Busy Weekend - Ropes Course

Thursday - Cheryl (John's new wife) and her family met up with John and our family at the U.S.U. ropes course. Here we had a great time trying to get over our fear of heights and have fun hanging out and getting to know the new people that are joining the Avery clan.. Chris did at least one thing on the course that required being in the air, which I am very proud of him for doing it. He is terrified of heights, and I do mean TERRIFIED.... Me on the other hand will try anything once if not twice if I don't succeed the first time. One of the obstacles frightened me, but I was willing to give it a shot. It consisted of me climbing a pole that resembled a utility pole. It had staples for foot and hand holds. This pole was about 50 feet tall but around the 35' mark it had a little platform jotted out about 2 feet from the pole. There you had to move from the pole to the platform and be able to turn around to see the final step. The final, scary step..... About 8 feet out from the platform and about 3 feet above my head was a yellow trapeze pole. The object of this was to see if you could muster up enough courage to jump out from the platform and catch this yellow bar that was hanging 8 feet out.... (This is still scary even though you know you are in a full body harness.) Well, I decided that I would give it a shot. I started my climb up the pole, which now that I think about it, was the scariest part for me. Once I got to the platform, I took a minute to get a grip on my butterflies that were going crazy in my stomach. I turned around and just stood there for what seemed like 15 minutes, but was really only maybe a minute if that. From there every set of eyes were on me, seeing if I would be brave enough to do this. Well I finally got up enough courage and I decided to do it. I took the biggest jump in my life and as I was flying out away from the platform the yellow bar came within my reach, (I swear it was in slow motion) When I finally got to the bar my fingers hit the bar and I missed it. Here I was dangling from my security harness totally upset that I had touched the bar but did grab it... I was so mad.... So Patrick, the course manager lowered me down and I waited for the next person to do it, but I wasn't going to quit. I was going to try it again, and the next time I was going to accomplish it.... So it was my turn again and I made my way up the pole again, this time I was so focused on my task, I completely tuned every one out except for Patrick. He gave me more instructions and I wanted to do exactly what he told me to do. So here I am on the platform ready to make my successful jump, I counted to 3 myself and made my jump. I jumped harder and further than the first and I actually grasped the bar. I was so excited that I was able to do it. After you grab the bar you are supposed to let go and Patrick will lower you to the ground, but I was so glad that I had grabbed it, it took me a long time to release it out of my grip. I finally let go and was on the ground before I knew it... I was so proud of myself for not giving up the first time and trying it again and being able to accomplish the mission. It was so thrilling and right now I feel like I can accomplish anything......

Here is some videos our experience....


My Brave Coy Boy



My First Attempt



Mission Complete!