1st Annual Shafferland Birthday Trip: Ziplining. No. For Real!

Marrying Ryan has certainly made me embrace adventure. I love that he challenges me to step outside my comfort zone but understands I'm flat out scared out of my ever loving mind and is willing to meet me halfway.

The ziplining was actually my idea. When I was looking on the Creation Museum Website, I searched around the tab for things to do in the area and saw that Dagaz Acres offered a discount with the purchase of the Creation Museum tickets. So I asked Ryan if he would be interested in working a zipline side trip into our vacation.

Sure took a lot of arm-twisting (HA!), but he said yes.

So Saturday afternoon, after we'd spent a few more hours at the Creation Museum, we headed about 45 minutes away to this little place WAY out in the country and signed away our very lives in favor of strapping ourselves to cables and flying through the air!

 By the way, it's pronounced "de-gah." I asked because I planned to talk about it on the air. Sure was glad I asked because old Classy McClasserson here would have called it "that day-gaz acres place."

They have room to take up to 14 people at a time on a tour, but Ryan and I were the only ones who signed up for that slot, so we got our own private tour! That turned out to be an actual blessing from God {not kidding there} because I wasn't as nervous with an audience of only Ryan and the two guides who went with us. Plus it was just more fun to have it reserved for the two of us, since it was our birthday trip and all.

We were early but they were ready for us, so we actually got started almost as soon as we arrived. They took us to a little barn and suited us up with our harnesses, gloves, and helmets.

 Then they took us to a demonstration area to show us how it would work when they strapped us in and attached us to the cable, and so we could take a "practice feel" for how it worked. Ryan had done this before and is generally afraid of nothing, so he didn't really need this step, but he humored me.

As for me...well...this was adventure enough right here!!

 The guy above is Zane, who was one of our guides. He and Cody, the other guide, were FANTASTIC. I'm sure they went home that night and said, "Man you should have seen this nutso woman on the course today. She was scared out of her mind and it was SO FUNNY!" {At least that's what I would have said if I'd been them.}

Zane fastened me in and showed me how to hold the rope and clasp and NOT get my hand in the way of the cable which would ruin my manicure. {Actually he never said those words but that's the reality of the situation and I knew it.}

And here's your Bits girl...on the demo line.

 DONE!!
Okay just kidding. We weren't done.

We did the smaller {easier, lower, kid version...take your pick} of the two courses they offer, and the thing that was so great about this one for a chicken like me was that there were seven lines {WHA???} and all but one of them started this way:

 Wowsa. Back views are humbling. LOL!! Anyway, the point is...we ran down a hill until we couldn't touch the ground anymore and then we flew across to the other side and ran back up a hill. No jumping off platforms and landing on platforms and messing with any sorts of brakes. Just "nice and easy." {I would have possibly punched you in the face if you'd used that term in this moment, though.}

I also loved it that the lines were all side by side, so Ryan and I could go at the same time. Zane always went first, waited for us on the other side, Cody strapped us in, and then we went. After we were safely across, Cody followed. Both Ryan and I had our phones with us, and the guides each took one and used them to take all these pictures {and some video} for us. We appreciated that!

 And of course, when I say we went "at the same time," I mean we started at the same time and then Ryan ran headlong into adventure and I hung onto every square inch of ground that I could, so we ended up not together at all. LOL!!!!!

 See what I mean???

 The guys were really understanding about me being so scared...and they were kind to let me have whatever moments I needed to get my courage up, but they also were good to say, "GO!!" and make me go.

 After a few lines, I got a little bit more comfortable with it. And by that I mean, I was able to stop praying for the nausea to go away. LOL!

 That's more a smile of relief at the sight of ground than the thrill of the ride. :)

 This one above is the one that REALLY freaked me out. This is the one in which we had to jump off a platform. I was on the lower one and my hands are cold and sweaty just even writing about how it felt to jump off a platform. Seriously. I didn't like that at all. {As you might be able to tell from my awkward pose back there.}

And then...this. If you listened to BLT yesterday, THIS is the photo we talked about on the air. This photo encapsulates the entire experience of "Ryan and Bekah go ziplining."

 In the front, my handsome husband just sitting back, enjoying the flight, with his muscles engaged, his face relaxed...he's a poster child, really, for the joy of ziplining. And in the back...well...we call me Duck Woman now and with good reason. What kind of form IS THAT????

It's true that I felt the wild kicking {a la a duck under water} would somehow help the ground meet me sooner...and so there I was, in Lynne's words, a 2013 version of Lucille Ball...

It's okay. Laugh. I deserve it. I laugh with you.

But in the end....WE MADE IT!!

Seven lines. No broken nails bones...no broken cables...and two very happy birthday kiddos!!!!