[flickr id=”7604254726″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Ever since the Super Bowl back in January all anyone in Indiana can talk about is the zip line. I never stepped one foot in Super Bowl Village – but I wished I had just for the zip line.

About two months ago I found out about Go Ape!  Right in my own backyard here on the West Side, inside Eagle Creek Park, is a place where you can zip line, do Tarzan Swings, and just climb through the trees like a monkey.  You can really Go Ape!

So I rounded up some friends, my husband, a few of their husbands, and we swallowed our fears, strapped on a harness, and climbed.

Did I say fear?  Yeah, fear.

After the “bunny hill” courses that are only a few feet off the ground – you climb and climb.  High up off the ground you make your way through 5 courses of increasing difficulty – and as a bonus every course ends with the zip line.

I admittedly screamed at every one.

Out of pure joy.

[flickr id=”7604174320″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”] The last three courses have options for your routes.  You can do “moderate” or “difficult” on course 3 – and on courses 4 & 5 you have your option of “Difficult” or “Extreme”.

I chose the difficult routes because I wanted to challenge myself.  After all, I am wiping this sucker off my 45X45 list (“Do something daring”) – because it scared me.  Holy cow am I glad I did.  Knowing that I challenged myself, conquered my fear, and took the leap (literally on the Tarzan Swing) makes me feel strong and empowered.

[flickr id=”7604240872″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”] The whole course left us feeling strong and empowered.  Even my husband – who is terrified of heights, bridges, and couldn’t do the last Tarzan Swing (seriously, frightening stuff there) made his way through the course and felt so proud of himself for it – not that he’d do it again. ;).

It was a great ‘day date’ activity for us.  It is an amazing team building activity too. Spending our time encouraging each other and cheering each other on (or is that daring each other?) to get through these courses cementing our bond of friendship.

[flickrset id=”72157630653559754″ thumbnail=”square” photos=”” overlay=”false” size=”small”]

We all left swearing to do it again.

After all, it’s in our own backyard and a combination of fun, adrenaline pumping, and an intense workout. Best of all?  It’s $55 a person – and it takes you at least three hours to get through the full course.  For teens it’s only $35, but you are responsible for them and limited to how many you can chaperone (Age limit of 10, height limit of 55″).

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*Disclaimer: Me & 10 of my friends were given free tickets for the day by Go Ape.  All the fun I had and my opinions are all my own.