The Element of Awesome
We Came, We Saw, We Zipped.  Conquering the Redwoods of Mount Herman

What a top idea this was.  Lori had the idea of going ziplining a few weeks back (she'd done it before on her birthday one year) and - like most things - I was totally up for it, so it was game on!!  We drove out from mine around 9am, to arrive at Mount Herman, near Santa Cruz, in time for our 11am appointment.  The roads heading south can be quite twisty and turney and there was far more traffic than we were expecting, so we only just made it in time.  The woman behind the reception desk was a complete cow and was very rude and unhelpful when we phoned up to say we might be a couple of minutes late.  I'm sure she probably gets it a lot and its frustrating to them as they try and keep to their day's schedules - but you're in the customer service business, lady, so suck it up and be nice.  

Anyway, fortunately we arrived just in the nick of time, checked in and met the rest of our group, plus our two trusty guides for the day, Scott and Yonas (no idea if that's spelt correctly - judge for yourselves later!).  First order of the day was to profusely apologize to anyone who happened to get within a few feet of me.  On our rush out of the door, I'd stuffed into my rucksack a short sleeve t-shirt in case it was warmer than I was expecting in the forest and I'd need to wear something a bit cooler.  I simply grabbed the nearest thing to hand - in this case, my beloved Time Lord t-shirt that i'd been wearing the night before in honor of the Season 7 premiere of Doctor Who.  I'd only worn it for a couple of hours so it wasn't at all smelly or dirty.  However, as I soon came to realize - just as the somewhat attractive Nordic-type instructor was helping strap me into the crotch harness (I'm sure it probably has a nicer sounding name) - that I was completely and utterly covered in cat hair.  Not just one or two errant strands, but I was a walking fluff bomb.  Great.  Covered in cat hair AND wearing a Doctor Who t-shirt.  I should probably get Nerd Singleton tattoo-ed on my forehead and be done with it.  However, I decided instead to make the best of an *ahem* hairy situation and so, when Yonas asked what my name was, I simply answered "Doctor Fluffy" and left it at that.

Which I'm not sure helped.

Anyway.....enough pre-amble.  Lori had rented a camera which we swapped back and forward between us during our 2.5hr zip trip, so here are some highlights from the videos which give you a sense of what it was like.  We had an absolute blast and I actually wasn't nervous at all! (which surprised me - when I tried the trapeze one time, i was terrified!).  

We learnt lots of interesting factoids about redwood trees during our tour.  This next video gives you just a little bit of info about the different types of trees and some cool stuff with which you can impress that person in the office you fancy.  If you don't work in an office, then..umm.... feel free to fast forward.

OK.  So as if any more proof were needed as to my naturally competitive nature (I believe the microwave is in cahoots with the bathroom scales and is plotting its revenge - in its case, revenge really is a dish best eaten cold), I managed to come up with an entirely new Challenge during the tour.  I think  this one has the makings of a truly Epic Enterprise, so i hope they keep it and institute it as a new test of mental strength and digital discipline....

After that, the challenges just kept on flowing.  Bring 'em on, i say - or, more accurately - GERONIMOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

The only potential caveat and learning I will pass on is not to get so wrapped up in the challenge that you forget to pick your feet up at the end.  It hurt.  A lot.  How on earth I didn't manage to cuss like a potty-mouthed navvy, I'll never know.

The Cannonball Zip-Splat

But, all too soon, it was over and - with just a final mug to the camera - it was time to unharness ourselves and head back home.  Another fun day of adventure - and we're just getting started!!  

Victory High Five for the Camera

Out-takes....