This is what it sounds like / when the bears fly*

One of the most renowned highlights of Costa Rica's ecotourism industry are the "ziplines," the networks of cables, pulleys, harnesses, and platforms that allow you to "fly" (that is, "zip") though the treetops, offering a profoundly unique perspective from which to view the forests. Walking on the wood bridges -- or better yet, hiking on the ground -- is better far better for trying to spot the birds, the monkeys, or the rest of the amazingly diverse fauna of this country (Costa Rica has more bird species than the US and Canada combined, and almost six times the number of species of animals per 10,000 sq km than the US... thank you, Lonely Planet Costa Rica). Nonetheless, the ziplines are a breathtaking experience, speeding through the treetops at (I'm guessing here) somewhere between 15 to 30 mph, and I did see one fleeting flash of yellow as I sped past -- thank the heavens, not into -- a butterfly at those speeds.

On Sunday, we spent three hours ziplining at the Selvatura park, on the edge of the Monteverde National Cloud Forest Reserve. Selvatura features 15 cables, which ranged from 250 feet long to over 1000 feet long, plus a "Tarzan" swing two-thirds of the way through the park. At the top of the first platform, my deep and abiding fear of heights kicked in, but, although I apparently lost all color in my face, I refused to give in to mounting sheer panic, and (after waiting for one or two other people to go), I got strapped in and shoved off. I was substantially calmer even a third of the way into that first cable ride, although I over-braked & stopped about 25 feet from the platform; one of our groups' guides came out & easily pulled me in. After riding the second cable, they added a chest harness, since, well, I'm not the most petite zipliner, and from there, my form improved dramatically, and I was able to enjoy rushing through the forest canopy far more. (On the first really long cable, the guide volunteered to "taxi" me, basically wrapping his legs around me & doing all the work while I literally just laid back and enjoyed the ride. I think he was concerned that I'd get stuck again, but after that, the guides realized I could take care of myself, and I zipped along on my own).

The "Tarzan" swing scared everyone the most (virtually everyone was somewhat terrified all along the way, while trying to act cool all the while, until "Tarzan" came along, & their cover broke). Basically, you're strapped in, and pushed off the hill to swing back & forth. Virtually everyone screamed or grunted (I'm a grunter, for the record), and with the very tight harnesses and the 20 foot drop, the undergrad guys discovered why they should have worn briefs, not boxers (there were several curses about so much for ever having children). Not surprisingly, my mass generated greater acceleration, & I swung back & forth a few extra times -- one of the pictures shows the guides trying to catch me with the mongo rubber band, after attempts to grab me by the feet failed -- one shoe flew off, then the other, as I kept on swinging back & forth.

By the last couple of cables, it began to rain, and on the last, long cable over a sweeping rainforest valley, the rain started coming down hard, battering my face on top of the air rushing past as I rode along. Words barely do justice to the sensory experience.

In other news, the entomologists arrived on Sunday, and with their pith helmets and their little tubes to trap bugs and with their disconcerting excitement about catching beetles and praying mantises and what not, I feel like I've walked into a "Far Side" cartoon just waiting to happen. Additionally, on Monday evening, one of the naturalists caught a living version of the Extremely Large Frog^TM (we'll just call him Jeremiah... he was a friend of mine) whose unfortunately compressed counterpart I stepped into the other night. Jeremiah's body was bigger than my hand, and with his width, he looked like a small, ribbitting, slimy rugby ball, with legs (that's it, his name is Jeremiah Gilbert... that'd be an in-joke for the ruggers...). Apparently, Jeremiah Gilbert and his kin secrete some toxin, but the naturalist couldn't get J.G. to squirt on demand. I certainly prefer the frogs decompressed, with their organs appropriately contained, that's for sure.

*What, you expected "If a bear zips in the woods..."?


The Selvatura Park


Walking towards the ziplines


I'm riding WHAT into WHERE?


getting strapped in


Pushing off


Getting going, #1


Getting going #2


One of the guides


A student on the "Tarzan" jump


Me Tarzan, You Bear


This is what it looks like / when the bears fly


Bear catching, a new Olympic sport?