Whirlpool Adventure Course

Some great views today!  Note the whirlpool boat for an idea of height. 

Right - so interesting and highly entertaining learning experience this weekend ;)

Pretty good ego check, tons of fun, and still smiling more than 24h later so deeming it a win all around.

So there've been just a few times in my life where I've realised I have a moderately impactful fear of heights.  But it always seemed somewhat arbitrary to me -- mostly I love heights, but every once in a while I'd find myself in a situation w almost paralysing fear and I couldn't figure out why.   But most things I've read have suggested that this is one of those things that get worse with age, and being the stubborn human I am that means I keep finding things to put myself in situations to challenge that fear.  Well this weekend I figured out the trigger - it's not heights that scare me, it's heights that I could fall from ;).  Walking on the edge of a cliff w no barrier = scared out of my mind and probably reduced to crawling.  Abseiling into a 50m cave = no problem at all.  Crazy-long zipline in Costa Rica?  No problem - quite happily enjoying the view.   Hiking at the top of a volcano?   Terrifying.  But it finally clicked for me this weekend.  Why?

Because I convinced two friends to join me to do the "ropes course" I somehow discovered was in Niagara (I thought I'd seen it, but I don't think I've ever actually been there before so maybe not...).  Anyways - when I looked it up there was a kids course, a classic, and an extreme.   And of course typical me goes "well classic looks like it's still for kids, so extreme is probably better"; fortunately intellectual me chimed in and suggested "do the classic first, and if it's boring, you can go back for extreme".   lol the classic route suggests it takes 90-120 mins to complete.

Some of the course

The website doesn't do a good job of showing what it really is.  I was thinking it would be a similar experience to the Walk in the Clouds in Halliburton or even the zip lining we've done in a few places.  Well.  Let me clear it up for you.  It's not ;-P

First, age range.  While I'm going to admit we were probably the oldest ones participating, the group in front of us were also "real" adults.   Immediately behind us was two kids - plausibly tween-age?   Siblings -- their parents were following along on the ground.   Actual kids had their own area - at the end of our adventure I saw a group of them getting the exact same instructions we'd had, but I have to assume there would be a little more supervision there once they're going.   The only ones we saw on the extreme course were tween-age.  I no longer have any desire to do that one ;)

Okay so we got there and there was a bit of waiting around - the coms at the very start wasn't great.  BUT, I have to say that was 100% made up for by the extreme patience of literally everybody working on the course.  I was super impressed by that.   

So they got us all into harnesses - I want to say maybe about 10 people?   I could be making that up, but a few groups of people.   We went over to a tiny park where we got a lesson about connect into the line system, how to work the zip lines, and how to disconnect.  They run two practice runs at the same time so we got through that really fast.  Well, the others did *eyeroll*.  It took me a ridiculously long time to figure out how to attach to the cable and honestly - while I got better at it, it was a pita about 50% of the time.  Neither of the others w me had any challenges though so I feel like this was the first ego check ;) 

Anyways we all passed the lesson and moved to the actual course.   Waited until it was our turn to go (they space you out cause you can't pass once you're in and no more than 3 people on any platform), hooked in, and then the adventure began.  It started with walking across some boards, then a board with a big gap between the next board, and then right into a single wire?!?!   Little did I know that by the end those would be easy.  lol but the first few wires I shuffled across (ie, never actually lifted my feet) whereas by the end it was a casual stroll and fully okay with turning around mid trip to talk to J who was behind me ;)

This one was trickier than it looked

Anyways - lots of puzzles to solve.  The first half of the course was about 20' in the air.  The one puzzle on that level that made me screech was when I stepped on a log and it dropped!   Turns out it was a bit of a teeter-totter.  Which I loved once I realized I wasn't going to die, but that first step was a little iffy.   Lol I think the other two were pleased to have me go first so they could see what the tricks were to each one ;-P.     

Some examples of challenges early in the adventure;
the first is a single wire, offset from centre; the second is offset boards to walk across

Anyways - each of the challenges the first part was to figure out what the trick was and how to navigate it; the second was to actually do it.  

This was an easy breather one

And I'm pretty sure they tested the course with adults, because any time I started to get tired there'd be a zipline (sit down and take a break) or something comparitively easy.  

 

B on one of the first ziplines for these extra breaks

The one that looked really easy ended up being the hardest physically was a rope net.  Then after that you just jump down ;).  The jump down was a auto-belay type rope so seconds after stepping off the platform you have a slow ride to the ground :).  

I found this one a lot more challenging than I'd expected

At which point, the person on the ground asks if we want to do the 2nd half of the course.  Wait what???  We were hot and tired but...  Okay?  *shrug*.  So up a ladder we go to the 40' course.

Only one person on a ladder at a time

Given the 30-ish degrees and the fact that there was no water at the break point, we were pretty tired and thirsty than expected going into the second half.  This was another ego check 😆   Not quite as fit as I'd like to believe.  Top course was literally the route back, higher.  

Much higher, but good views. 
At the bottom of the pic, you can see some of the first round.

Many of the obstacles were similar, but there were definitely enough new ones to keep it entertaining.   One that was surprisingly fun was a ball hanging on a string that you had to pull over, climb on, and swing across to the other side - Miley Cyrus wrecking-ball style lol.  

Many of these were more challenging for sure,
but having done the others already, they seemed similar

Anyways - the last obstacle of this round was the hardest as well - it was the one on this one that earned an involuntary screech from me but alas I have no pictures ;). Partially cause I was the one taking the pictures and partially cause there wasn't a lot of space to take photos of the two behind me cause we accidentally caught up to the people in front.  But it involved balls that spun when you stepped on them, and single rope loops, and a variety of other things that each on their own was okay but combined like that was brutal.  I, at least, found it to be a challenge, esp when my foot kicked the rope out in front of me, swing style.  It was fun but not exactly under control ;)

The views were pretty awesome

But the whole thing was fun, I would definitely do it again.   And I was pleased that the height actually had no impact whatsoever -- I suspect because evidently my brain decided the safety cables earned their name ;)

Fitness-wise - Next day I felt fine, but next evening my core was screaming at me 😂    Those stabilisation muscles remember their job fairly well but haven't been used in a long time!  So yeah, that was the last ego check ;)

So yeah - it was tons of fun, way better than I expected, and also more of a workout than I expected.  They say their goal is to push you out of your comfort zone, and I'd say they did that at just the right level.   

When left to my own devices I discover all kinds of randomness

Some completely random things that I've recognised an appreciation for this week: 

Olympic announcers who can make a sport comprehensible to people who have potentially never even heard of it before while not sounding condescending- done right it can drive a real new interest in the sport.  Sports I’ve learned a ton about this week starting from zero:

• Surfing (hurry up and wait taken to the extreme 🤣); announcers need to fill a lot of empty space
• Skateboarding (the park variation - I still can’t get over the age range of these competitors: 11-50)
• Speed climbing, and also the boulder/lead climbing 
• Kayak cross (this to me is steeplechase with the potential of drowning!   lol would be a blast if I had skills and were the only one on the course but no way I’d want to do it w other kayakers ;))
• Breakdancing - ok gotta admit I didn’t love this one enough to learn much about it, but at least I know a little bit about it now...  

Translators of musicals.  I’ve been informed that what I need most to improve my Spanish is intake - active or passive doesn’t really matter but has to be understandable to me; sheer volume is what I need and preferably listening rather than reading.  So while I was practicing drawing, I put the TV on for passive Spanish (usually it’s just off unless C is home.  Or this week on Olympics which I’m loving) and set it to Disney.  Some of the ones I watched I’ve only seen once or twice so I couldn’t tell you the lyrics in English to know if they did a good job of changing them.  But the one I knew by heart I was super impressed- obv not always a literal translation but the same meaning, the same intent, and with words that suit the rhythm, tone, and rhyme requirements of the song.  That takes translation to a whole new level and I am in awe.

Teaching strategies that I’ve either experienced or picked up from others in all kinds of areas that I’m learning are rooted in science that makes me appreciate coaches who got there before the science did ❤️.   But also makes me 💯 more likely to apply it knowing *why* it works.   Also - if this sort of thing interests you, highly recommend the first section of “The Talent Code”.   I’m not finding much new in it (but, to be fair, I read a lot about adult learning - although this book is applicable to any age) but the way it’s put together and the science behind WHY it works, I’m finding fascinating.  It’s also a light and easy read, which helps.

Canal cycling adventures

So.  Those of you who’ve been here a while may remember that once upon a time, a few lifetimes ago, I decided to do the Ride to Conquer Cancer (and if you're really bored, you can read all about it - in reverse order - here!).  And I dutifully trained and got fit and while prob not as fit as I should’ve been, did it, rode the whole way, and was in the middle (aka not nearly dead last) each day.  However, since then I’ve done exactly zero “real” rides and only a handful each year in general.   But now that Sasha can’t do the long walks w me anymore, and in desperate need of some outdoor cardio, I’m back into the bike ;)

So I got it all tuned up and had Monday after the cottage off work, so I went for a ride.  I’d intended on about 10k - there’s an out and back again route (I don’t love those but it’s the only pretty spot to ride around here) that has good stopping points at about 5 and 10 k distances from my home.   All good.

It's not as lovely as the lake view at the cottage,
but it's still way better than riding in the city!

Also - remember we live “where the ships climb the mountain” aka at the top of the hill between Lake Eerie and Lake Ontario.  Which means every path from here leads down. 

Now that particular trail leads down slowly.  It’s super gradual.  So I had an easy ride but not a ton of excessive speed and I mentally shelved the fact that the return would be uphill.  Was 100% NOT ready to go home at the 5k turnaround so I kept riding.  I noted the 10k turnaround just cause it always amuses me that it’s there (a random ferry that exists cause a ship took out a bridge 100ish years ago and the city decided it was cheaper to ferry pedestrians across forever than rebuild the bridge - and they still do!  For free :)).  Anyways I was amused by the ferry but failed to connect it to the fact that this now meant my overall ride would be closer to 20k.  And kept going.  And then I started seeing signs for Welland business district (insert sarcastic comment here - those who know…) but also what looked like a park or something, so I decided I’d ride to that and check it out.  Was not anything interesting but did add a few more kms to the out distance, so I decided to be responsible and come home.

I kinda love this bridge;
I may or may not have used it as a mini-break to stop and take this photo ;)

Fair enough - super slow comparatively but I made it and wasn’t overly sore.  Was particularly pleased about my shoulders which usually kill after any ride.  Oh Hindsight is a nasty little gremlin.

By that evening my quads were cement blocks.  FML.  Went for a 5k walk (normal loop) to try to work them loose.   Theoretically it helped.  Really?  I doubt it.  It just made me more tired.

Next day - actually felt not too bad.  Decide to do an easy loop, test out my snazzy new speed and cadence sensors (read - I moved the wahoo ones from the spin bike to the real bike) set everything up (incl learning how to measure wheel circumference — my husband has like half a dozen tape measures; do you think I could find any of them when I actually needed one?  Nope.  Hence why I have my own mini tool box ;).   Anyways - wanted to test if the new toys work.  They do.  However with extreme darkness looming and increasingly large drops of rain falling at an ever-accelerating rate, I basically went around the block and back into the garage.  Perfect.  No leg pain, no shoulder pain, world is good.  We won’t mention the entire ride was less than 3km.

So now we’re into today.  Work was long and meeting heavy and it’s supposed to rain tomorrow and possibly Friday so I really wanted to go out after work.  Out I go, things feel mostly good, decide to take the trail the other direction.   Only issue with that is it’s a significantly steeper hill that way.  Lol TONS of fun on the down, less good on the up.  Also, I’ve never taken that trail so I couldn’t just fly down it cause I had no idea where it went.  If you knew the route was clear, it’d be so much fun.  But it's a twisty path which is really pretty but has limited visibility.  And the part that is straight has light posts planted in the middle of the bike path ;-P

Anyways - first, I forgot to tell the app I was doing anything till the bottom of the hill.  Boooo.  Although at least my watch figured it out.   It’s amazing how motivating (or Demotivating) data (and lack thereof) can be.  But anyways - decided I wasn’t in for a repeat of Monday so I’d turn around at the 5k mark.    And I DID (although I admit I gave a moment or two’s thought to continuing to where I could buy some ice cream, but that would be slightly counterproductive).   Turn around and go back up the hill.  And up.  And up.  I had to remember how to switch the big gear out - I basically never use that half of my gears lol but I was getting desperate.   I’m not sure I *want* to see the data on how slowly I was moving!   I made it to the top, but by then my poor shoulders - you know the ones I was so excited were not tired the other day — were screaming (remember the gremlin?), and I was moving too slowly to sit up (spoiler alert - that’s why they weren’t screaming on Monday, I did half the ride sitting up instead of holding the handlebars!).  Then on the slightly flatter portion I got enough speed to sit up, and the second I let go, the wind yanked my tire out.  *sigh*.  Riding (horseback that is) reflexes still reasonable since I caught it and stayed on, but yeah *facepalm*.  Riding along the canal is almost always a giant wind tunnel - some places worse than others.   I know this from walking and running.  Yet somehow didn't clue in to the impact on a bike. Lesson learned.  So even though I was contemplating an extra loop near my house cause the legs were feeling good and I was having fun, my shoulders and dying phone convinced me I should go home and the whole ride was a mere 10k and took me 36 minutes 😂.  Horrifyingly slow even with a solid downhill that could've got me some speed if not for trees and lamp posts ;).

The easy down isn’t as much fun as the steep one - you def don’t get the same speed - but the easy up is a lot less embarrassing!  Lol. Overall though, a reasonably harmless way to enjoy an evening.