Do you remember that tiny window of sunshine we had a few weeks ago? We in the marketing department had been hoping for such a day to take photos of the Zip Line Canopy Tour with snow on the ground. It’s a tough combination to pull off, especially since our canopy tour faces the southern skies.
That day was unexpected. The Weather Channel gave no prediction that the sun would even shine. But about 10 a.m., the sun popped out and the skies turned a vibrant blue. It was the perfect day for a photo shoot, and we weren’t prepared.
We all began making phone calls, Facebooking and texting to see if we could coerce a few people into riding the Zip Line. It was 30 minutes of pandemonium, something right off the floor of the Stock Exchange. All of a sudden, silence, we stared at each other – we had pulled it off.
So at about 12:30 p.m., we met at the front entrance of ACE to gear up for a day outdoors. Certainly one of the perks when working for an adventure company is you get to take advantage of days like these.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit this was my first trip on the Zip Line. Yes, we have had our Zip Line for nearly three years. I’ve been out to the site plenty of times with other people but have never taken the time to try it myself.
I must say, it was awesome! Our Zip Line starts out with an easy zip with little exposure. It works well, especially for those who may be a little nervous about launching themselves into space with 100 percent trust that everything is going to work just fine. I happen to be a bit more trusting, so off I zipped. What a rush. Of course, I don’t think I ever let go of the lifeline between the cable and me. OK, maybe I’m not that trusting.
Anyway, my favorite zip has to be the “Plunge.” It’s quite different from the others because you have to sit on the tree platform and intentionally slide off into a virtual free fall. You careen past the dismount deck at about 35 miles per hour; as you fly up the other side gravity slows you down, and you slide back down to the center of the line.
What an amazing experience that just about anyone can enjoy. If you haven’t done it yet, I highly recommend the Zip Line on your next trip to ACE.
