So anyway, we start out our adventure on Friday morning on a beautiful hike through the forest with her two fun dogs. This is me near one of the many waterfalls. We hike for 3 hours. Whew!
Then it's time to go on the zipline tour. Basically, a zipline tour is a series of cables hooked from platform to platform. You get hooked onto the cable and you "zip" from one platform to the next. Ok...I think I can handle this. How scary can it be? There are a series of 7 zips on this tour and one rope bridge. It took about 2 1/2 hours to complete.
Let's first take a gander at our lovely helmets. Notice the folks in the background wearing red helmets? Notice I am wearing a white helmet?
Well isn't this just sooooooo attractive! (I'm giving Beth lots of smart comments here) Don't I look fabulous? hee,hee,hee. Do you notice what it say's on my helmet???? JR!! I had to wear the kids helmet!!! Oy! I'm a very small person. I'm 5'1" and I weigh 88 lbs. Noooooooo, it's not great. It's awful to be 43 in a 13 year old body. I can't ever find clothes! Ok, I digress. On this tour you need to weigh at least 70 lbs. to participate, which most kids do nowadays.
So we take a bus ride up the mountain. That was fun. Our zipping party consists of a mom, dad and two sons, a young married couple, me and Beth and 3 guides. There are guides who send you off the platform and guides who catch you on the next platform. Ok, I'm feeling pretty good about this. Here Beth and I are hanging out on the platform waiting to zip. We're all tied in nice and safe.
Well, there is a whole procedure to get us all rigged into the cable. Remember, safety first. They tell us we should never touch the cable because if the pulley we are attached to should slide, it will cut our fingers off. They'll never find them as we are way up in the trees and I'm sure wild critters would eat them before I could find them. So seeing as my fingers are important to stitching, I make an extra note about not touching the cable. The lovely, Grace, hooks me in while Scotty watches to make sure everything is hooked correctly.
Now it's time to zip. Oh my gosh!! We are soooooooooo high in the air!! What did I get myself into?? Oh well, Zippity Doo Da! Off I go! Look out, kid on a cable!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Your weight and gravity help you move along the cable. The heavier you are, the faster you zip. Remember.... I'm the size of a kid.....
The next few zips were really fun as Beth got to be on the other line near me. But then...we got on the longest and the highest zip.....It was really high in the air, over 100' above ground and a really, really long zip.
Soooo we go zipping along and I see the platform. Beth reaches the platform. I slow down, and slow down and sloooooooooooowwwww down. I start trying to swim through the air to reach the platform. But noooooooo, oh nooooooooo! I go zipping backwards!! Yes, backwards to the middle of the zip line! There I am dangling over 100' above ground by a darn cable! (I'm out in the middle, that's Grace in the forefront) SCARY!!!! Help, help, help...don't panic Shell and don't touch the cable! I start thinking about the cable busting and if I could manage to fall on a tree and just climb down. Yeah...like a super hero or a stunt woman! Yeah...not! I'm a stitcher and quilter for goodness sakes! Save me!
But lucky me, they are totally prepared for just such a situation. However, I am informed that I am the first rescue of the year an normally they only have to rescue the 70 lb. children! Hey, at least I didn't cry! hee,hee,hee.
The lovely, Grace was sent out to real me in like a fish. Everyone had a great chuckle about it. I told Beth I was eating cake for dinner!!
Best friends for 31 years. Some of the most wonderful and amazing times in my life have been shared with her. I've made her promise me that we will share a nursing home room together. I'm sure we will have lots of adventures there too. Oh and she'll have to wear fuzzy bunny slippers that match mine. ;)
Love ya (m) Beth. Thanks for another fun adventure. Miss ya bad.
Shell
46 comments:
Oh Bravo.... looks fantastic... I KNOW I could not do that so I will go through you pictures again and admire your bravery...
Hugz
How fun....loved it...glad you had such a good time. I have had friends that have been friends since high school...through thick and thin...isn't it great?
What an adventure! Thank you for sharing...now I never have to go on a zip line. ;o) Great pictures! So neat that you have a fast friend like Beth.
Sounds like a great adventure! I really enjoyed reading it and the photos are great! Thank you for making me smile ;)
Oh, wow, what a wonderful time for you all! I am so happy for you that you have a 'life' friend. xx
Hi Shell,
What a wonderful time you must have had, out in the beautiful forest.
Glad that you were rescued safely and thanks for sharing your adventurous trip.
Great that you are able to still be best friends, with Beth after 31 years.
Happy week
Hugs
Carolyn
Hi Shell, I know I would not be able to do it. I remember taking the ski lift up the mountain. They told me I would be fine as long as I looked out and not down. There would be someone to catch me nad help me get on. It was adventure. I did chuckle a little bit, because I can picture you out there. Have a great day. I will talk to you later. I have to get to bed tomorrow is another work day. Your Missouri Friend.
Looks like you had a great time. My boys would love do that zipline tour!
Sorry, but I laughed and laughed!! I could just see this whole scenerio coming being a light weight (not me - you) as I have done zip lines with the scouts and there was always one that needed a rescue. I have a life friend too (kindergarten) but we are too far apart now to do adventures other than on-line.
Oh Shell......we did this on top of a volcano in Maui (our very favorite island which is how our Maui kitty got her name). 300' above ground! Isn't it the most fantastic ride? The secret of speed is to curl up in a ball and you don't create any wind resistance..flying like Peter Pan!!!
How fun! Next time remember to bring some paper weight or sand filled door stopper in your pockets to 'weigh' you down!
Hello Shell, so the helmet is not so cute as your bunny ears. I prefer the bunny ears :-)
Congratulations because I would be afraid to do such an adventure.
Greetings,
Mireille
Shell, if there is ever such a thing as a fat transplant, I will be happy to give you some of what I've got, I have more than anyone would ever need. I'll have you zipping down that line in no time. :)
What a great story! Sounds like you had so much fun and your blessed to have one of those lifetime friendships!
Hugs
Jo
OHhh shell how adventurous you both are...I haven't zipped but I did climb a wall and 8 story one a few years ago...and friends...the older ones really keep us sane...I have some gf from boarding school for 52 years....still connect with them monthly...3 of them I climbed the wall with...LOVED your whole look...proud of you
oh that looks terrifying and so much fun both at the same time!
That looks fantastic and terrifying at the same time! I so admire you I am scared of heights so doubt I would ever have the courage to do something like that. x
Shell, you brave girl!!!! You did look like you were having fun though.....wow that was incredible, the scenery must have been beautiful! How much fun was it to spend time with your good friend, now that is the best part! You are just a little munchkin, so sweet though!!!!
Hugs,
Mags
xxxxx
Sounds like you had a great time. I thoroughly enjoyed your adventure, feel like I was right there with you and have now checked that off my "bucket list" :)
Lucy
OH I would never have the nerve to do that! Lifelong friend or not.....I would have been terrified out there dangling from that cable. I am so proud of you! The cake for dinner is more my speed!
Deb
Way to go, Shell!!! Now try and stay on solid gorund for a bit, ok? I was getting jittery going through those pics. LOL!!
Hugs
Jen
xxx
It looked like fun Shell but like you I don't weigh all that much so would likely be dangling in the middle too ;-)I'm afraid of heights too so maybe not a good plan;-) Nice you had this special time with your best friend. hugs Sheila
I'm afraid of heights but I think I could fly on that - it really looks like fun! I do love to go fast, and with my body weight, they'd have to install brakes. I think you look cute in your kids' helmet!
I do understand about the clothes too - I'm 5'8 and used to weight 110bls. I have a 6ft arm span - they don't make clothes long enough in a size 2! Heck, they don't make clothes long enough in a size not2. Maybe I should have taken up garment sewing.
Great pics Shell - glad you're safely back on land! Bet the bunnies are too!
That is so cute!!! Would you look at that! You guys must have had fun!!! :)
Hugs,
Well at least they were able to rescue you. Boy, that sure was high up but it did look fun.
First of all I would like to say two things- #1. I would NOT have to be rescued, I weigh more than you - #2. I would never be there in the first place - LoL I do know my limits and this is NOT on my bucket list.
I am so proud of you for doing this and so glad I did not know about it before hand. I do worry about you "youngins." Judy C
Gorgeous scenery, but think I will just admire it with both feet on the ground!
So glad the lovely Grace saved you with fingers intact!
How wonderful to have such a special friend to share adventures and life.
Oh, Shell, first of all you ARE nuts!!! But second, the reason you got the white hat instead of a colored hat is because you are not real big on color, silly!! You would have looked perfectly at home in your home!! And your friendship with Beth is wonderful!! My friend Regena and I have been best friends for 44 years and we have always said we would live together when we were old and have a young, studdly house boy take care of us!! Well, the time has come, she is moving here next month and my Dad is the studdly house boy!!! LOL!!! Love your adventure - you did good!!!
Oh what an adventure, that looks like so much fun! I tried a zip line once. It was only about 30 feet in the air to the ground. Once I could take that first step off the platform, it was a blast! It is nice to have such good friends to share lifes adventures with.
Oh, my goodness, I can't believe you did that!! What fun! You, my dear, are very brave!! ~karen
Friends always make new experiences better. I had thought of going on a zip line tour, but now I'm not so sure as I buy most of my clothes at Gap Kids. My husband, on the other hand, would sink like a stone and be going super fast.
Terrific Shell and well done you! Fab experience with a really fab friend! This was such a great post.
I did a zip a couple of years ago, from the top of a castle 200 feet up and then over a lake. I've still no idea how a grade 1 coward (and fellow 'wee person') like me managed it, but it whooshed my confidence levels through the roof! Congrats and welcome to the club hon!xxx
it's great to see such a special friendship endure! and such an exciting day :)
What a great post Shell ... I'm so glad the 'rescue' went well lol.
Such a fabulous friendship to endure through the years too, now there's a treasure :o).
Hugs,
Joy :o) xx
You are a much braver soul than I. So glad you had a great adventure and thanks for sharing.
Only you! Haha!
It does look like fun...but not fun enough for me to do it! Trust me though, I wouldn't have the same zipping problem you did. I'm sure I'd zip right on down. :) blessings, marlene
That sound like so much fun! It's great to have such a wonderful friend to go on adventures with :0)
Obviously a white hat.
Not too sure now we should be trusting you with rabbits ....
Good you returned to the platform safe and sound!
(In the pre-zip briefing did anyone even MENTION that might happen?)
What fun! Of course, you know that I don't care how many times you say it is not fun to be stuck in a 13 year old's body... I am still jealous :o) Zip lines rock! Even when hauling the 200 lb. kind of body up a tree and being belayed by a bunch of 70 lb. jr. high kids :o)
OOoh Shell... that was just sooo funny!! You were very brave!! I would have been scared to death, just dangling there!! Bravo, and well done!
Hugs Gloria
That looks like it would have been so much fun (minus the rescue:).
Went to Costa Rica with Honey Bear's company...the zip line was one of a number of activities they offered us....of course, there was no way I was going to do that...can't take the heights and with my inner ear problems, I'd be sick with no reference points(I get sick if there's a ditch beside the sidewalk for heaven't sake)....I'm so glad you did it and didn't panic when your journey stalled...
As to your size, I should be so lucky....you probably can eat anything you want and no problem,too....Oh, well, I love you anyway.
Making memories with friends is the best times.
Mama Bear
Love your adventure!! And SO lucky to have such a great soul-sister in your life!! Love ya!
Geez, You are not only totally adventurous, you are as thin as a rail... lucky girl!!! I USED to look like that...
Shell, that looks like SO much fun and I am so excited you had such a great time. Too funny about you getting stuck though, of course that WOULD happen to you.
You do not have the body of a child! you have the body of a very petite adult woman who I am very jealous of! I WISH I had been 88 pounds when I was 13!
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