<p>I have a tremendous fear of heights. Yesterday, DH and I and D2 drove the bridge over the Royal Gorge (roughly 1000 feet above the Arkansas River in Colorado) and I really thought I was about to have a panic attack. Luckily, the bridge is not very long, so the torture was over quickly. Once on terra firma, I watched people do the zip line across the Gorge and I confess that just watching them was a little anxiety provoking for me. </p>
<p>Would you do the zip line over the Royal Gorge?</p>
<p>I wish I could get over my fear. Everyone who came off the ride said it was awesome. While in Colorado, we drove highway 36 through the Rocky Mountain National Park. I was terrified most of the way as much of the road is high and incredibly exposed, often with no guard rails. I confess that I didn’t get as much out of it as I could have if I didn’t have this phobia. DH said he was proud that I even agreed to do the ride and the Royal Gorge bridge, but in reality, I refused to look around me, so I don’t know that I’m very deserving of his praises.</p>
<p>I have driven and walked across the Royal Gorge bridge, but I don’t think there was a zipline back when I was there. I am NOT a fan of ziplines (afraid) and probably would not have done it, either, so don’t feel badly. I love Royal Gorge, though.</p>
<p>I am also very frightened of the high mountain roads with no guard rails and I have to be the driver or else I freak out. I’m OK when I’m on the mountain side, but when I’m on the drop-off side I am not at all happy. We go to Colorado a lot, but I never quite get used to that. I’m the same way on very high chairlifts (H likes to get them swinging…).</p>
<p>I would never do a zip line. I don’t like heights.
When driving the highest road in Washington on a school field trip with D, I had a panic attack and had to have someone else drive. I think that was the first time I had a major panic attack. ( up Slate Peak to see marine fossils)
Both my Ds have done zip lines in Costa Rica, both on school trips, older D when she was a high school senior, younger D just last year for a research project with her university. She said they used zip lines extensively ( she stayed in the jungle, no roads, and the zip line was faster than hiking) She also used rope bridges in Ghana when she was in high school.
[Walking</a> the rope bridges of Kakum - YouTube](<a href=“Walking the rope bridges of Kakum - YouTube”>Walking the rope bridges of Kakum - YouTube)
D2 also has been talking about bungee jumping & parachuting. :eek:
She has always been like this, I had to take down the swing set when she was five because she jumped from the top.</p>
<p>I’m afraid of heights so I would never do it. It’s also extremely disruptive to the wildlife in many areas where they have these. So much so that wildlife experts are trying to get some places to do away with them.</p>
<p>I’ve done it and enjoyed it. You’ve got to keep up a certain speed, because if you stop short of any platforms, you have to manually pull yourself to the platform.</p>
<p>One of the posters on tripadvisor suggested they convert Nik Wallenda’s tightrope into a zipline over Niagara Falls.</p>
<p>I think you should respect your fears. I don’t have any problem with heights (and did a great zip line in Costa Rica and have jumped out of a plane) but I would never scuba dive. Ever.</p>
<p>For many many years, I have had a terrible fear of heights, complete with racing heart when I cross bridges. I decided on New Year’s of 2000 that I would get over it, and to that end, I persuaded my kids to help me walk across the Sydney Bridge (one on each side, holding my hands, hand which my son remarked were “unusually sweaty”). That helped.</p>
<p>Moving to Portland four years ago has pretty much finished off my fears about heights. There are ten bridges in Portland that cross the Willamette, and most days I have to drive across one or the other of them. Sometimes I even bicycle across them. Pretending I didn’t have a fear of heights–so that I could go places–was necessary; over time, it’s become true. </p>
<p>I got over my fears about SCUBA diving in 1999 (I really wanted to see a turtle cleaning station on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii); I’ve conquered my bridge-height fears. I suppose the next one should be ziplining! </p>
<p>I am not planning on trying base jumping, however.</p>
<p>If you view the video on the zip line over the Royal Gorge, you see that it’s not a traditional zip line where you are just hanging on for dear life. You are seated, belted in, and the zip line is mechanically manipulated for proper speed.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, these riders are hanging 1000 feet in the air over the river. I really don’t think I could get myself to do this for any amount of money.</p>
<p>D1 would love to do this, as well as the similar to bungee jumping ride they also have. She also wants to sky dive. I’ve told her never to tell me about any of these things unless it’s AFTER the fact!</p>
<p>DH and I celebrated our 30th anniversary this year by going zip-lining for the first time at an outdoor adventure center in the mountains of WV. I was more enthusiastic about it than he was at first but after we finished he admitted it was great. It was not very high (80 ft. off the ground) but was still really fun. I would like to do it again in some really beautiful location. Both our S’s have done it so they thought it was pretty cool that us old folks were giving it a shot.</p>
<p>H reminded me that we took a tram ride across Royal Gorge. Is the tram still there? He also said he would NOT want to zipline across it! (and he’s a lot more brave than I am)</p>
<p>Yes, there is still an aerial tram, an incline railcar, the zip line, and the scariest of all, the “sky coaster,” which is a ride where you are suspended from a line which swings you up and down (up to 1200 feet over the river banks), back and forth over the gorge. It looks just insane.</p>
<p>The Royal Gorge zipline is new. It’s a place we have not yet visited even though only a few hours from home… of course heights are not my thing either. </p>
<p>The Rocky Mtn Park drive is a daytrip for us. I only occasionally let DH drive to the top of Trail Ridge Rd, usually to show visitors. I find it never wracking too.</p>
<p>I did a 4 hr zipline adventure with my DH and S2 and LOVED it! The seating was quite different- strapped into harnesses and much more in control of the speed and the landings. This looks more like an amusement park ride-- too commercial. And going backwards? I don’t like that on trains or busses or subways. Would prefer to see where I am going all the time, not just one way. That said- If I was there I’d probably do it.</p>
<p>I did the Sky Coaster a few years ago with my husband and kids. It was a blast! I love zip lines and have done them a few times. I do have a slight fear of heights but not if I’m strapped in. I’m more fearful on a ledge of a mountain then I am on a ride where I’m secured.</p>
<p>^^^^Wow, really? So you weren’t afraid that the line would snap, sending you screaming to your death?</p>
<p>:o</p>
<p>Sorry. Those are the thoughts I have when I contemplate doing anything involving heights. It’s not so much a fear of dying as a fear of experiencing terror and distress in the act of dying.</p>
<p>Kudos to you, though. I wish I were like you and could feel the joy of such an experience!</p>
<p>“I’m OK when I’m on the mountain side, but when I’m on the drop-off side I am not at all happy”</p>
<p>I have discovered that the secret for me is to be on the drop-off side so that I can see that there really is 3or4 feet of roadway between me and the abyss. Otherwise I close my eyes and whimper at those no-guard-rail scenic views in the Rockies. If I can see the shoulder, I’m fine.</p>
<p>I’m with dragonmom on those mountain roads and slopes, although heights don’t bother me. I’ll never downhill ski and I’m not too crazy about those three story escalators, either. I will never do a zip line or bungee, but I’m fine in an airplane.</p>
<p>I never really knew why until recently when DH and I drove through the Rockies on the nice safe highway with tunnels and guard rails and everything. Then my mom told me how when I was a little girl (under age 6, anyway) and we lived in Boulder, the family had to go over the mountain before they built the Eisenhower tunnel. Bad storms came up and she said my brother and I were so scared that we kept shifting to the inside on the back seat to stay away from the drop. Clearly that scarred me for life. I was glad to finally understand my fear.</p>