Zip, Zip, and Away!

Dan's wife Robyn here and it's time for my first post! Dan started this blog around the same time we went zip lining in nearby Santa Cruz, which reminded me of our first time zip lining in Hawaii. I thought that would make a great post because we had so much fun. Since then, we've been zip lining several times in several different places, but nothing has been as good as our first time in Hawaii.

Although Dan did not want to go at first (he thought it was too expensive), I talked him into it. Looking back I'm so glad we actually decided to do it because we had such a blast. The place we went, Umauma Falls and Zip Lining Experience on the Big Island of Hawaii, was awesome! There are a couple of main reasons that this place has stayed our favorite zip lining place:

One reason is the fact that they gave us harnesses that went over our shoulders as well as around our waist and legs as you can see in this stylish picture of us above. The reason this is so much better is because you can go upside down while zip lining. Being able to go upside down while zip lining really made it so much more fun! It also made for some great photos as you’ll see below...

...including my absolute favorite photo of the day, which was taken on their tandem zip line (another reason this place was so awesome!). It can be a bit challenging to take pictures while zip lining, but it was totally worth it as you can see below.

Another reason we loved Umauma is because of it's 2,040 foot zip line. Since we zip lined here, we haven't even come close to this length on one line. In fact, we probably haven't even come close to that with all the zip lines at each individual place combined. Okay, that may be a stretch, but I believe our local Redwood Canopy Tours' longest zip line is around 500 feet. Not that it's not an awesome place - I definitely recommend it if you're in the Bay Area - but it's hard to beat 2,040 feet on one line.

The final reason why I, especially, liked Umauma is because they have stops set up for you. Now, if you've never zip lined before you may not know what I mean, but obviously you do need to stop before running into the tree or post that is holding the end of the line. At Umauma, they have stops set up for you, so you just go for it and don't worry about anything because it will stop you at the end. This is the only place we have zip lined that has had this. All of the other places give you gloves, so that you can stop yourself by reaching behind you and putting pressure on the line. I'm sorry, but I don't like having to do that. When I'm zip lining I want to have a good time and that includes wanting to go as fast as possible without having to worry about when to break so I don't hit whatever is at the end of the line. Having to worry about breaking at the other zip lining places really took away from the whole experience. Instead of enjoying being on the zip line during the - let's face it - short time you're actually on them, I'm worrying about when to break. Seriously, all zip line places should have these stops!

So, if you're ever on the Big Island of Hawaii, seriously check this place out! We had an awesome time at Umauma Falls and Zip Lining Experience and we have both loved zip lining ever since. We even recently did night zip lining during the holidays. The only light was twinkle lights set up around the redwood trees. Redwood Canopy Tours only does their "Twinkle Tours" during December and early January, but if you get the chance to go, that is also highly recommended. Here is a bonus pic of us from our recent Twinkle Tour:

If you have never zip lined before, I really recommend trying it. Even if you're afraid of heights, you might just surprise yourself and have fun. Now, I will end this post with one of my other favorite pics I took zip lining.

Now go forth and zip!

Oh and if you're looking for even more of a thrill, check out this list of the longest zip lines. The longest is almost 7,000 feet! I've definitely added that to my list!