For Mother’s Day weekend Grace’s Brownie troop went on a mother-daughter camping trip to Judy Layne Girl Scout Camp in Morgan County Kentucky (east of Lexington.) The theme for this weekend was adventure. We stayed in cabins (rather than the platform tents we have used previously) and cooked our own meals at our camp fire (instead of eating in the mess hall.)
The highlight of the weekend was using the 35 foot climbing tower. On one side of the tower the girls tried out rock climbing. On another side they experienced prusiking. What is prusiking you ask? (I sure did!) Prusiking is ascending a rope with the use of a harness and mechanical devices. The person utilizes two hand grips that can be pushed up the rope but have teeth to keep them from falling back down. You start in a seated position and push up with one grip going to a standing position. Push up on the second grip and you pull up your legs back into a seated position. You do this over and over again inching your way up the rope.
THE TOWER
This camp also has a zip line at the top of the climbing tower. The girls were disappointed to learn that you had to be 13 years old to use the zip line. Our instructors informed the mothers that we could use the zip line. I told Grace that if she got to the top of the tower rock climbing and prusiking I would go on the zip line. Sounds good right? One more piece of information - I have a pretty big fear of heights. I will go to 50th floor of a building but don’t ask me to look out the window or worse step out on a balcony.
So why did I say this to Grace? Well several things went through my mind at the time:
1. Despite the height, for years I have thought that going on a zip line looks like fun.
2. I knew it would be safe as the Girl Scouts fear liability and spend a lot of money to make sure everything is safe. There was a lot of equipment there and I felt the instructors were good and since they normally work with kids they would be patient with me (i.e. they deal with chickens all the time.)
3. I thought this was a unique opportunity; I am not around a zip line very often after all.
4. I didn’t want my fear to keep me from a new experience – I can’t tell you how many times certain members of my family have told people about my not going to the top of the Eiffel Tower because of my fear of heights.
5. I work hard to keep all my promises to my girls. I knew once I made the promise I would have to keep it and there were witnesses. Backing out was not an option.
6. Finally I wanted to take the occasion to show Grace you can overcome your own fears. Hopefully she will use my example as she deals with her own fears of spiders, being along, and elevators and so on.
Of course Grace made it to the top of the tower for both the rock climbing and prusiking. She was really fast with the rock climbing – I think she set some kind or record. Once she got the rhythm of prusiking there was no stopping her. She loved both activities and did each several times that day. Although Grace made it look easy these events are not. Some of the girls had some trouble and faced their own fears. I was proud of how all the girls supported, encouraged and took care of each other.
When the time came for the zip line three mothers decided to give it a try. I volunteered to go first and received a lot of encouragement from the girls and mothers. To go on the zip line you have to climb 35 feet up a telephone poll on what they called staples. The VERY SMALL metal hooks made the climb a challenge. I am sure it was a lovely picture – middle aged woman wearing a harness that looked like big black underwear over your clothes and a bright red hair crushing helmet hugging a pole with feet pointed out to the side trying to not miss the next metal hook.
Going up I was shaking with nerves which didn’t make the climb any easier. When I got to the top the instructor realized she forgot a harness and sent someone to go get it. Great – waiting at the top of a tower for your impending doom. It felt like 10 minutes but in reality I am sure was only a few. Once we had all the equipment. I had to climb over a wall and sit on a SMALL triangle of wood. While holding the rope I had to lean forward and fall off the “seat” to go on the line. As I sat there my brain kept telling me to lean back – something to do with self preservation I am sure. It took a few minutes to work up to it but I finally forced myself to lean forward and fall. The first part of the ride was frightening, shocking and bumpy. Once I leveled off it was a lot of fun. The ride was short and honestly for all the work I would have liked it to be longer. Grace tried to take pictures but her camera died before she got anything good (see prayer does work.) Someone else may have a picture but I haven't been given a copy yet. I do have witnesses and I swear I really did go on the zip line - ask Grace!
The other fun thing the girls did at this camp was to go on the jumping pillow. I can only explain this as a safer, lower to the ground version of a trampoline. The girls loved it. It was the last thing we did before leaving to go home. If we knew a traffic accident would essentially shut down New Circle Road in Lexington making our final mile home last over an hour we would have let them jump longer!
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