I took my son-in-law to the zip line in Muskegon for a travel article. My plan was to have him do the zip lining and I’d interview him.
As he geared up, I thought about what might go wrong.
I came up with nothing.
So I geared up and went soaring over the trees on the zip line next to him. I couldn’t stop laughing. I was Wonder Woman, for sure.
It was so exhilarating, and I felt so confident – make that cocky – that I went again.
I still feel cocky. And I know how different I would be if I had not tried.
Years ago I read a magazine article about fears. It ended with a question and an assignment.
What are you afraid of?
Do it anyway.
This zip line is perfect for that. Yes, the gear is safe. There’s even a braking system. But mostly, it’s about attitude. Of the people working there – and then, yours.
“We challenge people to get outside their comfort zone,” said outdoor adventure specialist Dan Bonner. “Maybe face a fear.”
But forcing them? Never.
“We’re more than an adventure park,” Bonner continued. “We are building confidence in people. They know they can take this experience to so many things later in life. Zip lining may be that baby step.”
Fall, he said, adds another dimension to the activity: fall colors. “A lot of people do fall foliage tours from their car or from ground level. It’s cool to get up on the zip line and experience the fall colors in the trees.”
It’s like that on the rock-climbing wall, too.
In addition to the zip line and rock-climbing wall, warm-weather offerings include archery, hiking, glice skating on a synthetic ice rink, and a trail quest game. In winter there is the luge as well as skating, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. The most popular program is Learn to Luge, offered every weekend of the winter.
Adaptive sports equipment and special training provide opportunities for those with disabilities.
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