Zip Line Extravaganza!

Way back in February, when we were booking our cruise, there was much discussion among my family members about what excursions we would do in each city we visited. We decided we wanted to do at least 1 together. How we all decided to do this particular one, I can't quite remember.

Our excursion in Juneau began on a cool, wet, Wednesday morning with a short van ride to a boat dock about 5 minutes away from town. The landing was near part of an old gold mine--just a rusted out old building now. Then we stepped onto a boat that fit about 15 people. It was a great boat ride--fast & furious--across the way to another landing dock. Well, this dock was really just the beach--they just run the boat right up onto land. We disembarked and walked up to a small cabin to get our gear.

If you've known either my sister or me for any length of time, you know that we tend to giggle when we get nervous. Aimee is famous for it on ski slopes when she's going a little too fast or feeling a bit out of control. I tend to do it a lot at amusement parks before, during and after rides. Keep the giggling sound in the back of your mind as you read on. Just remember, we paid money for this trip!

The guides began handing out our harnesses--both for around the waist and over the shoulders--a chest harness. Once we were strapped in, we received our helmet & leather gloves. We were taken by an ATV-type vehicle (it sat 6 in the back and 2 in the front) up the hill. And by hill, I mean, practically straight up the hill! All of the activities lead up to this moment were worth the money! But the real adventure was just beginning!

What we had actually paid for was the 1 mile long path of 9 zip lines and 2 suspended bridges 100-200 feet above the ground, swinging through the trees! There was much giggling as the fun began. (Well, some people thought it was fun!) How we decided to do this adventure, I'm not sure!

We spent the next 2 hours laughing, jumping from trees, and squealing with delight. The zip lines take you through the Alaskan rain forest and over an entire area of abandoned gold mines. You go racing through all of this beautiful scenery at about 25-35 miles per hour! At the end, you have to fling yourself off of a platform about 50 feet off the ground to repel down to the solid earth. That was the scariest part, but all of us wanted to do it again!

In the end we all had a great time, and would do it again, right Aimee?

Here are some pictures form this grand adventure! I've heard they have these same zip lines in Costa Rica. Family vacation anyone?