Carolina Treetop Challenge

 So last week, I was in Albemarle for Peter's Streaker Social, and I did the Carolina Treetop Challenge - Rope course. I talked about this in a previous post and how much that I liked it. 

I didn't get in to this, but near the end on level 5, they have to option of taking two different paths to the finish. I took the zip line to the finish. Having never done the course before, I just picked one. When I got off, I was talking to some of the individuals that work at Carolina Treetop Challenge. They were telling me that the other path was more challenging. 

Being one that never likes leaving a challenge undone, I decided to go back this weekend to do the course again, and this time, I would take the other path. 

When I walked in the door, they recognized me from last weekend. I don't know how. I am wearing different clothes, hat, and a different mask. They quickly geared me up, and I went through their training course to prove that I hadn't forget anything in the past week. Soon, I was off on the course. 

I flew through level one.

Level two, I ran in behind this group of girl scouts. They were struggling a bit on the obstacles. I patently waited my way though it. 

On level 3, I climbed the rock wall again. I focused on using the larger knobs which made the climbing a lot easier. Running shoes are not exactly the best for climbing of rock walls, but they do work in a pinch. 

After level 3, ropes course empty out. I guess that there are not that many takers. 

The obstacles definitely get harder on level 4. There were lots of ropes to hop through. 

Descending the ladder and heading for the Level 5, one of the course workers asked me if I plan to the other path this week. He couldn't see the smile on my face. I told him that I was most definitely doing it.

I slide down the rope line to the rope ladder and then made my way over to the platform. In this next section, the ropes are exceptionally tough. Even having done it last week, I still struggled getting through this section. It is super hard, and with my weight shifting my feet were all over the place. 

The next couple of obstacles are hard but having done this section before I had a much easier time getting through them. 

I soon reached the point where the course splits. 

I eyed the path in front of me. Honestly, the zipline to the finish was looking pretty good right now. 

Describing the next section is hard but I do my best. It is a vertical climb to the next level on these round blocks which are able to spin around the cable. As I was climbing and my weight is constantly shifting, I would end up spinning around cable which makes it incredible hard to climb. I think it took me 15 minutes here. It certainly felt like it. 

Now, I was really up in the tree tops. 

It was slow going. At one point, I was crossing this rope bridge which didn't have a floor only sides. 

When I reached the last platform, I was really confused about how to get down. The worker below me said to hook in to the clamps and step off the edge. I was like "okay". I had this unsettling feeling in my stomach. I wondered if this was some type of bungie jump. I have no idea what was thinking at the time. I clamped in and stepped off. 

To my surprise, I had a nice gentle decent to the ground. Clearly, this was the easiest obstacle on the entire course. 

I was glad that I went back and did this last section. Now to see how sore I will be on Monday. 

While the Ys have opened here in Charlotte, I am not ready to go back, and after nearly 7 months of my home gym, I am looking for some other options. Getting out and doing stuff like this provides a great alternative. I wish that they were closer to Charlotte. I don't think that I will be making a weekly drive to Albemarle. That's might be too much, but I will definitely do it again in the future. I am also looking at some similar courses closer to Charlotte. The WWC has a number of ropes courses. I may get myself a yearly membership so I can do them. We will see. 

In times like this, we just have to stay flexible and look for alternatives that work for each of us and our schedules. 

2020 is just one of these weird years. Expect the unexpected because it will be happening. 

Tails from the tree tops,

The Cool Down Runner