Conquering Fears

We all have fears that we would like to conquer. Some are little fears and some are big fears. One of my biggest fears is heights. And it is not just a little fear. It is an absolute, big, anxiety attack fear. I do fine going up a 6 foot ladder, but any higher.... no can do. Any higher then 6 feet and an anxiety attack kicks in. I can't control it. So when my OH's dad and step mom gave me a certificate on my Birthday in July, I never would have thought that it would have to do with something that I am so fearful of..... heights. We were going ziplining! Oh goodness. That would mean that I would have to go above my 6 foot height fear level. So a couple weeks ago they scheduled an appointment for all 4 of us to go. Even with my fear of heights, I was a little excited but extremely nervous. I was hoping to not have to take my anti-anxiety medication, but I caved in and took a pill anyways. I did not want to be 50 feet up in a tree and have an anxiety attack, nope. No way. I mean, I have had nightmares about being stuck up somewhere and not being able to get down. I could see that happening.

My OH brought his camera and he took a whole lot of pictures. A lot are blurry especially in the action/zipping shots, but I am glad he documented this event! We arrived at the zipline "tour" place and had to sign release forms. Then they harnessed us up. There are 10 people in a group plus 2 people that work there that hook you up and zip with you. We all climbed in this old military truck to take us to the top.

All ready to go!

Once we arrived at the first platform, all of us in the group climbed up the stairs to get on it. The first one wasn't too high off the ground and we would be zipping to the next platform, which was down a hill through trees and bushes.

The first platform.

We had let the 6 people that did not belong to us go first. Then it was our turn. I let my OH go ahead of me. Then it was my turn. The zipline worker hooked me up to the zipline and told me what to do and how to steer. I never realized that you could actually steer on a zipline! But once you start zipping, your body starts to spin around and you have to straighten yourself back out. Once I jumped off the 1st platform, yes I did jump... how I do not know, and as I was zipping, I started spinning around. I did not like that. It was a little difficult to straighten back out but happened to get myself straight before I landed on the 2nd platform. The 2nd platform was a lot higher up in the tree. In this next picture you will see how small the platforms are and imagine 12 people on this tiny platform. Yep, scary!! When we weren't zipping, we were attached to the tree at all times, just in case.

The 2nd platform that we zipped to from the 1st platform.

By the 3rd zipline, I had finally figured out to keep my body straight while zipping. That was much better because there is nothing worse then flying through the air, spinning out of control!

Getting hooked up to zipline.

The first zipline worker had zipped over before the rest of the group and he could break and slow you down before you came into the next platform. So on the 3rd platform he would slow you down and you walked right up a ramp, which you can see in the picture below.

Zipping from 2nd platform to 3rd platform.

We had to hike on a trail to get to the 4th platform.

This was one of the highest platforms. And when the tree swayed, the platform would sway with the tree.

The worse part for me wasn't zipping through the trees. I had the worst fear just standing on the platforms and then standing on the edge while being hooked up and jumping off. The zipping was the easy part.

About to jump off!

When I was on a platform, I never let go of the tree. I could not get near the edge of a platform. That fear.....

I'm still smiling, that's good, right?

We had made it through 4 ziplines and we still had a suspension bridge and 2 more zips to go. I figured if I made it this far, I could make it to the end! Although the zipline workers told me if I didn't think I could make it to the end, I could stop at anytime.... Yeah, good luck getting me out of a 50 foot plus tree!

 My OH, me, OH's step mom and dad.

The suspension bridge wasn't too high up, maybe about 10-12 feet. Thank goodness because that would have probably been worse for me then the zipping. Even though you are attached and if you fell, you wouldn't go anywhere, far. But the bridge moves and it was not easy to walk across!!

Suspension bridge.

After we made our way across the suspension bridge, we were told that the next zip was the longest zip yet. At 650 feet long. Oh dear. From the platform we were standing on, you could barely see the platform. This next picture is zoomed in and you can barely see where we were going to be zipping to.

This is the view to the next platform... zoomed in.

When it was my turn to go, the zipline worker told me she would have to give me an assist to make sure I would make it all the way to the other platform. An assist? What the heck did that mean? That meant she was going to grab my harness and push me off the platform. I only weigh about 104 lbs and being so light weight makes it difficult to get enough speed to make it to the other side. Imagine my fear then when being told she was going to push me off the platform!

Oh dear....

I swear I zipped forever..... and ever........

Weeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

And somehow I kept myself straight for 650 feet!

The view of the platform from the other side of the 650 foot zipline.

The last zip was going to be the fastest we zipped.... at approximately 35-38 mph! And in the next picture you will see what happens when the zipline worker forgets to give me an "assist". Yep. I couldn't make it all the way to the other side and I was just hanging 55 feet in the air. Don't look down..... don't look down! That is what I kept telling myself.

Oh crap!

The zipline worker said "Ok, now this is what I need you to do. I need you to let go and grab onto that black rope." I said "Let go? I HAVE TO LET GO?" Zipline worker "Yes, just let go and grab onto that black rope so I can pull you in". Seriously? I am hanging on a cable, 55 feet high up in the air and he wants me to LET GO? Wow. So with no other choice, I let go with one hand and grabbed onto the black rope where he pulled me in to the final platform. To this day my OH still laughs about this part.

I managed to keep smiling even though I was scared to death.

This was also the highest platform at 55 feet up in a tree.

View from 55 feet up on the last platform.

With no way down. And then I saw a hole in the platform and knew this is how we would be getting back down to solid ground.

Hole we would rappel down.

Ok, we did not have to rappel down, the zipline workers attached us to a rope and lowered us down. But just having to stand on the edge of that hole 55 feet up a tree nearly set off an anxiety attack!!

Me being lowered down 55 feet.

Almost done!

Still smiling!

Once my feet were back on solid ground, I was very proud of myself! I had made it through all the ziplines, suspension bridge and being lowered 55 feet out of a tree without an anxiety attack!

View from the ground looking up to where I just came from.

I never thought I would have been able to do something like this. The worst part for me was waiting on the platforms. Just standing there in such a small space with so many other people was pretty scary for someone who has a huge fear of heights. But the ziplining was the easy part! That did not scare me at all (except for getting stuck), which I found surprising considering we were still up so high. But flying through the woods was a blast and you know what? I would do it again!! And that is coming from someone who has the BIGGEST fear of heights!! And I highly recommend ziplining! We are going to go again, maybe not this year, but next year. We want to take friends and more family. So if I can conquer this fear of heights, anyone can!!