Tag Archives: flagstaff

Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course

Arizona, Blog, International Travel, Nature, United States, , ,

How does one write a travel blog during a pandemic? The question of travel bloggers everywhere. I guess I could have spent time catching up on dozens of past adventures that I *intended* to write about, but instead I’ve been working on other projects– namely, finishing my novel.

HOWEVER, now that things are starting to open, I have been able to get out and do some fun things in Northern Arizona, where it isn’t a hundred bazillion degrees outside.

You think I’m exaggerating, but seriously, once it hits 115 degrees, you can’t even tell when it gets hotter anymore.

The good thing about living in Phoenix is that I can escape bad weather with a two-hour drive. My parents treated my family to trips up north in August, TWICE. A glorious reprieve.

While in Flagstaff, I finally had the chance to try the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course. There are actually two options for adults: The Zip Line and the Adult Adventure Course. I got to try both!

Zip Line

The Zip Line was so fun! This course offers dozens of zips, and one is so long you can’t even see the end through the trees. I love the feeling of being high up, so this was a lot of fun for me. If you’re nervous, though, never fear– you’re connected by two strong clips at all times.

My foster son, R, and I doing the Zip Line Course

Fun fact– this is the largest zip line course in the Western U.S.

Also– how many gnomes can you find hiding in the trees?

Adult Adventure Course

There are five levels to this course, and one guide told me (after I fearlessly leapt to a rope that swung me into a giant net) that only 25% of people actually finish all five. Can you do it?

My husband, Ben, and I. And yes, I chose that shirt on purpose.

The beginning of this course is really easy, aside from crawling through a hanging barrel. But it does get harder. And higher. There’s even some bouldering involved!

I liked the Adult Adventure Course best. It’s focused on challenge, rather than just fun. But both were a lot of great! Definitely something I’d do again.

COVID Precautions

The Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course’s COVID precautions were appropriate. Everyone on staff wore a mask and the facility was clean. Guests were encouraged to social distance and avoid going in the building, except to use the restroom. We were allowed to take off our masks once we got in the trees, but each party had to stay on separate platforms. You will be touching things other people touched, but I wasn’t too worried about it since it was outside in the sunlight. I just didn’t touch my face and washed my hands after.

I totally recommend this! I was born in Flagstaff and lived there for several years. I’ve been to all the touristy things within two hours. This one is one of my favorites.

Nearby Attractions:

Wupatki National Monument

The Grand Canyon

Sunset Crater

Kito’s First Trip to the Forest

Arizona, Blog, International Travel, Nature, United States, , , , , , , , , ,

 

Kito has been more places in her first year and a half than most dogs see in their lifetime! Although she didn’t love the plane ride that brought her to the United States, she has been enjoying her new surroundings. The desert life has been pretty exciting for her, but she absolutely loved her first trip to the woods!

 

 

Ben took his big Step 1 test, which is the first medical licensing exam that future doctors must take, on the day before our third anniversary. Of course, we had plenty to celebrate on June 7, when his test was done and we had been married for three whole years!

 

By the way– if you want to see our second anniversary adventure in Sint Maarten, read this post. 

 

 

We decided to take a road trip to northern Arizona, where it’s nice and cool. As we drove, we could watch the temperature gauge in our car drop from 101 to 81 degrees. What a difference 20 degrees makes!

 

 

We stopped near Munds Park, which is just outside of Flagstaff, and took a dirt road into the woods.

 

 

Kito was so happy to get off leash and have space to run. She doesn’t go too far away from us, which is good– we did see a coyote while we were walking. Of course, it took off in the other direction as soon as we caught sight of it.

 

 

We also saw a herd of elk. We tried to track them, but that’s pretty hard to do with a dog who wants to play fetch the entire way.

 

 

Hopefully this is the first of many road trips! Kito definitely enjoyed it as much as we did.