Zip Lining Adventure

If you think Zip Lining is hooking onto a cable and flying from treetop to treetop, let me tell you it is not that simple/easy!

Yes, there is sliding from one tree to another, but in-between, there are obstacles. At Sandy Spring Adventure Park, there could be two or three obstacles before you Zip.

The trails are set up similar to skiing: yellow trails are beginners; green trails and blue trails are, each, more advanced; then there are the black diamond and double black diamond.

You will see in some of the pictures the many levels on the trees. The higher the platform, the more difficult the trail. Any platform with a downward lip is the end of a Zip. Make sure you click in each picture to get the full effect.

NOTE: This is a lengthy post so you will have to click on "older posts" at some point in order to get all of it.

Our group: Barbara (blue shirt) a good friend of mine; Terry (orange shirt), Barbara’s daughter; Anne (white shirt and grey pants) my daughter; Jacob (black shirt) Anne’s oldest son; Andrew (red shirt), Anne’s youngest son. Oh, and me, of course. I’m the reason we are all here. Anne gave me the present of Zip Lining for my 75th birthday.

Terry has lots of rock climbing experience, so she was really looking forward to doing this course.

We registered and paid then picked up our harnesses and gloves. In the picture is Terry, Jacob, and Andrew.

We were assisted in putting on our harness if we didn’t know how. I sure needed help! ☺ We picked out our gloves from a bin then proceeded to the instruction area. We were shown how to use the carabiners (how to lock and unlock using the tweezlers) and the proper way to use the gizmo that is used for zipping. Then we were turned loose to enjoy ourselves. There is staff on the ground, but no staff on the platforms.

In order to get to the first platform where all the trails begin, you must hook in with the carabiners and ascend the log steps. This is the first time where you must hook in and use the tweezlers… it’s to give you practice. Right off the bat I’m out of my comfort zone because of how far apart each “step” is and the slant of the whole thing. The entire park is set up to get you out of your comfort zone. What I call obstacles, the park calls challenges. ☺

In this picture on the right: Jacob, Anne, and Andrew. On the left me and Terry.

Barbara and me hauling ourselves up the log steps.

There I am on one of the obstacles. Next is Anne then Barbara. Barbara, Terry and I were on one beginner course and Anne chose a different one. There were three different beginners courses…I’m not sure about how many each of the others have.

I was very tense and hesitant on the planks. They were like swings and when stepped on they moved. I got through the first set of obstacles and zipped to the next platform. Then I got through the next set and zipped to the next platform.

A word about these platforms…there was not a lot of room on any of them and you most likely have to duck under cables to get to the next obstacle.

The next obstacle was two iron hoops with three narrow slats on the bottom and I had to get from one platform, through the hoops onto the next platform. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out how I was going to do it. I decided to go sitting down, feet first and haul myself through the hoops and up onto the platform.

The next test was a single cable that I would have to walk on while being hooked in and holding onto two cables for support. I put my foot on the cable a couple of times. It had a lot of play/dip/give and I decided that was not going to work for me.

These pictures show a staff member coming up a ladder to rescue me. You see Barbara but it was me he was coming to help. I’m on the other side of the tree. Once I was securely locked in, I climbed down the ladder to solid ground that wasn’t going to move crazily and make me dizzy. In the pictures you can see the metal hoops.

Also notice in the top picture there is a cable that goes out from the platform to a piece of wood (which was actually a wooden triangle with the apex at the bottom). You can also see above that, two cables which would be all I would have to hold on to. If I had gotten to the triangle, I would have had to reposition my carabiners to the other side using the red tweezler to unlock/lock them to move to the other side and continue to the next platform.

In the last photo you can see Anne waiting for me to climb down. She had already finished her trail and was ready for more.

As for me, I was happy to be on solid ground and I was done for the day. I had no problem calling it quits.

In the pictures you can see Anne, Terry and Andrew doing more trails. Andrew was so happy that Terry would go with him on the harder trails. I think there was a restriction that under a certain age you had to have an adult with you. That definitely was not going to be me and Anne was happy Terry was willing.

Look closely at these pictures and you’ll spot members of our group in the trees. Just look for the color of the clothes. Try as I might, I can’t find Jacob in any of these pictures. He must have been on some of the more difficult courses further back in the trees. I do remember we lost track of him for quite some time.

Everything was going very well until Andrew got to one obstacle where he wasn’t tall enough to get from one rung of the log ladder to the next. He exhausted himself trying. We had another rescue, but this time from a much higher platform.

Andrew was attached to a belaying line and lowered to the ground. I was so proud of him! He did a great job. Next year he’ll have no problem on this one.

Thanks, Terry, for being there with him.

Terry on one of her climbs.

The whole group left to right in back: Terry, Barbara, me, Anne. Front: Andrew and Jacob.

Barbara did at least a couple of trails (maybe more). She was absolutely fearless! She and Anne are my new heroes. Neither one of them had ever done anything like this before!

My problem was my poor sense of balance, but that can, hopefully, be improved. It is my plan (hope) to go back next year and ace that same course. If I do, I may call it a day or I might do another yellow trail just to prove to myself I can. It’s an option I’ll hold open.

Initially I was okay with aborting my adventure. I still am, but… It really ticks me off that my poor balance could cause such fear (terror?) resulting in an aborted climb. I’m disappointed in myself for not finishing. I didn’t finish the Erie Canal bike ride, either, but that was different. I was physically exhausted. I know I could go back and complete it by allowing more time.

The adventure park is different. I’m not done yet! ☺