Unzipped

Day 6, Wednesday, May 21st Ketchikan , Alaska ’s 1st City, because it is the first city you come to when you make your way up the Inside Passage . Ketchikan is also home to the Alaska Canopy Adventures where we participated in our long awaited ZIP Line adventure.

The course features 8 zip lines, 10 tree platforms and 3 large suspension bridges upt to 135 feet above the forest floor. I had been pumping adrenalin since we first booked this trip, months ago, and this day there wasn’t a place within me that could not feel the charge. Or was that fear? For days, I had been practicing on the ship, forcing myself to look straight down over the rails, to get over that pit-feeling in my stomach I get when it’s a long way down. Actually, it’s more than a pit-feeling. It is a desire to pitch myself over and free-fall to no-where. Just writing about it stirs the same feeling within me.

We were again taken by bus to the adventure site. We had to load onto this 4x4 vehicle that provided seats for about 50 people. We climbed several hills that made you feel like you were lying down before arriving at the “Lodge”. There we geared up. We cinched ourselves into rock-climbing harnesses, hard-hats and gloves and moved out onto the porch for our “lesson”.

My mind locked on to every word our guide said. “If you are: 1. afraid of heights, 2. tremble at the thought of zipping through the trees, 3. fear crossing rope bridges suspended 150 feet in the air…..You should be whale-watching.” Even my logic that there has never been a story of finding a dead fat woman hanging on a zip line faded to the back of my mind. I was one of everything he described. I should be whale watching.

We then moved on to the “how to” lecture. On the steps, left hand on the top of the pulley (think of a clothes-line pulley) Right hand holds all your ropes over your heart. (What a novel idea! Felt good to grip my heart.) Then you had to “sit down” in your sling-harness, locking your ankles together in a “cannon-ball” position and whoosh, you would be gone. Braking was done during the zip by letting go of your lines and tapping your right hand (gloved) on the bottom line. This does not mean clenching the line or putting your hand in front of the pulley (both of which could cause you harm and/or set you to spinning while zipping.)

Now was the last time for bailing out. Not I. I had to try it. I could do it I knew, because I wanted to ever so badly. Isn't there a song out there that says if you can dream it you can do it???? Well I got some news for that lyricist.

I was first up in our group for our “test” zip. I walked out onto the platform and attempted to move my feet up the three stairs I from which was to jettison myself. My legs were scared straight and my knees would not bend. I was dressed so I couldn't even bend at the waist, God only knows where my feet were. Our guide, Patrick, grabbed me up by my harness and looked directly into my eyes, “ARE YOU READY?????” he asked. “Uh huh.” I replied. I don’t believe my voice has ever been that little in my entire life. I let my feet go out from under me and Patrick let go of my harness. With a zip and whir I was 50 ft over to the next platform sucking air and shaking in about 5 seconds. During my “flight time” I kept hearing the check list ~ I just knew I should be watching whales. Ian, the other guide, grabs me and starts yelling, “How was it? Was it great? Huh? Was it cool? Are you okay?” All I could say was, “Oh my God, oh my God, oooooooh, I do not like that.” through my squinched-up mouth and eyes. In the end, Ian sent me back for another test run. Everyone else in the group looked like experts by the time the test run was over. Now last in then group, Patrick set me up again with all the encouragement any guide to could muster to make his favorite look good. I was off! I think I did about 500mph this time, nary enough time to contemplate braking. Ian greeted me for the second time, more secure in my “ability”. Then the real adventure began.

The others took off. They executed their zips perfectly. They looked fantastic! Then it was my turn. I had to pry myself away from the tree trunk that I had come to love. Now I know what they mean when they talk about ‘tree-huggers’. Again, Patrick took me up by my harness and stared into my eyes, “ARE YOU READY???” Hell no, I wasn’t ready. I had been busy formulating how I was going to tell them I could not do this. During my last flight, I had not only seen whales as I whizzed through the tree tops, I had enough time to really think about the three rope bridges. I had suddenly come to realize I was frickin’ nutz to think I could ever do this. I am afraid of heights. Afraid. ASSKIRRED. Do you know what it is to be askirred????? I’m not talking wussy-ing out of something. I am talking shaking bad scared to the top of your hair follicles. I am talking adrenalin coursing through your body so intensely that you couldn’t have farted if your life depended on it. Okay, I got on the line. I am whizzin’. I am thinking, brake!! Brake!!! Dammit brake!!!!! My arm is not moving. My hand is clutching my chest. Finally, finally, I broke it free and forced it to the cable. Pat. Pat. Pat……GRIP. I stopped. I couldn’t breathe. I think I had sucked up all the air in Alaska . Then I remembered to exhale. I no more than got my balance and Patrick informed me I was first up for the next zip. All I could think about was getting to the next tree and getting down. I only went because I could be alone on the platform with Ian and tell him without any embarrassment that I had to quit. That I could do. Already the disappointment began building up inside me, but I knew beyond any doubt there was no way that I could possible live through zipping and make it over three suspension bridges. One of the zipline runs is over 1500 feet ~ over two football fields long! I was barely able to do the 50 and 100 footers. I allowed myself one last try and sat down in my sling of cables to zip my way over to Ian. About two-thirds of the way there I saw Ian signaling me to brake. “Hand!” I yelled to my self. “Hand!! Go up to brake!!!!” “Hell no!” my hand replied. “I have your heart here, I have the ropes, I am not moving!!!!” “Hand!! Go up to brake!!!!” I said again. “ NO WAY ! I am not moving and YOU can not make me!!!!” came the reply. Oh shit. I stared at Ian as he got larger and larger as the platform came closer and closer. “HAND DAMMIT!!!!! GO UP TO BRAKE!!!!!! You are going to knock him out of the treeeeeeeee!!!!!!” Slowly my hand moved and tapped me to a stop on the platform. As soon as I gained a sense of balance I told Ian I could not go on. He tried to convince me I could, that he could catch me (right) but eventually agreed to have me lowered the 150 feet down out of the tree top to the ground. I didn’t cry.

Wayne, Jolene, Amelia, and Phil completed the course. And they loved it. They all have medals to show for it.

I am so proud of them and have chosen to zip vicariously through their adventure.