September 2012 - COWAHWEEEEEEEEE!

You may have been to Raging Waves waterpark in Yorkville but have you tried their new Cowabunga Zip Line? New this year, the Zip line is over 2000 feet long and has four courses of “high-flying, rippin'-zippin' fun!” You can reach speeds between 30 and 60 mph depending on your weight; the heavier you are, the fastest you will go. The average person will zip about 40-50 mph while hanging 72 feet in the air! This was indeed one of those adventures where I had as much fun as my 10 and 11 year old daughters. I’ll admit, when you first climb to the top of the stairs and prepare to hook into the line, there is a moment of pause lurking in the air as you look down; but that indeed adds to the adrenalin rush.

There is no age restriction but participants do need to be between 70 to 275 pounds and at least 48” tall. There is a great instruction lesson and trial line at ground level to build confidence, so the kids knew what to expect when they got to the top. The guides also securely fasten your harness and your helmet and seem very diligent about safety. Our guides were off duty firemen who also work at Raging Waves which built my confidence to send my kids off the edge of the platform flying through the sky. The first run is the slowest, shortest, and lowest but as your move through the course; the runs get taller and faster. The favorite was the third run which was 768 feet long and you could feel the wind through your hair with plenty of time to enjoy the view of the entire water park below. The cheapest day to go on is Thursday.

If you bring a Mountain Dew can/bottle, you can zip line for $10/person. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the price is $15/person and on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the price is $25/person (unless you are also pay for the waterpark admission, then it is $20/person). Don’t forget your closed toe shoes though because flip flops and open sandals are not allowed. The Zip Line is open until the end of September making this a perfect fall activity while still enjoying the outdoors. Raging Waves is located at 4000 N. Bridge Street in Yorkville. Phone 630-882-6575. Website is www.ragingwaves.com. -Kristen Kucharski

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