Shellie Keegan on Jun 16, 2015
Rendezvous Lodge - Pano Cam
Cody Bowl
Tram Station Cam
Base of Bridger Gondola
Sweetwater Gondola, Teewinot Base
Mountain View
Apres Vous
Shellie Keegan on Jun 16, 2015
Today, the usual morning coffee wasn’t providing the “punch” that Riley Frances and I needed to kick off the day. Instead of upping the ante and ordering something with several shots of espresso, we decided to let a hefty dose of adrenalin wake us up. Alas, it was time for the Grand Adventure Girls to take on The Ropes Course!
Riley Frances and Shellie take on The Ropes Course!
It was very exciting that Ilka volunteered to be our trusty photographer this time, because it allowed Riley Frances to step out from behind the lens. Now you can finally see the face behind the last two weeks of photographic talent.
Riley Frances comes out from behind the lens.
Our first stop was Teton Village Sports, as we did not have the proper gear for the course and the harnesses (dresses and skirts don’t work AT ALL). After speaking with the staff, we followed their advice and outfitted ourselves with active wear that allows for a lot of movement. Riley Frances sported a Lolë top and bright red fitted pants and I chose an outfit by Icebreaker. Once we had our fresh, new gear, it was time to make our way to The Ropes Course.
I’m not going to lie, I definitely had a few butterflies bouncing around in my stomach. Riley Frances was a ball of excitement and tried to convince me that there was nothing to be nervous about. As soon as our passes were scanned, the Ropes Course staff outfitted us with full harnesses and some nice lookin’ red helmets.
Harness time!
A few of the staff members checked the security of our harnesses and gave us the “ok” to head over to Ropes Course orientation. We learned how to clip in/out of the Ropes system, and, once we got the hang of it, it was time to adventure through the course. Riley Frances led the way and continued to be my fearless leader.
Geared up from the feet up!
In the beginning, the ropes challenges were easy. There were tightly suspended bridges and a couple of tightropes, but there was always a place to hold to keep your balance.
Then we got to the more advanced challenges. There was a single tightrope that required a lot of focus and balance, as well as a series of rope loops that we had to move through. Even though the heights and challenges were intimidating at times, I was amazed by the support that I heard not just Riley Frances and Ilka, but from the other folks moving through the course. There was a group of little girls that kept shouting “you can do it!” which made me laugh AND encouraged me to finish out some of the more advanced challenges. Check out this photographic evidence!
At the end of each ropes series, it was time to zipline down to the bottom by jumping off a wooden platform. Staying true to her fearless leadership, Riley Frances jumped off the 35 foot platform first, and hooted and hollered with joy until she hit the ground.
I was a bit more hesitant, but the staff member gave me a little bit of encouragement and reminded me that it’s more fun to jump than to stay perched on the platform all day. So I jumped! And it was just as fun as Riley Frances made it seem.
Our time on The Ropes Course came to an end, but our adventure left us VERY thirsty. Instead of drinking from our water bottles, we decided to get something more appetizing at The General Store. Our choices? The Mango Tango smoothie, the iced caramel latte, and the decadent cookies n’ cream milkshake (covered in whipped cream and chocolate sauce).
With our delicious drinks in hand and an umbrella overhead, we looked through some local planners and discussed what The Grand Adventure Girls should do next week.
Cheers to conquering The Ropes Course!
Pretending like we don’t want to gulp down our drinks.
Oops, drinking all three.
The Deck is open starting June 21st, so we’ll be hiking to the top and rewarding ourselves with drinks and appetizers! See you then…
