Fast Zipline + One Hand +Tree=A Mess

Oh boy…

T​here are ziplines worldwide, varying in height, speed, difficulty, length, etc. In this scenario, I felt my life flash before my eyes, even through the safety of the vest firmly strapped to me.

T​o set the scene: I am in my mid-teens with my family in Austria. We drove halfway up a mountain to an outdoor climbing/ziplining place.

Throughout the day, I did the climbing and obstacle courses and thoroughly enjoyed them. There were zip lines but they were on a whole different level.

Growing up in the South, especially in a smaller city, these activities were uncommon. So the thought of flying through the air at high speeds was one that I wanted to do but simultaneously had a big fear of.

T​his zipline course was made for people a bit bigger and older than I was at the time. However, my grandpa made arrangements so that I could get on it anyway.

He knew how much I wanted to do it.

P​reviously, I had hurt my hand to where it would throb in pain every time I closed my hand. So I did all the lower levels of climbing to accommodate my hurt hand, and I was careful in how I approached this activity.

I​f you have ever been on a serious zipline, then you know that they will teach you how to break when you reach the end of the zipline.

So you reach behind you and press down with your hands to have a gradual stop.

This way, you can be controlled as you come onto the landing.

W​ith all the pieces in place and the thought of my hand not being a problem, we got on with the course.

A​ction Time

T​his zipline course was amazing because it starts from an elevated platform on a tree and it flows into a forest on the side of a mountain. We were also given a tour of the types of plants/trees as we went along.

Most of these zip lines were high-paced, but I had no trouble only using one hand to slow down enough to land. So my worries were kept at bay for the mean time.

W​e kept on through the course, while I was slightly afraid of heights, there was not really an issue because the employees constantly reassured us about the quality of the equipment. In addition, the guides with us made everything so pleasant and informative.

P​roblem…

T​he time came for us to take the final zipline back to the starting point. This was the longest zip of the course, over a river with a massive waterfall spouting into it. The zip allowed a view of the entire valley as there was a large clearing over the river.

A​s one could expect, we were extremely high at this point because the angle to reach the other side needed to be inclined enough to get us to the other side.

I initially thought I would not make it because I was not big enough. Quite the opposite, actually.

I​ jumped off the platform and enjoyed the ride. The wind on my face paired nicely with the mist from the waterfall. The refreshing sight of the valley filled my view, and I was picking up some intense speed.

I​ reached the halfway mark on the zipline and am flying. Finally, I reached the last quarter of the zipline, and I saw the signal from the employee to start slowing down.

I​ did the normal breaking with my good hand and pressed on the line.

N​othing happened.

I​ wasn’t slowing down, and the tree was getting closer and closer. I pressed down harder and harder, and nothing happened.

The employee waved their arms like crazy, and I heard screams to slow down from my parents.

N​othing was working.

I​ pressed down as hard as possible with my one hand, which still didn’t help.

I​ had to use my other hand.

I can’t fly straight into this tree at this speed. I don’t know what will happen.

S​o I say screw it and grabbed the line with both hands as I was reaching the edge of the line.

T​he pain, even through all the adrenaline, was torturous.

Nevertheless, it worked.

I​ slowed down but not without tears.

I​ was promptly unhooked and tended to as my hand felt like it was in dire shape.

O​f course, it felt like the end of the world at the time. Now I could see my hand was just sore, and the strain I put on it explained the level of pain I felt.

I​f I had to go back, I would do the same thing again. Maybe try and slow down earlier, but I would not give up that chance to go ziplining. The sights, the feeling of the air hitting my face, the experience was worth every bit of pain.

I​ learned a valuable lesson about traveling here.

A​ little sacrifice for a better experience can make a world of difference to your trip.

D​on’t let a little obstacle stop you from partaking in something that will give you memories forever. This particular situation calls for the phrase:

The ends justify the means.

Thanks for the read!