Wednesday, September 9, 2015

There's always something to do

Members of the local Harley Owners Group made plans to ride down to Seward, Alaska, to do the canopy zip line that is located there.  The same people have this one that have the one in Talkeetna.  A friend and I did the one in Talkeetna a few years ago and had a ball.  We all figured this one would be no exception.

A group of us headed south to Seward and included some who were going down to have lunch and then return to Anchorage.  But there were a few of us hearty souls who would brave the height, the suspension bridges and the rappel.  There were some who have a fear of heights, and this would be a test of that fear.

We arrived at the designated location and were taken via a van to another location outside of town where a much rougher type of vehicle awaited us. But first, we had to get geared up, harnessed up, helmeted up, gloved up. 
Jim, all geared up.

Blue helmets become Robin.
Then we were taken to zip line 101 where we learned about braking and zipping along a line that doesn’t seem to be very thick.  The sight of the cable sets you wondering if the line will hold you. But we all passed and were ready to take on the challenge.

Mike and Rita are the last two for the practice line.

 
Mike aced it.
The group is ready.  Us, plus some poor guy from Colorado who got stuck in our group.
Our guides loaded us into the back of this military-style vehicle with wooden slats for sides, and off we went up a bumpy, seemingly-unmaintained road.  We didn’t have a long ride until we were at our destination for the first zip line.
 
We were crowded into the vehicle and hauled up the hill.
The first couple of zips are short, to prime you for the longer ones.  Our height-challenged folks were doing well, and there was no discussion of quitting.  Just don’t look down.
Jaz is an old hand at zipping.

Robin smiled all the way, no matter how short or long the zip.

Mike was having a ball, and even showed us a wave.
This is another Stoney Creek photo, but I cropped it.  We were having a blast.

Rita did the rappel like she'd been doing them all her life.

There's always time for a selfie, or a half selfie, of Rita, Robin and me.
Once we were comfortable with the shorter zips, we progressed to longer ones.  Zip, zip, zip.  We were flying. 
A zip selfie isn't the easiest thing to do.

You could tell Jim and Robin had a great time.
That wasn’t the end of our fun.  There were a couple of suspension bridges, where you walk like drunken sailors, trying to keep your balance.  No one fell.
 
It swings, it bounces.  It's fun even when you're off balance.
And we did a rappel down to the ground.  No one was lost on this adventure either.  Everyone did great.  There was no one screaming like a little girl about heights, going too fast, nothing. 
The last rappel begins ... Jim.

Rita.
Julie.

Mike.

And me.

Jaz.
We all had such a great time.  So, where’s the next one?  Hoonah?

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