That One Time We Went Ziplining

 So like back in May I bought this groupon to go zipline.  My intent was to get a big crew of friends together and go - well I was the ONLY one who bought one so we never went ziplining this summer.  But when I noticed it was expiring and suddenly my Saturday was free we capitalized on this adventure, just Dust and I.  It's was about 2 hours away near French Lick at a place called Lark Valley Ziplines.  It was a perfect day for ziplining (although maybe a little warm when you factor in all my nervous sweating).  We got there early afternoon just before a giant party of people.  They strap you into some harnesses - I'm terrified of heights so naturally I checked the clips and snaps like 100 times before we left the barn. 

 Dust however was all sorts of gungho.  As we boarded a tractor headed for the zip trail I had second thoughts I'm pretty sure my lunch was turning summersaults in my stomach.  We got a mini lesson and then started zipping.  Dust of course went first the majority of the time and went let go of the bar and twisted every which way.  I am pretty sure I just had mini panic attacks walking up the platform steps at each zip line. I thought it would get easier as we went but each time I was just as nervous if not more.  The funny thing is that it's totally safe and I felt totally safe mid-zip but still that fear of falling kicked in each time especially on the last zip which is 1,000 feet long and over a lake oh and included a drop from like a 3 story platform.  UGH!  I almost didn't do it I was so panicked but I did and I enjoyed myself for the most part.  Here's to crossing something off my list that terrifies me. 

Watch Out for Bears

This weekend I went camping at Red River Gorge in Kentucky which is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest - crossing off #8 on Da List.  Everyone was all worried about Bears.  There was even discussion of downloading a "bear bells app" for our phones (mind you that our phones had no signal in the gorge).  The closet we came to a bear was in the stuffed kind and well a random guy telling me about how he was "getting up on the bears".  

Anyhow we drove down on Saturday morning only to find like 3 campsites open in the national park camp.  So we decided to find another place.  The first place was not really what we wanted 20 other campers on top of you.  Then we found a site at pumpkin bottom campgrounds, which was more our style this was "rugged" camping as in no bathrooms at all - NOT really my favorite however it was close to the Gladies Center where we made friends while using their facilities and getting directions. 

Without cell signals the guys who arrived late had cryptic instructions to find us sent via crazy cell messages which might have dropped several times in the process of relaying the message; however they somehow did find us.   Anyhow we did some hiking and some climbing (Amy also did some jumping and injuring her foot).  We followed up with some tubing which turned out to be an experience - if you are going to tube down the river when the water is low you might want to make sure everyone has their own tube, nobody has a broken foot, and water shoes are a must.  Either way many memories were made and I would do it all again.  Thanks to Faith, Amy, Lynley, Dan, Dustin, Josh for being my companions and champions on this trip it was a great time and for sure a camping trip to measure all other camping trips by - I can't wait to do it all again!

Amy giving cryptic directions.

Lets build a campfire.

Poptarts over the fire - yes this works.

Hot dogs and eggs for breakfast.

Hey look a cave with a lizard in it.

Good hike but hey it's hot outside.

Dan on a rock.  I'm so glad I didn't let him stand on it.

View from the top of the cliff.

Angel Windows Cave.

Someone should have told us this sooner like before Amy hurt herself.  But thanks to the guys for carrying her all day.

And a group photo two + days in the wilderness and this is what we look like.