Cruising Day 5: Zip-lining in Skagway, Alaska

I woke up early this morning and quietly got my gym clothes on and made my way to the gym. I ran 3 miles and came back to the room to find everyone getting ready for the day. We decided to eat breakfast at the buffet today, since we didn’t need to get off the ship until closer to 9:30. After finishing breakfast, Lori, Lauren and I get off the ship and make our way to the end of the dock. Mom was talking to dad and not ready to go, so we decided to do a little exploring while waiting for her.

The city center was only 1/4 mile away, so we walked to the city center in search of a post office for Lori. Lori had some post cards that she needed to mail off to Jonathan. We easily found a mail box at the Tourist Center. Across the street was a General Store, and since we still had time before our excursion meet up time, we went in the store. I was able to find a magnet and a few post cards. I loved the idea of sending post cards, so I wrote one to my kids and Kevin and Jonathan too. The time was coming for us to meet our group and mom, so we made our way back to the dock.

Mom was waiting by our excursion guy. We checked in, found our bus, waited a few minutes for the rest of the people on our excursion, then took off. It took about 30 minutes on the shuttle bus to get to the Zipline property. After getting off the bus, we were directed to a large monster bus type car for a 15 min ride up the mountain to the ziplines course. Our driver was from Germany and said he grew up driving cars like the monster bus. It was a crazy ride, we were so close to the edge so many times. Each time I pictured us rolling off the edge or getting smashed by a falling tree. The views were spectacular, however.

Once we got to the top, we were fitted with our equipment. We had an upper harness and a lower harness placed on us and tightened. We also got a helmet. We left our backpacks and were ready for our adventures to start.

We started on the training zip line number 2. Mom asked if we could wait for number 1, because she didn’t want to miss a single zipline. The first one was just a practice line, so they said we didn’t need the first one. Mom made a few more comments about starting at the first one, but we started on number two.

Two Ladies from Texas, Anna and Michelle, joined us to make a group of 6. The six of us all took turns going down the practice zipline. We had two guides that stayed with us and helped snap us in and out of the different stations and kept us safe, their names were Flinn and Dylan. They did a great job making jokes, taking amazing pictures and funny pictures. They also showed us how to make the most of each zipline and how to do different tricks and how to control our zipline position.

We went down 11 ziplines and acrossed two rope bridges. The longest zipline we went across was over 700 feet long. You could hear the vibrations of the zip line just going and going and going. Dylan and Finn helped us learn how to go down normal, upside down, forward, backwards and with tricks. The also taught us how to control our movements while going down by holding the carabiner. We had a “faith drop” backwards, where we stood backwards on the highest step, then just fell back a few seconds before the zipline tension caught us and flung us down. That one caught my breath and scared me a bit.

We were also taught how to do a flip, I was the only one who actually tried the flip. I was super nervous because they stick the rope all on the outside shoulder, I didn’t know how it would work, but he promised when I jump and flip it would work. I flipped off the top step and couldn’t believe that I did it! Dylan commented how he has never seen anyone flip so high. I was just so worried I wouldn’t make it off the top stair that I totally flew off and up.

We also did a jump forward and then we got whipped backwards. The catch with this one was that we weren’t allowed to use our hands and had to keep them behind our backs. We were challenged to zipline while making dance moves and doing a Salmon wiggle. You could tell the workers here loved their job and very much enjoyed their work.

When we crossed over the bridges Lori made them rock and was jumping up and down, While Mom ran across it. Anna teased, “how can something so little run so fast and make such movement.” When mom ran across the bridge the entire thing jumped and swayed back forth.

Lauren wanted to see a bear really bad, and kept looking everywhere for one and commenting on how she hopped we see one. I’m here praying we don’t see one and secretly scared she will get her wish, so I sent bad mojo her way so she doesn’t get her wish of a bear. Sorry Lauren!

We finish our zip lining and spend a little while in the gift shop.  We walk around the property for a little bit and enjoy the amazing views and the beautiful mountains and trees.  We are only given a few minutes to enjoy the view before being bussed back to the dock. It’s almost 3:30 now and we are all starving, so we get back on the boat to eat a large lunch real quick before getting off the boat again to go back to the city center.

We walked around Skagway for a few hours. We didn’t have a destination or plans, so we just enjoyed shopping, writing and mailing postcards, buying t-shirts, and grocery storing for vanilla cokes and popcorn. There’s isn’t any popcorn on the dumb ship, and we all love popcorn, so we buy some to bring on. We stopped at a popcorn shop, but it was like $8 for a small bag of specialty popcorn, and that was a ridiculous amount.

Skagway is a super cute small little town of 800 people. During the tourist season, the town population goes up to 3,000 because all the seasonal workers. The city center is a cute dock town with lots of colored buildings and a railroad that runs right in the middle of town. I love the feeling of small towns and I especially loved Skagway. I loved the wide roads and the lack of traffic. I loved the fresh air and the beautiful mountains and abundance of trees. I loved the slowness of the town and the feeling of ease. I just couldn’t get enough of the scenery! The mountains are gorgeous and just all encompassing. And I can’t even describe all the green! Green absolutely everywhere. The sun was out and happy and just shining away. It was a great day to be in Skagway.

After seeing all there was to see in the City Center, we made our way back to the boat. We make our dining time at Truffles, and enjoy a delicious dinner. Mom asked if there was any way she could get a banana split. Micheal (our waiter) says he can do it for her. When he said that she starts dancing around in her chair excited like a little girl. She just smiling from ear to ear and just giggling away. You would have thought she just won the lottery. It was so cute.

After we eat and eat and eat, Mom and Lori ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I’m sitting here embarrassed and wondering why on earth are you ordering that, and am reminded that we have another long day tomorrow and they are getting food to put in their bags for tomorrow. A few minutes later, Micheal comes out with a plate full of sandwiches, chips and cookies, and mom and Lori leave with triumphant smiles.

After dinner we stopped in at an Alaskan show in the theatre. We only stay a few minutes because it was boring. Since the boat hasn’t left port yet, we opt for a quick game of miniature golf hoping the wind isn’t too bad. Lori, Lauren and I enjoy a game of mini golf, while mom chooses to stay in the warmth and comfort of our room. I got a hole-in-one on one of them, and we all have fun with the 9-holes at the top deck. We were wrong about the wind, though, it was in full force and it was super chilly during our game.

There isn’t much else going on in the ship that looks of interest so we all retire to our room. We were greeted by a super cute bull towel animal.  Mom found the movie, Alpha, on one of the complimentary channels, so we all settle in and watch the movie, get ready for bed, journal, and read books then go to bed.