TIL: Zip lining isn't for me.

[thistlechaser]

Today was my company outing: Zip lining in the redwood forest. Get tied into a harness, go 60-200 feet up, and jump. The harness/cable above you catches you, and across you slide. Supposedly our longest zip was 20 seconds, but each one felt like a half-hour long. (You zip to one platform, wait for your group to come one by one, then zip to the next one... repeat seven or eight times at varying heights.)

Protip: Being 60 feet up and 200 feet up don't look all that different. "Too damned high." Some people in my group liked it, a couple LOVED it and went a second time, one person got too scared and had to leave the tree before the first zip. I was a little less scared than he was, but I spent most of the time clinging to the tree or to the line that attached us to the cable/tree/bridge/whatever.

I was the only person out of the company who got injured -- and not only that, I got hurt twice! Twice my arm got caught in? pushed against? the cable, so I have two long, wide rope burns/bad bruises on my forearm.

More embarrassingly, on one leg I got stuck -- I hadn't reached the platform so had to pull myself in... except I couldn't. They had to come rescue me. So damned embarrassing. With not just everyone watching me, but it was filmed as well.

My legs were so shaky once we were done, and then came the hard part: Walking up a bunch of stairs back up the mountain side. I honestly thought I wasn't going to be able to make it up them all, which was again quite embarrassing.

After the zip lining, I had to spend two hours sitting in the sun in 90 degree heat doing nothing. The company had had games planned, but it was so hot that no one wanted to do anything but sit. So hot and bored.

The food was sadly pretty bad and cold (it had been out for hours before I got to eat, since I was on the first zip lining run).

I did want to try going, so I guess I'm glad I did, but I intend never, ever, ever to do that sort of thing again. I'd rather be safe and happy on the ground.

Comments

[quistie.livejournal.com]

That type of activity isn't for me, either. I've always been terrified of heights, mostly because part of me always wanted to jump and find out what it's like. Seems like a rather risky thing for a company outing...

Also, it's hot outside! At least schedule something like this when the temperature is mild. August is just terrible.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I joked about how risky it was for a company outing -- we have a major software release next week, and all of our engineers, support people, and writers were up 100+ feet in a tree!

Everyone was surprised how hot it was! Apparently that area of the mountains is usually cooler. Not yesterday...

[teaandfailure.livejournal.com]

I'm so impressed you even tried it! The very idea makes me want to hide under my dresser with the cat.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed too! But after the first zip, there was really no choice -- you either continue on, or you have to zip to go back to the base. So might as well zip forward with the group since you have to do zip either way...

I'm so happy to be on the ground today!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Well, at least you can say you did it, survived but never again! Also, I'm thinking zip lining in the RedWoods is VERY different from zip lining in Harpers Ferry Maryland where I went.

Good for you for doing it though! It's a good story of TERROR to tell your friends and family. Exhausting but you can cross off "doing crazy shit in a tree" from your bucket list.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Looking at what I assume is the site for that one (http://www.harpersferryzipline.com), the main difference looks to be how much lower it was. Their platforms are 65 feet up, our lowest one was 60, highest was 200 feet up. While 60 feet was scary, I think I would have enjoyed it more than the really, really high ones.

And for sure! "Doing crazy shit in a tree" is an amusing thing to be able to cross off my list.

[ani-mama.livejournal.com]

Haha, sounds typical for a company outing. Those things are never as fun as the higher ups seem to think they are. Korean companies are big on those, unfortunately. It is great that you got to try it, but I found that they are best avoided if possible!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Agreed. A lot of people just took the day off -- didn't go to the event, didn't come in to work. That's what I usually do, and would have been the better choice. Even if I had enjoyed zip lining, sitting around doing nothing for two hours in the very hot sun was just so boring and not fun.

[hamsterwoman]

Well, at least you've tried it, even if it turned out to be not for you. (I know quite a few people who got stuck their first time ziplining, so it's not unusual, apparently, and nothing to be embarrassed about.)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it wasn't just me! I think it was my fault, I think I was slowing myself too soon, but I was so scared everything was just a blur. :P

And agreed -- while I didn't enjoy it, I'm glad I tried it!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the burns. That sounds very painful!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I have colorful bruises to show off today! Someone called them battle scars, heh. Thanks. :)

[bacchuslives.livejournal.com]

It sounds exciting and terrifying. I'm also scared poopless of heights. I love the concept of zip-lining but I haven't been able to get myself to do it yet. There was a lot in Belize, but all I could think of was, "do I really want to end op in a hospital in Belize?".

Good for you for making it through despite your fears! :D

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! If you could find a short trip, it might be worth it to do it once. I'd have been happy to do one leg of the tour I did, one zip, instead of the seven or so that made up the whole tour.