~Monday, July 12, 2010

Adrenaline Junkie

I feel down today, a bit depressed. I had a great weekend. Friday night was spent at another painting class with bottle of sangria. The purpose of this class was to take me outside of my comfort zone; we were incorporating broken glass and joint compound into the canvases. Mine did not turn out very well and I'm blaming the joint compound. The piece was too busy and incorporated too many elements without a cohesive theme, which made it basically look like a 5 year-old's work.

Saturday I met up with Katie and her sister to go zip-lining. We drove up to the base of the Appalachian Trail and far, far away from civilization. We had to pass a ground course in zip-lining before we entered the course. My main fear was not being able to hold my own body weight while you pull yourself up the cable, but this turned out to be a non-issue because the harnesses hold 90% of your body weight. I was surprised at how safe zip-lining is. We went out with two guides: one who went ahead and waited to catch you at the other end of the line and one who hooked you up to the steel cable. You break yourself by—get this—taking your (gloved) hand and applying pressure and creating friction on the cable. For the faster runs, one of the guides would set out a rope some distance from the end that you would just crash into to slow you down. It's all very high tech.

Everyone was a bit nervous, but after the ground course, I wasn't. Up in the tree tops, we were always connected to something. Even when we were climbing up ladders and walking across rope bridges. If you did slip, you weren't going to go very far. It got to the point where I didn't break as hard as I should have, which made the guide have to catch me on more than one occasion, but that was okay because he was kind of yummy. I assume he was also several years younger because he told me he just graduated from my alma mater, and I can't believe I am now old enough to find this inappropriate.

Apparently I didn't read the brochure all the way through because there was also a 30-foot rappel in the middle of the course, and we were all shocked as we got to it. One older lady in our group threw a panic attack and refused to rappel down the rope. Only everyone else had gone but me, so I was stuck in a tree with the guide trying to calm the crying lady down. Awkward. By the time it was my turn, I was tired of standing out on the platform, so after the guide told me how to hold the rope, I swung out on my own and dropped in record time, once again having to be steadied by the yummy guide.

"You've obviously blazed before," he said, impressed.

"Nope. First time."

And once again, rappelling isn't that big of a deal because the harnesses are supporting 90% of your body weight. The top hand at your head is just to hold the rope for steadiness and the bottom hand under your butt is just to release so you can drop. Easy stuff. And once again it felt safe because there is a person at the bottom holding the rope in case anything happens; he is just there to spot you.

So I learned two new skill sets this weekend. I am thinking about finding a rappelling blaze and trying doing more of that.

Saturday night the girls came over to my mother's house where I was staying and we brought our own canvases to paint to make up for the disasters we created Friday night. I am much happier with Saturday's result.

Sunday I slept.

And now it's Monday and I don't have any whirlwind activities planned. I mean, I have craft night Tuesday and Saturday I'm going to the shooting range and Sunday to a baseball game. But it's not anything adrenaline pumping, and I really feel like I'm crashing after this weekend. It's known as Adrenal Fatigue and it has real, physical symptoms, which I guess explains why people get addicted to this kind of stuff. I seriously feel a bit depressed today.

I wonder if before, boys were my adrenaline: getting high when they called and crashing if they didn't.

My name is Sarah and I am an adrenaline junkie.

13 comments:

D said...

I think seeing my old bf everyday at work is my adrenaline rush. I seriously get down on Fridays towards the end of the day cause I know I won't see him till Monday. I should quit my job and become a bungee jumper.

nuttycow said...

Glad you had a good time ziplining - it sounds like it was really fun.

*rolls eyes* I know where you're coming from on the feeling inappropriate about perving on young boys. It's wrong isn't it? But they're just so... well, pretty.

A career as a cougar awaits me.

TexInTheCity said...

Ziplining is on my list of things to do when I get to my goal weight! Glad you had a good time.

Lpeg said...

That sounds like a really fun weekend, and I completely understand. I surround myself with people 24/7 during the week, and on those seldom days where I have 'alone' time, I feel like I need to be out doing something, whereas a few months back, I could be by myself 4-5 nights a week.

It just takes some adjusting, and I think it's really cool you're out doing so much and tackling that list!!

Anonymous said...

Oh you are becoming a "weekend warrior"! I love it!

Ziplining is not that crazy in Whistler, BC. you don't have to break yourself as the zipline has a "break" on the other side for you....basically its a catch and slows you down. You should come to Vancouver/Whistler area and give your weekend warrior adrenaline a push - do the ziplining AND try downhill mountain biking. hint - wear a helmet :D

If you are going to start repelling more, something tells me you might have to start rock climbing. those two seem to go hand in hand. therefore, you can get on that...and when you come to Vancouver your can stop in Squamish and hike/climb/repel the CHIEF on your way to Whistler. I live in a city full of adrenaline junkies - even though I'm not quite at that level of athleticism but i'm getting there.

keep enjoying and building your relationship with yourself and FLIRTING! Loved the younger guy yummy tale. Before you know it that "guy" will come along.

Babycakes said...

Just read about Christopher, a shame he turned out how he did. He sounds so self obsessed. I think you are well rid.

Anonymous said...

adrenalin junkie sounds good to me X

dont eat the token said...

I think shooting a gun will give you an adrenaline rush!

Your zip-lining experience rocks!

v said...

Woohoo!

:-D

I hope you keep stretching your boundaries, and actively living life. The time we spend alone or disconnected from the world is such a waste.

Bathwater said...

Didn't I tell you you would be fine doing this! Old is just a word, or is it can't is a four letter word. Whatever you know what I mean.

mypixieblog said...

That's awesome you went ziplining, I'm terrified to try it but intrigued all the same. It's definitely on my life list :)

I've come to terms with the fact that I have cougarific tendencies. What can you do? ;)

Anonymous said...

Cool, exciting, rewarding and very courageous!!

I propose you post the list again updated w/the latest status and/or completion date and post related.

According to Wikipedia a cougar by definition is 35years or older. This is and has been smack dab in the forefront (sp) of my mind ohhh for a while now. I mention this as often as possible as Aug 8 quickly approaches!

Dani K said...

I love zip-lining...and while rappeling is quite scary, it is also exhilerating! I've done both when in Mexico (talk about scary! (: )

If you wouldn't mind, can you share the company name you did this through? I'd love to try and plan a trip sometime with my husband...it's something we both enjoy doing :)

 

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