ZIPPY TIME!!

Lori's birthday Zip finally arrives. She was given clearance from the physical therapist, so away we go on our final day in Whistler. We got harnessed up by the crew and told what we were in for for the day. Five zips back and forth across the valley between Whistler mountain and Blackcomb mountain, over Fitzsimmons creek. The longest zip was going to be 2,200 ft. Bring on the super wedgie!



They drove us up to the start through the area where the bobsled course is being constructed for the 2010 Olympics. We drove right underneath it, and then headed into the woods for an instructional on the first "starter" zipline. Lori was nervous, but there was no time for nervous, because the flight was going to happen one way or the other....yeehaw!



Zip #2 was a little (or a lot) hairier, crossing the valley really high up and going much faster. Totally bitchin. Walk the plank!



Between some of the ziplines, you literally had to hike across suspension bridges and platforms built 150 feet up in the canopy of some huge old growth Doug Firs. Ewok world. Very impressive engineering.



The long zip (wish I could show the movie that I took of it) was so killer. Took about 40 seconds to complete and hit some super high speeds. Felt like a rocket through the trees and over the valley floor. Everyone (even Lori) ended up doing one or several zips hanging upside down like bats from the line. Very cool, but very disorienting feeling...



By the end of the trip, coming into the village and the downhill mtn bike park on the last zip, everyone, even Lori, wanted way more of that. Highly recommended.

Left for home the next day. Hellish trip getting across the border back into the US. Plus, Marina's puking habit kicked in again on the road out of Whistler. Good times. That Griswald family trip to Wally World smell crept into the Volvo...now I know all about it.

When we got back to Portland, I launched into.....THE Alan Parsons Patio Project. Ugh.