Sunday, June 2, 2013

Costa Rica Travelog | You Don't Know Zip

I think it's pretty common for people to think of lush tree canopies when Costa Rica is mentioned. And where there are tall trees, there's an opportunity to zip line like a bat out of hell straight through 'em.

So we find ourselves at such a location during our trip (pre-planned as this was one of the available excursions).  I have done this before in Quebec although that had more of an obstacle course feel to it.  This version was just about getting from A to B as fast as possible, through tunneled out sections of the canopy.

After gearing up with the Most Uncomfortable Harness Imaginable, gloves, and thin plastic "helmets" (whose sole purpose was to act as a barrier against burning a new hairline into your scalp while whizzing under the zip cable) we made our way up into the canopy.  A staircase circled around a massive tree to a platform above.


At this point it's safe to say those with a fear of heights need not apply.  

There was never any question of safety as we progressed through the dozen or so courses.  A guide was with us at each platform and at no point were we ever untethered from the safety cables.  These guys were great, not only starting the runs but receiving us at the end of each.


Not really much time to take pictures between runs.  And there is no chance I'd be risking my camera while on the line itself.  But when the opportunity arose I unfurled the D700 and snapped a frame or two from our vantage points.  Trees like this hulking specimen were common throughout the runs and we smoked by them pretty tight and at speed.


One of our party found out the hard way that there was only one way down... the last run.  While there was a nice set of stairs ascending to the first platform, none followed.  Each course got progressively faster and longer.  The final run had us screaming into the station at a solid clip.  You feel that on the line, and definitely observing from a stationary perspective on the ground.


That last shot makes it into my collection of personal favorites.  Took a few cracks to get it - panning is always a bit of a crap shoot - but worth the kink in the neck. 

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