University of Dayton - MyLife

High Climbing

40 feet about ground? Don't mind if I do!

This weekend I was able to experience my first high ropes course. It was PHENOMENAL! At the Athletes in Action (AIA) athletic fields there is a Challenge Course of team building activities that includes two levels of high ropes course. AIA hosted a mini leadership retreat for the local colleges, so I was given a chance to experience something I've never done before.

I've grown into quite the adventurer. White water rafting this summer. High ropes course this fall. What next?? Rock Climbing? Sky-diving? Bungee Jumping??

You should probably just call me a monkey. I was ALL OVER that course. I was probably one of the more antsy people waiting to get on the course. A few people were hesitant or nervous to go up. I was STOKED to climb around so high up. (It's almost like an adult playground.)

Level one is as 25 feet. There were different challenges at varying stages of difficulty on level one. You could also make the activities harder if you didn't rely on your rope as much and tried to balance yourself (with your rope there to catch up if you fall). At this height there was also a 'Swing'. Which in reality was more like gymnastic rings you held onto (while secured to the rope by your harness). I liked to compare it to bungee jumping...definitely not as dangerous...but a short free fall element.

Level two had two of my other favorite activities. Jacob's Ladder and the Zip Line. Jacob's Ladder was declared the most difficult by the instructor, and honestly I found it to be one of the only obstacles that actually challenged me (I'm sure if I tried everything I would have felt more challenged, but time was an issue, so I didn't get a chance for all parts of the course. The Zip Line gave me a bit of a taste of what flying feels like...and I loved it.

At the end of the challenge course we were asked if we would like to become volunteers for the course. I'm seriously thinking about it...because I had a blast!! But I'm also concerned about my time. Maybe if I had done this earlier than my last year I could get involved in the course, but I would have to drop quite a few commitments to be able to commit to helping at the course. It's something to consider though.

Random fact: I was stung by a bee for the first time ever yesterday when I was on the high ropes course. I bent my knee and a bee was crawling under my leg...so I don't think he even intended to sting me, but I sort of made him do it. I don't think I'm allergic, but that little bugger hurt for awhile!

Sep 27, 2009 11:18 PM Permalink