The Zipline...Conquering Anne’s Fear of Heights

             I will admit our ‘Need a new name for a bucket list, bucket list’ was born under the influence of a few cocktails, but more so in the midst of great laughs. It’s amongst positive thinking and good vibes that great ideas happen. Quite frankly,  there are very few moments less than brilliant when Anne and I set out on an adventure. Lately, you can find us taking in new music around Indianapolis, which has made for an amazing concert season. However, we hit the point of sheer monotony stuck in automatic pilot mode and being just beyond our 20s, we realized there was certainly more to life than normal routine. Now, my ‘more to life’ usually involves a new art project, a weekend away camping in the middle of nowhere, hiking any trail I can find, sitting in a park barefoot, or road-tripping anywhere just to be on the road. I write, paint, photograph, am intrigued by all walks of life and celebrate their inner beauty and outer uniqueness. My my dear friend and partner in crime, Anne, is certainly a beautiful soul, yet one who celebrates life in a different manner. She keeps me aware of outer beauty, make-up, hair and the importance of being fashionably feminine. She’ll never fail to mention when I’m the victim of a fashion faux pas or when my hair cut is outdated and Anne will always offer (dare I say, insist) to do my make-up. We are two of the most mismatched friends ever but just maybe that’s why we work so well.  Now, that does not mean I have hairy armpits and dreads, although good for those who can rock that look, and I only have hints of artsy, tomboy, hippie tendencies, but I will admit that spray tanning and waxing is just foreign in my world. 
    
             I guess what I’m trying to introduce here is the idea that our ‘not a bucket list, bucket list’ is the celebration of differences and stepping outside of our comfort zones and we began our journey on a Zip Line. Now, after knowing Anne for almost a decade I never realized her fear of heights. Strapping on a harness just isn’t something she’s ever desired to accomplish yet I’m pretty sure the Zip Line was her idea. Congratulations to her for admitting to a fear she wanted to conquer!

We arrive at Stoneycreek Farm in Noblesville, Indiana early one Saturday afternoon. For the entire 30 minute trip I was giddy from the sheer excitement of checking out a new place, especially one that included the word ‘Farm’ in it’s title and of course to try out some zip lining. I look over at Anne whose face was quickly turning from lively smiles to pursed lips, a bit of a ghost white hue was also emerging.  We started with a wander around the expansive farmland and were greeted by roosters who roamed the acres, which was pretty cool, although a little unnerving. At that moment I realized an irrational (maybe rational) fear of being attacked by free roaming roosters. We found our way to the welcome barn, which was located just past the mini tractor train ride and purchased our tickets. Thanks to Living Social’s daily deal, we were able to buy one-get-one free! We had to find our way to yet another barn where the Zip Line guy awaited our arrival. I’m pretty sure he was twelve years old (okay maybe 21) and in love with blonde hair, blue eyed Anne. I only say this because he gladly helped her tighten the harness straps in somewhat inappropriate locations, while he just nodded in the direction to mine was located.

            I realized as we are getting our helmets, harnesses, and gloves on that Anne becomes even more sarcastic than normal when she’s facing nerves, which I find hysterical. Her sass with the harness kid made for perfect entertainment. We got geared up and quickly swept away by a zip line chick who provided a quick tutorial which went something like this: “try to stay straight and keep your legs up when you get close to the landing platform”. That was pretty much all she had to say and then sent us on our way up the 50 foot suspension bridge which had slated boards and a lot more give than I had expected. We practically crawled board by board, laughing a bit nervously, to the top of the tower. At that point looking down meant the earth was about 40 feet below, and Anne’s big blue eyes were wider than I’d ever seen.

I was elected to go first, probably because she wasn’t quite certain I’d live to tell our story. I climbed up onto the launch box and received the count down, 3-2-1...and instantly, I was flying through the air giggling like my two year old niece after masses amounts of sugar. For about a solid 20 seconds I felt completely free, alive and totally secure. The landing platform quickly approached and I was definitely backwards, I had failed one of only two rules I was given in our zipline “training”. I pulled my legs up as high as I could, to avoid massive shin impact with the tower ahead and a bearded boy, who might have been older than harness man, meaning 13 (ok or maybe 23), pulled me to safety. I networked, aka flirted,  like a puma (I’m not nearly old enough to be a cougar) as we discussed other adventures we enjoy like skydiving and scuba diving. I’m pretty sure at that moment I forgot I was supposed to be a supportive voice for Anne who was shaking on the launch box.  It was her laugh that made me refocus on my friend and which spoke volumes of accomplishment for overcoming fear. Her smile was that of a genuine child, she stayed relatively straight and remembered to pull those legs up on landing. All in all it was a successful Zipline. Bearded boy also pulled Anne into safety and she called me out, for flirting. She’s known me too long not to be able to instantly recognize a man who fits my style, a boy who worked on a farm, at a zip line and who sported a beard, yes please! We descend the landing tower through a tube slide and that childlike feeling overwhelmed me again. I’m certain this feeling should be felt by every person over the age of 25, I think that’s when people start to fall into automatic adult mode. Random events, trips, outings which give the opportunity to step outside of your routine and into the unknown is what adventure is all about... its what will keep us all youthful and remind us of what life really should be about.

We kicked around the idea of another go, but realized real life awaited. The roosters followed us to the car and with each step our strides quickened, just to make sure we didn’t become victims of the vicious poultry. We climbed in the car and immediately started plotting our next item on the “need a new name for bucket list, bucket list.”