Ever since the first time my son put me into a climbing harness to try to make me into a rock climber, instead of just a "social ladder climber", I have been intrigued at the thought of getting a "view from the top" of whatever tall thing was in front of me. So it was with eager anticipation that I signed up for a "High Ropes and Zip Line" class when I attended Becoming an Outdoor Woman weekend earlier in the fall. The High Ropes course was under the auspices of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension program, and was held at the Ferndale 4-H Center just north of Little Rock. (That is me with the red helmet in the photo collage above). There is a very thorough session on safety before you actually proceed to the tree tops, and participants have the option to turn back at any point they think the challenge is too much for them. However, I was intent on at least doing enough of the "high in the sky" obstacle course that would get me over to the Zip Line. I had seen TV shows of people doing Zip Lines in the Costa Rican Rainforest Canopy, and longed to try it for myself. Since a trip to Costa Rico is not currently on my travel agenda, I was happy to settle for the exhilaration provided by speeding down the line that took me from an elevated hill on the high ropes course, down to the bottom of the valley. What a rush! I would recommend this for anyone seeking a controlled-risk type of thrill ride! So, if you are interested in putting some excitement into your life, see if you can "elevate" yourself to a high ropes course; better yet, check out the weekly ELEVATE! activity at First Baptist Church in Mountain Home. Miles of smiles! Tricia Turner
