You're Gonna Get Wet, You're Gonna Get Muddy.... And You're Gonna Get Over It.

When do we learn to fear things? Yesterday morning I was watching my nephew Callen playing with my Dad. They were playing with one of those toys that you roll back to wind up and when you let go it  zooms forward. The first time Dad let it go off the table it almost smacked right in to Callen, but he didn't move. The second time Callen jumped out of the way. I think the basis for all of our fears comes from an experience. When we are born, we don't yet know that we should fear things. But when our parents yell at us to stay away from the oven or not to get too close to a ledge, we begin to understand that these things are dangerous. I'm guessing I had some experience that involved heights when I was younger.

In 2010 I made 'overcoming fears' one of my resolutions. After 2010 I moved this on to my list for life resolutions. I have a lot of fears... some of which I'm trying really hard to overcome.  Just last year when we were on Maui and going ziplining was brought up, the idea scared the crap out of me. We ended up not going that time, but later that year (with the help of some tequila) in Vegas I  did a short zip down Freemont Street with some friends.

Yesterday was the true test of whether I had really overcome this fear of heights....

Carly and I took a 3 hr. ZIPLINING tour! through the mountains on Kauai! We completed a total of four zips and one repelling line.

Naturally it was torrentially down pouring for the first half of the adventure, but at least this was our first taste of real rain on the island.

That's me!!!! way up in the air!
Who's afraid of heights?!!!!
Not this girl!

All harnessed up! 

Carly, coming in hot!!

Carly getting strapped in and ready to repel down!

There was a little bit of hiking as well.

Sisters!

The last line we did was by far the most fun! The first half was a little disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was scary, just not holy crap I'm gonna die scary! The final zip we were able to go down side-by-side. Carly and I stepped up to be the first ones to go. The guy told us that we could go down either frontwards, backwards or flip upside down. As we got to the edge we decided to go backwards and attempt the flip. The guy then told us that if we wanted to really be badasses that we should jump backwards, put our hands behind our backs and try not to grab on to our rope when we went. The challenge was set! After a couple terrified glances between Carly and I the count down started.

1, 2...... 3!

There are about two seconds when you are literally falling (backwards.... hands behind your back) before the line catches you. HOLY MOLY! So scary! But we did it! Then I pushed back on the rope and was upside down! For about two seconds before I was right-side up. The line ends up stopping you then sending you back past the landing. At that moment I looked over at Carly who was upside down, obviously trying to right herself, and spinning. It was so silly I cracked up laughing for about 5 minutes hanging up in the air. To get down from this line the guy has to bring over a giant ladder for you to climb down. This was when I realized something. I'm not so much afraid of heights when I'm strapped to a bunch of lines and cables, I'm afraid of heights when they involve a ladder. Seriously. I don't like ladders. So I guess I kinda conquered a couple height fears yesterday.

We did that zip twice, the second time with a lot more gracefulness. And I want to note that only a couple other people on the tour attempted the backwards-no-hands-jump-then-flip-upside-down move.