Soaring on Kauai

I'm soaring 180 feet above a verdant Kauai valley, buoyed not by a parachute or propellers, but by a pulley, carabiner, lanyard and harness that I'm reassured can each support the weight of three big bulls (between 5,300 and 6,700 pounds).

If you go ... What: Zip N' Dip Expedition Place: Meet at Princeville Ranch Adventures' headquarters, just past mile marker 27 on Highway 56 in Princeville. Offered: 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. Check in 30 minutes before departure time. Cost: $115 per person, including a picnic lunch of sandwiches, cookies, fruit and lemonade. Kamaaina receive a 20 percent discount. Notes: Participants must be at least 12 years old and weigh between 80 and 280 pounds. They also must be in good physical condition, able to walk on uneven terrain, and ascend and descend a series of 15 steep steps to the lunch site. Wear covered shoes, long shorts or pants, and a swimsuit under your clothing. Bring a towel, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, rain gear and hair ties for hair past ear level. The company provides backpacks, water in souvenir water bottles and all necessary equipment. This tour is not recommended for those fearful of heights. Also, it is not open to pregnant women who are beyond their first trimester. Tours go out, rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, tours will be rescheduled. Call: 808-826-7669 on Kauai or toll-free 888-955-7669 from the other islands E-mail: info@adventureskauai.com Web site: www.adventureskauai.com

Clipped to a half-inch galvanized aircraft cable, they make up what's known as the Personal Fall Arrest System -- the same equipment used by fire departments -- and they exceed OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards.

This might sound like serious stuff, but with Princeville Ranch Adventures' Zip N' Dip Expedition, it's all about fun. The gear is your ticket to a unique adventure that combines the thrill of flying with magnificent views of northern Kauai.

"I love the sense of freedom that I feel while I'm zipping," says Denise Carswell, who owns Princeville Ranch Adventures with her husband, David. "The wind in my face, the scenery, the scent of the plants -- it's so invigorating for me!"

Carswell says many people sign up for the Zip N' Dip Expedition only because their spouse or friend wants to do it. "It's obvious when they check in that they're reluctant; in fact, some of them are terrified. But 99.9 percent of them come back ecstatic that they did it. They have a sense of accomplish-ment because they went out of their comfort zone. We've also had quite a few 80-plus-year-old folks who do very well -- sometimes even better than the young ones!"

The procedure at each of the tour's eight ziplines is the same. You stand on a platform while your guide checks your gear and clips you to the cable. When you're ready, you take a deep breath and step off the platform.

Gravity pulls you over treetops, rivers and a vivid patchwork of greenery. That's all there is to it! Tarzan never had so much fun!

Each zipline on the 4 1/2-hour adventure is named, beginning with the 175-foot-long Manini, which is just 25 feet above the ground at its highest point. "Participants can get a taste of what's to come on this practice zipline," Carswell explains. "If they decide it's not for them, they don't have to continue; transportation will be provided back to our headquarters."

COURTESY PRINCEVILLE RANCH ADVENTURES Denise Carswell, Co-owner, Princeville Ranch Adventures.

AFTER SAMPLING Manini, however, chances are good you'll be hooked. You'll want to experience longer, higher, faster ziplines. And the Zip N' Dip Expedition delivers.

You'll cruise down the 300-foot Ironwood, Hau Bush Run and Okole Hau; Pau Hana at 450 feet; Wiki Wiki Express, 550 feet; Lele Pali, 570 feet; and the aptly named Big Kahuna, which measures an awesome 660 feet -- longer than two football fields.

The length of the line, wind conditions and the zipper's weight, height and body position determine the speed and duration of each ride. On average you'll glide at 35 mph for 15 to 45 seconds.

"If the wind is blowing behind you, it'll increase your speed," Carswell notes. "If it's coming the other way, it'll slow you down. Large people tend to go faster than those who are petite. You can get a faster ride by curling up rather than extending your arms and legs, which creates wind resistance."

Daring zippers can boost the wow factor by adding spins and swings to their crossings. The guides even recommend screaming as you step off the platform. "That helps you to release tension, to be carefree," Carswell explains.

Between the second and third ziplines, a suspension bridge stretches 100 feet between treetops. With thin cables for handrails and an 18-inch space between each 6-by-24-inch wooden step, it provides yet another adrenaline rush.

After the seventh zipline, lunch is served beside a pretty waterfall that plunges into a refreshing pool. Swim, dive (you can jump from different heights on the bordering cliff), float on inner tubes or doze in a hammock before heading for your final ride.

The easy walks between each zipline total just half a mile and allow close-up looks at various native and introduced trees and plants, including uluhe fern, ti, hala, hau, Java plum, ironwood and guava.

COURTESY PRINCEVILLE RANCH ADVENTURES A couple walks on the suspension bridge between the second and third ziplines. The bridge stretches 100 feet between treetops.

CARSWELL ESTIMATES approximately 8,000 guests have gone on the Zip N' Dip Expedition since it started a year ago. "David had been thinking of ways to cross the rivers on these 100 acres of beautiful Princeville Ranch land without having to step in the water, and the idea of using a cable and pulley came to mind," she recalls. "We did some research on the Internet and decided to go to Costa Rica to check out what they call 'canopy tours.' We tried two different tours there and thought, We could do this at the ranch! It's pristine and private, and the landscape is perfect for a zipline tour because of the deep valleys."

It took a year for them to get everything in place; building the course alone was long, arduous work. "David and his crew would hike down one side of a valley with the cable, haul it across the valley floor and hoist it up the other side," Carswell explains. "Then they would use trucks and tractors to pull the cable until it stretched across from the anchor poles at each end. They used a hand winch to fine-tune the cable adjustments."

Safety is the primary concern, Carswell emphasizes. "David checks the ziplines every month, and once a year the entire course is inspected by a certified independent company. We use only top-quality equipment that is regularly and rigorously examined and maintained. Every aspect of our course is held to the highest standards and is approved for use by the Association for Challenge Course Technology. Each zipline is engineered and constructed to exceed all industry safety standards."

That said, Carswell says, guests should literally hang loose and look forward to the thrill of a lifetime. "Let go of any inhibitions," she advises, "and feel what it's like to fly!"