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Illinois’ biggest zipline opens Saturday in Grafton

§ May 8th, 2012 § Filed under Adventures § Tagged Comments Off

GRAFTON – The trip starts with a sylvan journey through tall woods, then soars along the canopy atop limestone bluffs with an expansive view of the rivers confluence.

Grafton Zipline Adventures takes voyagers on an exploration by dangling them from a cable and sending them across deep valleys so off the beaten path that few have seen them.

Owners Jeff and Sandy Lorton used 100 acres of their own 230-acre property for Graftons brand-new attraction, which happens to boast the biggest zipline in Illinois and opens daily from 8 am to 6 pm, starting Saturday.

Grafton Zipline Adventures longest cable stretches 2,000 feet from one end to another, where one guide sends people off and another guide receives them with the utmost care and professionalism. If riders become enamored with gazing off to the right at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in the distance while zipping at 250 feet above the ground, the guides are there to get their mind back on track and make sure they land safely on a wooden platform.

Safety first – that is the utmost important thing, said Director of Operations Jason Martin, of OFallon, Mo.

All of the guides take a written test and undergo days of certification before they begin giving zipline tours. Martin, 33, joined guide Kyle Skywalker Smith, 38, of Grafton, and course manager and guide Jim Daredevil Scroggins, 34, of Bunker Hill, for some run-throughs Wednesday, and afterward, some locals did a few zips.

Its a great place you can come and yell – and yell a lot of crazy things, said Elle Valladares, 12, who joined friends Lily Puent, 13, Claire Puent, 11, Claire Chappee, 13, Peyton Kline, 12, and the Puents little brother, Jack, 4.

As long as children can fit in a harness, they can zip, but all minors must have a parents or legal guardians permission via a waiver that can be obtained online at www.graftonzipline.com. Its at the guides discretion whether a child must ride tandem with another rider. But even grownups who are particularly nervous can ride tandem if they wish.
But the first three zips – Baby Bear at 300 feet, Road Runner at 700 feet and Deer Hollow at 1,500 feet – are pretty easy.

Im glad I got to do it here first, because they have a place beginners can go, and then it gets more advanced, noted Elle, who rode a zipline for the first time Wednesday at Grafton Zipline Adventures.

But even the next zipline, Soaring Eagle at 2,000 feet, seems like a calm sightseeing trip once the zip starts. It takes about 35 seconds to cross, which gives riders plenty of time to turn their heads to the right shortly after takeoff and see the confluence.
It was very pretty, Peyton said about the scenery on the tour.

But things really heat up with the last four zips – River Run at 1,200 feet, Gobblers Knob at 1,000 feet, Limestone Leap at 1,300 feet and Barn Burner at 1,500 feet – where the discernible sound of a zip becomes like a Screaming Mimi as riders lay on the brake. And yes, the harness and gear that people wear includes a brake, which the Lortons paid extra to have for their guests.

Like Martin said about safety being Grafton Zipline Adventures No. 1 priority, the brakes are worth every penny and make for a smoother ride, to boot, keeping people straight and narrow on the cable.

Guides tell everyone everything they need to know for a smooth, successful zipline experience, so no worries necessary on how to operate the brake. Guides place it over the cable pulley attached to the harness cords, and riders simply put their hands one on top of the other over the device. When they want to brake and slow down, they slide hands back in a simple movement and press down. Speeds can go up to about 55 mph.

It turns out the faster but shorter zips seem to boost riders adrenaline more than the slower long zips.

Guides have three simple hand signals for riders to follow, which signify when to go and when to brake.

We dont want anyone getting hurt or any of us getting hurt, and you must pay attention, said Smith, who has worked for the Lortons for 12 years.

He started out as a bartender at Graftons Ruebel Hotel, which the Lortons refurbished to the glory of yesteryear and eventually sold it to its current innkeeper, who has maintained the Lortons vision. The Lortons continued in their entrepreneurial spirit with Smith at their side, and he bartended at Aeries Winery and Vacation Villas, touted as The Best View in the Midwest, which the Lortons still own, adjacent to Grafton Zipline Adventures, where registration, gearing up and viewing of a safety video take place in its three-story brick building, also used for banquets and gatherings.

Zip before you sip, Jeff Lorton, of Grafton and originally from Hardin, touts as a safety motto to guests of the winery, villas and zipline.

Smith also oversees a bit of everything, including the vacation villas, which are perfect for a long weekend or a week in Grafton, where theres plenty to do for a family vacation, from the states largest park, Pere Marquette, to Raging River Waterpark and bike and kayak rentals, fine and casual dining, antique and original retail shops and a publicly accessible marina in between.

The villas have separate suites with doors that lock within each unit, so several people can stay in the same villa yet have their own space. A modern, spacious common area with a kitchen, dining and living space allows for plenty of togetherness. The villas also feature an in-ground swimming pool that can be seen from several of the villas balconies. The villas also can be purchased as a vacation home or a residential dwelling.

Ill pretty much do anything Jeff wants me to do; this happened, and it was too good to pass up, so I became a guide, Smith said.

The villas actually brought Martin to the Aeries scene when the Lortons hired him as a consultant to promote and market Aeries lodging options, which also includes wooded cottages between Grafton Zipline Adventures and Aeries Winery. The Lortons heard about Martins expertise through word of mouth, Sandy Lorton said Wednesday.

Martin became a full-time employee with the addition of Grafton Zipline Adventures, and now Martins duties include sales and marketing for the winery, the zipline and lodging.
Certified zipline builder Universal Zipline Technology designed Grafton Zipline Adventures; it was the first company to build a zipline in Costa Rica. Grafton Zipline Adventures features suspending platforms that are quite unobtrusive, giving a feeling of being directly in the treetops.

Typical ziplines built by Universal Zipline Technology cost $1.5 million. But because the Lortons owned their own property and the rugged yet beautiful geographical features already existed for the attraction, they invested a fraction of that at $300,000. Altons own Marcal Rope and Rigging supplied the cable. Also, 15 new jobs were created with Grafton Zipline Adventures.

The 2-hour-plus zipline tour costs $89 per person, while most ziplines average $130 per person. Groups of 10 to 12, which is the most people who can zipline together, receive 20 percent off. Discount coupons also will be available through various means. There must be a minimum of five in a group to register for a tour.

Visit Grafton Zipline Adventures Facebook page, www.aeirieswinery.com or call (618) 786-8439 for more information. Grafton Zipline Adventures is located at 600 Timber Ridge Drive.

jmoon@thetelegraph.com

New England Zip Line Canopy Tour Wins Regional and International Acclaim

§ May 7th, 2012 § Filed under Adventures § Tagged Comments Off

ArborTrek Canopy Adventures, recognized as one of the “World’s Coolest Zip Lines” by Travel + Leisure Magazine and “Best of New England–Editor’s Choice” winner by Yankee Magazine, is poised to expand with new zip line canopy tour and eco-adventure park operations across North America.

Jeffersonville, VT (PRWEB) May 04, 2012

Feeding The Beast: Adventures In Homemade Baby Food

§ January 16th, 2012 § Filed under Adventures § Tagged Comments Off