Is that thing?
All right, there you go.
We have all of them. It is clear. It is clear. It is clear. It is clear.
It is clear.
In 2007, John Schaefer went on a surfing trip in Costa Rica and discovered ziplining.
He immediately knew that it would be a perfect compliment to his family's ski area.
While Berkshire East and Charlemont, Massachusetts has provided great alpine skiing to tens of thousands of customers for decades,
John and his brothers believed that ziplining would be a sustainable business for their summer operations.
After convincing their father Roy, the family laid out the courses and hired an experienced company to build the lines.
When the project was completed in 2009, Berkshire East opened three levels of zipline canopy tours that featured some of the highest, fastest and longest ziplines in North America.
In the early hours on a gorgeous October morning, Berkshire East's marketing director Gabe Porter Henry called and asked me to film a zipline tour.
I arrived to meet the group as they were being prepared for the top-level valley jump tour by veteran guides Harold Green and Tony Ostrowski.
Get up about halfway. There's a great view. Today's a beautiful day. You can see a nice view today. Any questions?
All right, we'll see you at the top.
As I rode up the lift, I reflected on how the area's 900 kilowatt wind turbine provided the energy to run the lift and to carry us up over a thousand vertical feet to the summit.
This stored energy would then propel us on ziplines, some over a half mile in length and nearly 200 feet above the valley floor.
Roger.
I don't know. I lost it.
And your name is?
Ruth.
Ruth. How are you this morning, Ruth?
We're sipping on a half-inch steel cable today. We'll be reaching speeds somewhere between 50 and 55 miles an hour.
They have a hockey puck mounted in front of them. Once you hit that, it's going to make a banging noise. That's what you have to be aware of.
Zipping!
Ready, Rich? How's that harness? Nice and snug. Helmets tight. Off you go. Step right off.
Yeah, looks good.
There you go.
Step right off. Have a good ride.
There you go. Nicely done. Good position.
Have fun, Harold.
What I'm going to do is grab right here from the pacing left. Turn it left and it'll make it go right.
But again, you don't need to do it.
I'll try.
Ready to zip!
Zipping!
Zipping way!
Alright, you're ready to go, Jesse.
Zipping! Zipping way!
Alright, Megan. You're ready to go.
Come on!
Nice!
Good job!
Nice!
Good job!
I saw one here, so it's a little one in my bag, so...
Are we all ready?
Go!
Three, two, one, go!
Yeah!
Our group's final line of the ballet jump tour was the X2,
one of the longest, highest, fastest, and most scenic ziplines in North America.
X2 Alpha, ready to zip?
X2 Alpha, zip is clear.
X2 Alpha, zipping.
X2 Alpha, zip away.
And while most folks in the Northeast went off to work on this beautiful October morning,
our group got to soar with the Eagles.
It's a real central part of the town.
People meet here, we have activities here, the children grow up skiing here.
It's just a wonderful place.
It was fun, the view was amazing.
Kind of competitive to try to get down first.
What was cool was it didn't seem like anybody was uncomfortable.
You know, everybody all kind of seemed to get along,
and that made it more enjoyable too.
You know, they didn't even have to try to work to be friendly to people.
You know, it seemed like they all enjoyed it.
You know, everybody was laughing and having a good time.
Well, they're just the best because you've got these incredible views of the valley
and the farms with the animals and the pastures.
It's just so beautiful.
Apparently having a little more weight that I have was an advantage.
I made it down first, didn't have to be told.
