When we’re taking tours through the ziplines near Philadelphia, PA, people often comment that we have the “best job ever”. And we always smile and agree that it’s pretty cool… But there’s more to it than meets the eye. We have people’s lives in our hands every day. When your “office” is fifty feet up in a tree, you have to be on your game and stay focused at all times.
To be good zipline guides, we have to enjoy working with and helping people. We have to convince someone who’s scared out of their mind that what they are about to do is not only safe, but fun. We learn everyone’s name and try to remember it, sometimes more successfully than others. We get people talking about where they are from and what they do for a living. And we do all this while making sure ourselves and everyone else stays safe.
But who are we kidding, we get paid to zipline! It’s an awesome job and we get to experience nature from the treetops every single day. Everything from the vibrant colors of the fall canopy to deer grazing unaware beneath the lines. We make new friends and help people overcome their fears. That’s one of the best parts of the job. Helping someone realize that they actually can overcome their fear…
So yeah, maybe it is the best job ever…