compare with that.
Our guides were not only great zippers but knew the local history and wildlife as well. We were challenged as we crossed one of the many creeks to see how many turtles we could spot. Spotting a turtle was considered good luck in their book. We had a “one turtle day.” In other words – a great day indeed! It took approximately 2 hours to do 8 lines; we were breathlessly happy by the time we finished. It’s sharing experiences like this with my Dad that make every moment memorable.
Recently i had a thought – wouldn’t it be cool if we could zipline across America? From the Atlantic to the Pacific – zipping through spacious skies and amber waves of grain, purple mountain majesties, and above the fruited planes – zipping across America the Beautiful without ever touching the ground! That makes me super excited just thinking about it! What a rush!
Seriously, zipline tours are easy to do, very popular, and popping up just about everywhere. So no excuse. Try it out with friends or family and share the adventure. You won’t regret it!
Links to Zipline Adventures and Info
Another Blog with good info on ziplines and their history
http://www.arbortrek.com/blog/index.html
Heavenly Resort ziplines, Lake Tahoe, CA – reportedly the longest zipline in the lower 48
http://www.skiheavenly.com/activitiesdetail/Heav+-+Heavenly+Flyer.axd
Adventures Unlimited, FL
http://www.adventuresunlimited.com/canopy-zip-line.php
Alaska Zip
http://www.alaskazip.com/
Tahiti, Fiji, and New Zealand
http://www.wildernessventures.com/international-adventure/tahiti-fuji-new-zealand/
Ziplines across the World
http://www.ziplinerider.com/Zipline_Locations.html
Note – Florida has the highest rate of lightning strikes in the US, which also corresponds to the highest death rate by lightning. If you are going to be outside, err on the side of caution.
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