Practioner Challenge Course Day 4: Zip Line

Thursday, March 4, 2010
Set-up and climbed the Play Pen. Took all my strength to get to two levels. Felt zapped afterwards. Watched a rescue demo. George, who is going for Level 2 certification, rescued Beth from the Cat Walk. Level 1 just needs to have a sense of how it happens and the types of things we can do before it gets to a Level 2 cutting a rope to rescue. Beth's dog Marlee was crying because Beth was up in a harness and not reachable.

After lunch we headed to the Zip Line. I never noticed it before right off the side road and near the parking lot. Just looks like a couple of telephone poles with guy wires running off it. But there it was in all it's height. I'm guessing 30'. Austin said to guesstimate with someone you know is about 6' tall and standing next to it--then multiply. A lone pole looks all the more imposing as it stands smooth and bare with only climbing staples to stand upon.

Beth and Austin planned to step back and let us figure out how to set up the system with minimal intervention. I was with the group at the platform and chaos reigned. My brain was moving frenetically so at some point I walked down to see what was happening on the other end of the line. . . not helpful to the larger group but I needed more direction. It happened that the other group was finished setting up so I lucked out and got a one-on-one with Austin. We talked about the set-up and I pointed out what I saw and asked questions and he asked questions of me to assure that I understood.

We had 2 belay set-ups. One at the start to raise the rider to the platform and one at the finish to raise them and take tension off their self-belay line so they could unclip and be transferred to the 2:1  belay system which looks something like an N. The 2:1 gives a mechanical advantage making it easier to lift or haul a person. From the belay cable, there was a steel locking carabiner clipped into a figure eight knot. From there, the rope dropped down to create a loop through another carabiner (this produces a little friction but we don't use a pulley because someone's fingers could be caught) and went back up to a directional pulley. From there, the rope dropped down again for the haulers. Because there was a 2:1 mechanical advantage, 2 or 3 people could belay the 6' height without a belay device. We could have also used a 3:1 which would have looked like an M and made the belay that much easier. For some reason I thought that I saw an SRD (sheer reduction device) but Austin said we would only use those on an element like the Pamper Pole where we want holding ability rather than hauling ability.

I made my way back to the platform belay where Beth was perched on high. We were using an Australian Belay where at least 4 or 5, maybe 12 people, are clipped in and haul a person up to the platform where Beth would walk them through the process of clipping and unclipping and deciding how they'd like to ride. (We used this same system for the Flying Squirrel.) Some were jumping off backwards in trust falls. Don't know how they did it. I was helping belay, and eventually took a ride up to Beth to see what I could do.

As I was getting hauled up I felt the panic start. It was so high. I climbed up on to the itty bitty platform and Beth used her calm voice to get me over on her side that was just slightly less itty bitty. She did the clipping seeing that I was hardly functioning. She suggested I stop hugging the pole and turn around. I turned my feet in tiny increments until I was facing relatively forward to the zip line but on the verge of tears saying "Beth, I don't think I can do this."She worked with me, giving me the Challenge By Choice option but still encouraging me to go. The longer I stood there I noticed I started to hyperventilate because I was getting the same tingling sensation I felt when I tried to rappel. She tried to get me to regulate my breathing but I was well into my fear. She suggested it may not be my day and I could try another time and rappel or climb down. But then I'd feel like I failed and I know there won't be another time because our schedule is tight as it is. I tried repeating the battle of fear and ego from "The Fear Book" but don't think I got it quite right. Beth said later that she was trying to remember what I had said. But then she hit on the right approach. "Eileen, it's really a lovely ride."Oh, a lovely ride? That's a different bent from a thrill ride. Maybe I could do a lovely ride.

We talked about whether the belay rope was long enough to allow me to sit down on the platform and I found I was able to. From there I asked if she could push me but she suggested I scooch up toward the edge. I did and finally moved myself to the point of no return and with breath sucked in fast and hard, found myself zipping down the line. It was a lovely ride. Tears and sobs fell out of me in relief and at some point I just let go my grip on the rope and rode with arms outstretched, embracing my ride, my fear, and my courage. People stopped me at the finish, did the belay routine and got me to the ground. Got a hug from Coquette as I wept from relief. Austin walked over and reminded me that the best way to get rid of the hyperventilation numbness is to walk around. I felt better in a few minutes and Kristie showed me how to get others down from their rides. Mike came through in cannonball fashion and set the distance record. It held for a few rides until after I told Aaron Mike's tip about holding yourself in a straight and aerodynamic form which should help you go a longer distance. I saw an opportunity for payback for Mike's earlier Freudian slip when he tried to take my place at the Australian Belay saying, "I know your muscles are weak. . . oh, I mean tired." Oh, no no, Mikey!" I've owed him since the fall for a few other things so I finally hit pay dirt.

Poor Beth. She stood on that platform for near 3 hours in the cold and wind giving us thrills and teaching us how to manage a platform. That is dedication.

Fell into bed at 7:30. Woke around midnight. Knew Victoria would be up so called her. Woke on and off but got some much needed sleep.

Tomorrow (today) not sure what's up but it's Challenge Course Day 5. I'll be leading a trust activity.