Dylan, a rising eighth grade student from Northeast Georgia, clicked the helmet strap under his chin, clipped the red metallic belay on the zip line cable, turned and said, “I’m not really a beach guy, but I do like this a lot,” and jumped from the 70 ft. high platform into thin air. And that began an enthusiastic day at Unicoi State Park’s new American Adventure Park, set to open May 26.
Dylan and his older brother Mason, a tenth grade computer graphic designer and art lover, flew through the 30 minute training session and were on the wires minutes later. The cables make an unmistakable whine, once a zip-liner drops off their perch, high-up in an oak tree. Dylan, who normally focuses on making hoops on the basketball court or carefully swinging a putter, hoping to ace a 20 ft. putt on the green, is today, up in the air. In more ways than one.
Mason, who might normally spend time pondering why Salvador Dali conceived melting clocks in his school’s art class, is not at all worried about the passage of time way-up in the well-constructed zip course, now at Unicoi, and soon to be at Amicalola State Park in Dahlonega.
Coral Hospitality of Alpharetta runs half-a-dozen Georgia State Park venues and has demonstrated successfully that public parks can be run more economically, professional and appeal to a wider range of visitors on multiple levels of marketing. Their association with American Adventure Park is widely known in the zip-line industry, with projects all across the country. Their premier instillation at Historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg, Georgia features 7 miles of zip lines and is an industry leader using the new patented ultra-safe Quick Trekkor belay system. It virtually eliminates human error in making zip-lining safe.
The 90 minute, 11 line adventure will cost less than $60 per person, and on-line reservations can be made at the link below. Individuals between 50 and 285 pounds are permitted to participate, and are guided in small groups by several well-trained leaders like manager, Steven Mitchell. “Safety is the most important and first step here, but of course, everyone has fun!” Guide Thomas Kearns adds, “It teaches participants a lot of valuable personal lessons, too,” strapping the boys into their harnesses, giving them careful instructions.
Heath Carter, Regional Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Coral Hospitality, was zipping with the group, as well. He explained the important value of the sport, particularly for youngsters.
Mason perches high on a tiny platform, over 70 feet up a specially designed starting pole which mimics a tree. Visions of computer screens, and his own art projects miles away in his mind. He steps off the platform…
As the boys take a breather from hours of swishing through the tree tops, they eat a scrumptious lunch provided by the Restaurant at Unicoi. Mason, who recently visited Georgia Tech’s computer graphic design center, ponders the possibility of a zip-line video game.
Mason’s dreams are certain to become a reality.
Dylan talks about basketball, golf and zip lining, between bites of a tasty Key Lime Pie. He ponders all the positive character traits he and his older brother have learned from those activities: self-confidence, team work, self-discipline and risk taking. And while zip-lining may seem to be just something fun to do, it does require those same life-lessons. Life-lessons that build positive character and encourage new ideas and concepts in the market place…like a zip-line video game, yet to be created. But stay tuned, Mason may be the first to file that patent.
American Adventure Park
Reservations at Unicoi website: www.unicoizipline.com
Phone for Unicoi Zip Line Information: 706-878-3982
Phone at Unicoi State Park: 706-878-2201 or 800-573-9659
www.Unicoilodge.com
Opens May 26, reservations suggested.
American Adventure Park
Unicoi State Park
Helen, GA
