Zip A Dee Do Dah….we went Zip Lining!

Tuesday January 15, 2013

Last week at happy hour Marilyn informed me that she/Dennis/Frank and Fred were going to go zip lining this week and I thought that it sounded like fun.  As my health is pretty good right now (all things considered)  it seemed like a good time to join in.  Eric wasn’t really enthused at the beginning (probably because he spent a lot of his working career at B.C. Tel and CNT  climbing poles and working on wire) but he did agree to come…..so on Tuesday morning six of us met at the front of the park for an outing.

Our Chariot!

Frank, Kathy, Dennis, Marilyn, Fred and Eric.

First stop was the Bruha Restaurant at Cerritos where we paid our fee and waited for another van as there was another group on this tour as well.   The weather over the past few days has been stinky…..cloudy, cold and windy so we all hoped it would be better inland where we were heading.  

Each group loaded into a separate bus and hit the highway.  Out the highway south past the airport where we turned left towards El Recodo and the small town of Veranos where they have the zip lining tours.

 

 

Wood fired oven where they bake the empanadas every morning.

First stop on the tour was the small village of Lomas de Monterray where we could buy fresh emapanadas (Mexican turnover.)  A choice of caramel, queso & chile (cheese) or a local pumpkin/squash filling.  Fresh from the oven and 7 peso’s each and delicious to boot.  These are gone by noon and are resold in Mazatlan for 14 peso’s so a bargain here in this small town.  A nice mid morning snack to boost our energy for the athletic activities to follow.

Our first stop in Veranos before the zip lining was the equipment outfitting with harnesses,  gloves and helmets.

 

Getting suited up.

Frank and Dennis with Eric, Fred and I behind.  What a bunch of goobers!

Eric and I ready to go.

Fred, Eric and Frank.

 

So….where do you think this part goes?

Up the hill to the instruction site.  The weather is warm but not hot and no wind….perfecto!

These guys are the Mexican rescue team!  If we get stuck part way between take off and landing someone will come out to bring us in.  Funny guys!

So…do I really want to do this ?

I guess I do!  Hang on, brake part way and arrive at the other end.

Here I come!   Turns out I’m really built for speed….the Mexican who was on the catching end had to be on his toes as I came in fast.  They kept telling us to brake but it didn’t work for me so I just let them catch me.   I surprised them a couple of times when they didn’t gauge how fast I was arriving…..zoom, zoom…Zoom!

Marilyn’s ready to rock!

Off she goes.

Perfect landing.   Marilyn did this last year so she is a pro!

Now it’s Dennis’ turn.

Yee haw! 

Here he comes….good landing.   Turns out Dennis ended up more tired than necessary as he thought he was supposed to hold his weight up by his arms instead of letting the harness hold him.   His wife Marilyn set him straight on  that and then it got easier. 

Now who is this guy….looks like the safety inspector!   If he had his climbing hooks on….he’d look like he was going to work.

Look at the length of those legs….Eric aka ….The stork!

Here he comes….ready to land!

Each take off was named and the length of the run noted.   This was a long one.  From the end of each run we walked to the next platform for take off.

Frank’s loaded and ready to go.

Flying through the air with greatest of ease…..

  Up in the air and now on his feet….good job!

Fred getting ready to go.  Fred’s done this before…can you tell! 

Easy peezy nice and easy….no problemo for Fred.  

Three amigo’s heading back down to the town.

Doesn’t that laundry look pretty!

 

Right down in the village there is a hot spring and I do mean hot….too hot to put your hand in.  They can scald and pluck a chicken in this water!  I’m not kidding…it really is that hot. 

Lunch is served.  Queso fondido in a moljacete dish….(hot cheese in a hot stone wear pot.) Tortilla’s, chips, salsa and small burritos….with the best thing of all….cold beer. 

The small town tequila factory right next to the square and the zip lining.

There was a whole wall of beautiful leather masks for sale.  We have one in our rig and we just love it.  Real works of art.

 

 

Bottles of local tequila to taste and buy.  Coffee, almond and just plain tequila.  I liked the coffee one.

Tequila processing stills. This is not the season for tequila making here right now.

 

 

 

 

 

These three murals were in the courtyard where the tequila is made and they show the process of making the tequila.

At this point the tour was over and we loaded back into our bus for the ride back to the RV park.  We had driven out the main highway on our way to the tour but now we took the overland dirt road short cut home.  A bit bumpy but much faster and a bit of different terrain to see. 

All in all a good day that was enjoyed by everyone.  Cost for the day 750 peso’s each (about $65) and well worth the price. 

So what’s next….?