Try the Tree Top Adventure at Callaway Gardens

You know how you watch people going on zip lines on TV? You've seen people zipping in Costa Rica, and in north Georgia.

My friend Bill Rich said there's a zip line on Fremont Street in Las Vegas.

It looks like it's fun.

This morning, I went to Callaway Gardens to try the new Tree Top Adventure. When public relations manager Rachel Crumbley sent the press release about it, all I saw was zip line. And I immediately called her and scheduled it for this morning.

Our photographer Joe Paull and I went. When I looked up, I noticed there was a rope course in between the zip lines. When I complained about that, she looked and me and said, "You didn't really read the release, did you?"

Um, no.

We spoke to several people as they were making their way on the course. I learned that each segment is called a game. The Callaway course has 25 games. I was told that it takes anywhere from an hour to two hours to complete the course.

It's a beautiful course.

The first thing you have to do is take the instructional course. It doesn't take too long, but make sure you listen to the instructor.

That I can do.

I thought it would be a piece of cake. I'm not afraid of heights. A friend used to call me Sandra the Adventure Girl.

Well, doing the zip line is much, much harder than it looks. Really a lot harder than it looks.

The first zip line, I stopped too soon and had to haul my big butt to the end and Joe had to help me get on the platform. It wasn't pretty at all.

The second was easier and I almost made to the platform. Joe helped me again.

The rest of the time was spent navigating these bridges. But instead of a solid surface to walk on, these bridges have planks that have maybe 10 inches between them. So you have to step carefully in the middle of each plank to keep from that plank swaying too much. I actually didn't have too much trouble doing those crossings.

Joe and I had to end our trip a third of way into the course because we had other things to do at Callaway, like talk to Gardens director Patricia Collins about the geo-caching and the students of the Florida State University Flying High Circus.

It was so hot. And I was really sweating. I usually just glow, but this morning, I was sweatin'. Big time.

It wasn't until I got back in the office that I noticed I had a bruise on the palm of the right hand. And the middle finger of my right hand looks really swollen. I have no idea how that happened.

When I got home, I showed my mother my hand and she says, "Didn't you wear gloves?"

Of course I wore gloves. They even brought me a pair of children's gloves.

I know that I'll be very, very sore tomorrow. I guess I'd better take some Aleve, take a bath and go to bed.

Maybe I'm too old for things like this.

Nah.

By the way, if you do this, it's $30 plus admission. So it's $48 for adults. You have to be 52 inches tall and weigh no more than 260 pounds. I guess I just barely made the height requirement and fortunately, I'm nowhere near the weight limit.

I will go back and finish the course. But I'll wait until November when it's cooler.

If you HAVE to do it now, go very early. Otherwise, by 11 a.m., it's way too hot.

And I've got another tip. Because there's no admission between 4-7 p.m. every Friday, make a reservation and go on Friday. You need to make a reservation otherwise, if there are slots open, you can go. If there aren't, you might go later in the day.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2011 at 10:52 PM with the headline "Try the Tree Top Adventure at Callaway Gardens."