Zip, Zap I was flyin' in Panama

March 6

We woke up late and made scrambled eggs with cinnamon rolls and a bagel purchased yesterday afternoon.  Yum Yum!  We've been able to find our favorite chipotle tobasco sauce, so the eggs were just like at home. 

There is a zip line course here that I’ve been thinking of trying out.  Tricia has no interest at all!  So after breakfast we strolled down to the tree canopy trekking shop and signed me up for an afternoon run.  Being my first time zip lining, I was a little anxious. I normally don’t do well with heights, but I thought “if I just don’t look down”, I’d be OK.

At the appointed time, I showed up at the office and we signed the waiver forms that say "they aren’t responsible for anything that happens to me, no matter what."  So naturally, I signed.

We were loaded into our transport vehicle (a truck with a home made passenger compartment built over the flat bed).  Smelling diesel fumes for the entire 7.5 KM trip to the base camp, we groaned up the steep road to our starting place.

There were about 8 people in the vehicle, but when we arrived there must have been another 7 or 8 already there that would be part of our group.  We were all equipped with a helmet, harness and gloves.  We had a short demonstration of the dos and don’ts of zip lining; and an even shorter safety lecture. From here we were loaded back into our transport vehicle to the point of beginning for the zip lining; but not until the waiver forms were passed out again for us to sign off that we completely understood and retained the information given in the demonstration and safety lecture.

When we arrived at the end of the road, we had a 5 minute walk to the starting platform.  Here we qued up for our first run.  There are 15 in total, covering 3 KM distance.  As we were waiting in line I was talking with a fellow from New Jersey who had done Zip lining before. He kept saying how much he loved it as it was like flying (His dream is to do it hanging face down).  He then said that he had been nervous the first time but then if was easy.   That helped me to relax and just accept it as a new adventure.  The course rule is that you can back out and get a refund if you do so before the first run.  If you start you are committed for the entire run.  You can quit after the 7^th run, but you have to hike out.

Now, for all those who have said “I don’t know zip”…. Here’s proof!  You can decide if it’s proof positive or proof negative.

The first run

Feelin Good

Flying high

The 15 runs took a couple of hours, due to the queing at various platforms as every 4^th

Coming in for a landing

platform the clients had to cue up on the platform as the guides that helped at the previous stations, bypassed us to go ahead to the next set of stations.

All went smoothly and I was impressed by the organization, the helpfulness of the guides, and the thrill of zip lining.

I may try it again in Costa Rica.