Friday, February 26, 2010


We arrived at the site around 11:30. Hot, hot, hot. No wind off the ocean. Cactus, olive green shrubs, steel green guava plants and yellowed grass all around. The earth around here was reddish brown and speckled with rock, dry looking and dusty. At this point, all I have had to eat is a coffee and all I have had to drink is a coffee. I wasn’t thirsty or hungry yet but I had no idea how long this tour would take.

We all got off the bus, were fitted with harnesses and metal clips and ropes and straps. Sort of like a party at Sean’s. Everything was tightened up, then we were given gloves and a helmet secured atop our heads. We were told do not, repeat do NOT touch any of your equipment, get one of the qualified people to adjust anything.

I chatted with a nice couple from Calgary who were on a week vacation and offered to take pictures of couples who tried to do it alone and then we were all loaded into military style trucks,, all of us clinking and clanging as we sat down (though I think I was the only one who banged his helmet on the bar overhead.)

We were then driven along a narrow, deep rutted path of dirt up and down then UUUUP a steep hill to an area where we disembarked. I, being the photo goof, ran away from the group to get a picture of the next truck coming up but managed only a quick shot before I was politely yelled at to stop fucking around, amigo. Hahaha. Amazing what adding amigo will do to any sentence.

We all sat and listened to the specific instructions. Use one hand to hold onto the strap. Position the other hand behind you and rest your hand on the line but not too tight, just rest your hand on the line. Pull down when you want to slow. We will tell you when to pull down. If you pull down too soon or you grip the line too tight, you will not make it to the end. If that happens, you can pull yourself the rest of the way, or wave and yell and we will come to get you. Do not worry, amigos, it is all perfectly safe.

Very few faces registered relief at this.

We were then sorted into three groups. I was in the second.

To be honest, most of the people were not worried about the height or the zip line or falling off but getting stuck in the middle and looking like an idiot. Certainly that had ME worried. There was a lot of joking in the line-up before the first zip line, some bravado from a pair of guys who vowed to do the first one upside down and a woman in front of me who was actually shaking. Her husband tried to tell her it was safe but I think once we she saw the height and the distance, no amount of logic was going to convince her this was a good thing to do.

Not a single person backed out, though several joked they would. When I got to the landing, my heart was hammering in my chest. Fear of heights and fear of looking foolish can be powerful. But I was hooked up, my safety line secured, the operator asked if I was ok, and I said with as much confidence as I could muster, good to go!

And off I went.

2 comments:

  1. Woot! Zip lines are fun! I did the one at Grouse Mtn- best temporary cure for my fear of heights!I say temporary because I think it came back...

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  2. I meant to add- you look like one tough mofo in that pic...

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