July 6 - A Bit of May on Grouse Mountain - Zip a Dee Do Da ...

It's been so long. I'm sorry.

It seems I've lost my words. Don't know why, but probably a combination of many things. Since we moved, I've been either busy, or sick. When I've been sick, I did nothing. When I wasn't sick, I was doing everything that didn't get done while I was sick. Today I'm in between - hoping to get some stuff done before the day is gone, and hoping to get a few words posted.

Now, it hasn't all been desperate - there were quite a few cool things happenin' as well. On May 20, we went zip-lining at Grouse Mountain, and that was a very WOW thing, which would have made a terrific post if I had done it right away. Alas.

However - the two in pink are my zipping companions, Nikkie and Pauline. Don't know who the other people are - it was a crowded sky train ride to Canada Place and the Grouse Mountain Shuttle Bus.

BC Transit has come up with Pet Peeves of bus riders. I'm particularly sensitive to the one below - although these have all pissed me off at times. 

This is the view from the Gondola which soared us from the base of Grouse to the playground at top. The Gondola looks small when you're getting aboard, bigger when you're inside, but tiny when you look up at it from the ground. When you're this high up, it's best not to think that it's hanging from one arm from a washing line that stretches way up.

 Before we went zip lining, we had to eat, of course. Chicken, chips and Coke for one, Chips and Hot Chocolate for another, and Chips and water for me. (Chips and Hot Chocolate? Really, Pauline?)

We watched the Lumberjack show, which was a bit funny but also a bit lame. I really thought I took a video of this, but guess not. (Lots of time I take video when I think I'm taking a pic - so I end up with a 6 second video of a plate of food.)

It's a good job we ate first, actually, as we had to trek a bit to find the outfitting place to get our zip lining gear, which consisted of onesies with leg holes and shoulder straps and butt holders. Then we had to carry our heavy metal hanging-on-the-wire contraptions. The farther we carried them, the heavier they got, and the more apt there were to fall apart. However, since we were stocked well with carbs, we managed ... barely.

I didn't get pics of the actual zip lining, as we had to leave our cameras and phones in a locker, just in case we dropped them, in a fit of terror, I suppose. We each had a video camera attached to our helmets, and got a little device with 5 or 6 videos on it, so if you want to see what I saw as I zipped across, check out my helmet camera videos below. Marvel at the scenery, the heights, my bravery. I don't think they picked up my screams.

I also got pics and video both going up and down on the Chair Lifts, which Some One said were called gondolas - I know the difference now though. It's a sad day when one learns nothing

The views were amazing. We were up pretty high, but moving so slowly, it was quite relaxing. Except for Nikkie, that is. She was a tad nervous. However, if she had fallen out, we would have had no trouble finding her, as she was wearing neon green sneakers.

Zip line number one. Sitting down in my butt holder, holding onto the hand grips for dear life (even though I'm not zipping yet.)  Asking the cute youngster who was attaching my onsie to the line if he had done this before. He assuring me he had ... many times before. Big breath. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

The second line was the one we were supposed to lie back and wave so the guy on the balcony with the camera could take our picture. My hands refused to let go of the harness. This was a short zip, but it ended with a big bang into a huge air bag. Not pleasant. This was also one where Nikkie didn't quite make it, and had to be rescued, as she kept skimming backward down the line. Our nice helper had to 'rappel' down the line and tow her in.

Watch this closely. At first it looks like just a scenic view of a bunch of trees - but you'll see a couple of bright dots getting closer and closer - these turn out to be Nikkie's sneakers, leading her to an imcomplete landing.

And that was how I celebrated Steve's 27th birthday, while he stayed home and babysat my grandkids and my husband. I'm pretty sure we had a lot more fun than he did - but I think he's forgiven me now.