Hey, everyone! My name is Brendan Scorpio, and I'm a recently acquired writer for The Odyssey. Since I was first brought onto the team, I have been mulling over what I wanted my first article to convey. I debated whether or not to make it something about my personal experiences, my experiences at Oakland University where I study psychology, and just about everything in-between. Soon enough, I discovered that the best way to convey who I am is to go a little in depth about my biggest passion in life, which is exploring all the heart-stopping moments that life has to offer, also known as "thrill-seeking."
I'm not alone though, as every day thousands of people leave their homes for the sole purpose of finding their next big adventure. The idea of doing something "death defying" or "dangerous" brings a feeling of pure euphoria to those who seek it. For many of these people, the pinnacle of their thrill-seeking adventures seems to hit a dead end at roller coasters. There are many speculations as to why this happens, including everything from lack of funds (cause a lot of more mainstream thrills tend to be super expensive) all the way to a disinterest in the resources available. It definitely seems, however, that the biggest problem facing the modern day thrill junkie is a lack of legitimate information, and the guts to chase the ultimate thrills!
Now, while I can't help people grow the guts to seek out the biggest thrills that life has to offer (at least not in this article), what I can do is give those searching an outlet to explore a few possibilities for when they decide to push themselves to the limits. So, in this article, we are going to travel across the United States in order to explore fifteen things to do once roller coasters become boring.
In this list, the thrills will be sorted from the lowest amount of thrill to the highest amount of thrill. This will also be sorted by my personal opinion, so if you do not agree with it, that is completely okay! So without further ado, here is a list of fifteen things to do once roller coasters become boring!
15. Zip-lining.
One of the most well-known thrill seeking destination on earth, zip-lining takes participants through jungles, beaches, and even the old Las Vegas strip (more on that place later though). Zip-lines can often go well over a hundred feet in the air, giving people a safe, but not too safe, way to get that heart racing feeling.
14. Sand sledding.
Now, I know what you're thinking, but sand sledding is not just something that you see in cartoons, it's legit. Sand sledding offers a more extreme version of normal sledding, as sand dunes can get pretty big, and pretty fast. Just about any normal sled will work, making it a pretty cost-efficient hobby. A few notable locations include silver lake/sleeping bear dunes in Michigan and the White Sands National Park in Utah.
13. Indoor rock climbing.
Rock climbing has blown up within the past few years. Between being added to the Olympics, and the countless amount of climbers on American Ninja Warrior, rock climbing has pushed its way into mainstream America. Due to this, countless rock climbing gyms have opened, helping the average person strap on their climbing shoes, and try to scale walls reaching anywhere between forty and eighty feet, with the only thing keeping them from the ground being a waist harness and a rope. eighty feet may not seem like much, but when you're up there it's a whole different story!
12. Bungee jumping.
Another staple of the thrill seeker, bungee jumping drops participants off of almost any man-made structure, gets them as close to the ground as possible, only to shoot them right back up using a bungee cord. Due to its popularity, it has become a staple of every extreme park across America!
11. Flying a plane.
Yes, you heard me right, flying a plane. No, you won't be alone, as a trained pilot will be there to help you. For those of you who want the feeling of being thousands of feet in the air, but don't think they're ready to go skydiving, this experience is a perfect stepping stone for any thrill seeker looking to the skies to adventure.
10. Waterfall repelling.
Waterfalls are beautiful, obviously, and everyone loves being near them, photographing them, and so on so forth. But what if I told you that you could repel down one? Well, you can! Waterfall rappelling (also sometimes referred to as canyoneering) takes people down multi-hundred-foot rappel lines right next to, or sometimes on top of, a few of the most breathtaking waterfalls America has to offer. Just make sure you bring a waterproof lens for when you take the most breathtaking photo of 2017!
9. Cave exploring.
There is just something about being inside of a cave that is dangerously breathtaking. (unless you're claustrophobic, then I would not recommend) Caves are one of the most beautiful natural creations on earth, often showing thousands of square feet pitch black, just waiting for someone to uncover it's secrets.
8. White Water rafting.
The beauty of white water rafting is that it is a fun time for anyone, from a novice thrill seeker, all the way to the biggest adrenaline junkies on earth. Grab a big rubber raft and test your skills in waters ranging from a calm clear class one all the way to a class five where you question why anyone on earth would even attempt this.
7. Mountain biking.
No, I'm not talking about the old track in your grandpa's backyard filled with a few dirt jumps. I'm talking about mile long courses winding through narrow passages with jumps that would make Travis Pastrana gasp. Most popular throughout the west coast and the desert areas, mountain biking has become a nationwide trend, with woodsy versions appearing through most of the Midwest.
6. Cliff diving.
We have reached the part in the article where many of these tasks become not for the faint of heart, so proceed with caution! Imagine sitting atop the face of a cliff, looking down anywhere from forty to well over two-hundred feet (for trained professionals). Now imagine not knowing what may be in the waters below you. Those are all very normal thoughts for the average cliff diver. Time to practice your flips and nail that perfect 10/10!
5. Skydiving.
Often used as the number one thing on the majority of lists for thrill seekers, skydiving is nothing to joke with. Jumping out of a place often over ten thousand feet in the air, with nothing to help you but an instructor and a parachute (and a backup chute) skydiving is not for the faint of heart. The best part of skydiving is that it is the only thrill in the top five that is available in every state in America! What are four things scarier than skydiving you may ask? Well, let's find out!
4. Climbing Yosemite (pictured in the cover photo).
I was tempted to put outdoor climbing as a category, but I like the idea of "go big or go home" so why not put the scariest rock climb on earth as its own category? Yosemite, in the minds of most climbers, is the mecca of adventure. a three-thousand-foot straight face that people spend multiple days on? you best believe it is one of the scariest experiences imaginable!
3. Base jumping.
Base stands for building, antenna, span, and cliff. Fun fact, base jumping started in Yosemite and has since expanded to one of the most renown (and dangerous) sports in existence. Often done by very experienced skydivers, base jumping is the art of jumping off anything and everything, with only yourself and a parachute to keep you safe.
2. Highlining.
I bet you're probably wondering what high-lining is, as very few people have ever actually heard of it. Well, highlining is the sport of slacklining (often referred to as a form of tightrope walking) with often hundreds of feet between you and the ground! While it is true that you are often harnessed in, many base jumpers will high-line without any ropes holding them in. For those who are not sufficient base jumpers, high liners are often held in by climbing ropes and harnesses, because what is more fun than falling off a line and dangling over a multi-hundred-foot drop! (I'm not kidding) But, what could be worse than this!? Let's find out!
1. Swings.
yes, swings, kind of like the ones at carnivals, am I right? Actually, more like the rope swings where you fall hundreds of feet down canyons, gorges, and in between arches, where the only thing stopping you from plummeting to the ground is a harness and some super strong climbing rope! Yes, I'm not kidding, this is a thing. I think that instead of trying to explain it and butchering just how insane (and insanely fun) this stuff is, that this photo below should do the trick!
So there are the fifteen things that I recommend if roller coasters have gotten too boring for you! Again, this is 100% my opinion, so if you disagree, you are a person with completely valid opinion which I respect! Also, make sure to be safe! many people who do these are highly trained in these activities, so do your research and be safe!
