What great fun and excitement!
My daughter and I went to Dollywood today and we purchased tickets for the new zip lines. My daughter was not overly enthusiastic about it, but she said if I wanted to do it that she would too. She has a slight fear of heights.
I gotta say, it was freaking awesome! They suit you up with a full harness, helmet and all the zip line gear and show you a video about how to do it and then you get trained on a 40' zip then it's off for a hike up the hill to the first platform.
The first zip is a little scary - you walk down some steps until the steps drop off the side of the hill and you're flying 125' over the park for 700' to the first landing platform. Landing is a little rough - you kind of try to run up the platform while the guides use a brake to slow you down. After the first zip, I was totally hooked.
The second zip is the fastest and it is 600' long over a wooded area. From the landing platform, you head back uphill and over a swinging bridge. Then comes the third zip which is the highest fly at 165' above a gully for 600'.
This is where we ran into a little trouble. My daughter and I were last on this leg after several children and adults. I flew across with no problem and even landed beautifully. Unfortunately she didn't quite make it to the landing platform. Due to her light weight and height, she didn't quite make it to the landing platform and then she started going backwards. She hung out there, 165' up, for about ten minutes while one of the guides went back to rescue her. Even with her fear of heights, she was laughing with the guide when they finally got back to the landing platform.
We got to the last platform for the longest ride of almost 1000' at about 125' above the ground. She was saying, "what if I get stuck again?" and I'm saying "surely not". Lo and behold - she makes it 5' from the platform and stops. This time there are people below her watching the rescue. It was quite the adventure!
I know I'll be doing this again - but I'm not so sure about her!
