August 20, 2012

We (Elder and Sister Fowers from East London and us) left the house today at about 7am to head to our zip line adventure.  We arrived there in a little over 3 hours and it was thought it would take about 4 hours, but President Stumm was driving, after all!! We didn’t need to be there until 11 am and since we were a bit early we went a short ways further down the road and stopped at a place called Storm River Bridge.  It is over a very deep gorge and it is quite beautiful.  We took a few pictures and the two “boys” (Elder Stumm and Elder Fowers) had fun dropping rocks over the edge and then timing them to see how long it took for them to hit bottom. 

We then went back to the activity spot and met up with the Van Sickles and Stokoe’s, both from Port Elizabeth.  The Richins who are in George, got a little lost, so they were a bit late and we waited until they found us before we started the adventure.  The Taylors, also in Port Elizabeth didn’t come, nor did the Nye’s who are in Grahamstown.  We missed them both. 

 As for the zip lines, there are 8 of them the longest being 211 meters.  After the first one, I wondered what I had gotten myself into.  However, I realized, once you start, you are committed.  Oh boy, this was certainly out of my comfort zone.  After the first one my heart was pounding…not with excitement, but with great anxiety…and fearful that I might accidently put on the brakes before I got to where they let you know to put on the brake.  If you do it too soon, you are stuck way high and have to hand over hand yourself to the other side.  I really didn’t want to do that. 

Amazingly, I made it through all of the lines, not without feeling I might faint during the second to last one, which was the longest one.  I said a prayer that I wouldn’t and went for it.  I felt like a big marshmallow when we were finished.  I can say I did it and probably won’t do it again.  

 We have lots of pictures to prove we were there and some video as well.  Rick thought it was OK.  We all had lunch together and went our separate ways to our boardings.  It was a day to remember.