I have never been afraid of heights, but I must admit that my first thought when my wife broached the idea of a zip line adventure was, “You want me to do what?”
As I said, I’m not afraid of heights, but I am a big guy. So the thought of dangling on a flimsy steel cable over fifty feet off of the ground did not endear warm and fuzzy feelings. I’ve watched enough action films to know that those cables break at a moments notice, especially at the exact moment that the hero is halfway across the line trying to rescue some damsel in distress. Never having been one to be able to say no to my wife, I reluctantly booked our reservations at the Big Woods Zipline in Boonville, NC. My next task was to meticulously research death rates, numbers of accidents, and most importantly of all the number of damsels in distress that could be found on a standard zip line course. Thankfully, I found that nobody had gotten killed or injured on this particular course and the person I spoke with on the phone assured me that damsels in distress were not normally found on the course but for an additional fee he might could persuade one of his friends to don a wig and scream for help somewhere near the 9th platform.
The only thing I found to be particularly concerning was the posted weight limit of 270 lbs. I’m a big guy weighing in at 240 lbs., which is far too close for my comfort, especially when you factor in variables such as the amount of breakfast consumed, the mass of a cheeseburger and fries, the air-speed velocity of a European swallow. With a posted maximum height of 65 ft. any collisions with a fast flying swallow, either European or African, could provide just enough force to tip the edge well into the negative range and triggering an unscheduled meeting with the ground. Not a comforting thought, but with the look of eager anticipation in the eyes of both wife and daughters, I wisely left my concerns unsaid.
The fateful day where I would meet my destiny finally arrived. I must say, routes to a possible execution could be far worst. We live in Clemmons, North Carolina a suburb of Winston-Salem. So our journey began by crossing the Yadkin River that separates Forsyth County from Yadkin County. The river also separated the hustle and bustle of the modern urban world with a land from a different time. For once you cross the Yadkin River, you enter into a realm from the past where the phrase small town is not a marketing term for yet another cookie cutter housing development. In Yadkin County small town is a reality. While the town of Yadkinville did host a commercial district directly off of the four-lane Highway 421, our route took us through the town’s heart where time seemed to move a little bit slower and you had the feeling that the residents would greet you with a smile and a handshake.
I hated to see the town slip away as we left its corporate limits. But the countryside was full of delights as well. The rolling hills of the Piedmont covered with fields of corn, soybeans, and tobacco brought back memories of my youth. Our trip through time was complete with a gravel road upon which I regaled my daughters with tales of bouncing along just such a lane in my younger days. I wisely chose to interpret their yawns as a heartfelt desire for similar stories of bygone days. Fortunately for Meggie and Peyton, my dialogue was interrupted by our arrival at our destination. We later learned by actually reading the travel directions posted on Big Woods’ website, that a much more direct route existed, but I’m glad our GPS was somehow set on the “scenic” option.
Big Woods Zipline is a part of Sanders Ridge Winery and as you enter the property surrounded by lush grapevines growing upon a few rolling hills that make up the Piedmont region of North Carolina, terms such as pastoral, idyllic, and just down right beautiful, describe its home. A wedding was being set up for later in the day upon the winery and restaurant grounds. The bride, groom, and official were to be housed within a gazebo situated beside a pond with the guests shaded by large oaks and hickories. It was such a scene that I expected small woodland creatures to suddenly start singing as they escorted the bride down the aisle looking radiant in an exquisite gown made by the same woodland creatures. You could spend a large fortune trying to find a better setting to begin a lifetime of matrimonial bliss than Sanders Ridge Winery.
However, Lisa and I said our vows more years ago than either of us wish to recall and she had her eye set on a far loftier goal. So we continued down the gravel road indicated by the small sign directing us toward the office of the Big Woods Zipline. Some people may be turned off by the tiny, clapboard office and covered picnic area, but I thought it was a natural fit for the situation. It even served the added benefit of the workers being able to fix their coffee in the office and then sitting out in the picnic area and enjoying the sunrise. I just wish my place of employment had similar benefits.
It was here that we met our two guides: Ben and Charlie. First impressions are often misleading and this was the epitome of that slogan. My first thought upon seeing the two people with whom I would entrust my life was, “Good grief, they’re just kids!” This is a reaction I have found myself reciting many times over the past several years. It’s one of those funny quirks of life. I don’t feel like I’m getting old, but everyone around me seems to be getting younger. While young, by my standards, both Ben and Charlie were in college and were fully competent in their jobs. Ben was the vocal one of the group and Charlie provided a stoic calm that countered my rising panic at the thought of trusting my life to a flimsy steel cable.
Both men soon proved their worth as we quickly donned our safety harnesses. One thing I can say about the harness is that it portrayed a sense of brute strength. Thick straps, bulky tackle, and sturdy helmets were quickly laid before us. My fears started to subside at the sight displayed before me. The calm reassurance of Ben that they had never had an equipment failure didn’t hurt either. With a series of quick, easy instructions, we were soon girded for battle. As with any endeavor, you must maintain a trust in your guides. The next step proved this point. Company safety regulations stated that you, the participant, could not adjust your equipment. The reality of the situation was the simple fact that unless you have years of experience tightening harnesses, you are completely clueless as to what to do. The flipside, however, was that some of those adjustment straps were in, how shall I say it, delicate locations. With calm professionalism, Ben and Charlie had us all suited up.
After our introduction to the joys of snug fitting safety harnesses we underwent a quick safety course that consisted of (1) Don’t touch your harness (2) Let us hook you onto the lines (3) Hold onto the strap with your left hand (4) Break with your right hand…the one with the big strip of leather so you don’t burn the living daylights out of your hand. At first I was upset over what I viewed was a paucity of instruction, but then I realized it was a one-way street with no exits. What else do you really need to know? We then climbed to first set of stairs to our first platform for our first line. On a side note, if you are worried about climbing stair after stair, you need not fear. The course at Big Woods has surprisingly few climbs. The course is designed so you glide to the next platform with a rare set of stairs worked into the routine. Even with a bad knee, I had no problem navigating the course.
With heart pounding –from fear, not from an impending heart attack caused climbing the first few steps- I spied the first line of the 12 lines. My fear of snapping the steel cable quickly evaporated. Made up of steel cable, the thing looked like it could support an elephant. Even after downing quite a large breakfast, I don’t think I approached that mass. Ben went down the line first in, what I believe, was an attempt to calm any fears the participants may have as to the structural integrity of the line and to be available to catch us to prevent anyone from slamming into a tree. Charlie stayed behind and hooked each person onto the line and gave a brief synopsis of how to stop, a useful skill to have. Meggie and Peyton went first. Giggles of excitement from both of them indicated their approval. Then it was my turn. I can’t say giggles escaped my lips, but neither did screams of terror. I did have a sense of relief when Ben caught me on the other platform. While the instructions we received were more than adequate, putting those instructions into practice was something else entirely. It took a couple of tries before I was able to perfect it.
As we progressed through the next couple of lines, both Lisa and I gained confidence in both our guides and our equipment. Meggie and Peyton took to the process like a couple of monkeys. I must also commend Ben and Charlie on how they treated the girls. It would have been easy for the guides to dismiss both Meggie and Peyton as necessary attachments to the people who were paying for the excursion, but they didn’t. Both guides took care to ensure the experience was enjoyable for our daughters. That small act was worth their entire tip.
After the first three or four lines, both Lisa and I started to relax. With a few helpful directions from Ben, we had both mastered the art of slowing as we approached the lower platform. It was at this point that I began to truly enjoy myself. The wind in your face as you zip down the line through a well established secondary growth forest was fantastic. Red oaks, white oaks, tulip poplars, and beech trees grew in abundance along the course. All of which could be enjoyed from a perspective I had not seen since I was a child climbing to the tops of trees: the canopy. Gliding along the lines was fun and easily the most enjoyable part of the entire day for the girls, especially the specified bouncing line where Ben wobbled the line up and down, but I marveled at the bird’s eye view of the forest. The lines, of course, were kept clear of branches, but from the platform I was able to observe the forest in its glory as the sun filtered through the canopy leaves to reveal an emerald wonderland. Simply put, it was beautiful.
If you happen to find yourself in Yadkin County with an afternoon to spend, then I would happily recommend Big Woods Zipline. It is ecotourism at its best.
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