6th/7th/8th Students Take a "Ropes Course"
at CSU Sacramento!

By Charlotte, 8th Grade

The CSUS ropes course was very fun. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grades all went on October 2nd 2006. When our group arrived, we played some group games and had a lot of fun. The first group game was set up in a circle. Everybody got on a little dot that was around the circle and one person was in the middle. The person in the middle would greet the crowd and the crowd would answer back. Then, the person in the middle would ask a question like, “Have you ever____________.” Then, whoever had done that thing would move to another dot. Everybody else would stay put on their dot.My favorite game was called, “Tail Tag.” The three group leaders brought out a bunch of handkerchiefs. Each person got one and put it in the back pocket of their pants with a little bit hanging out. Everybody had to stay within the circle and try to grab another person's tail and avoid getting their tail caught.  I think the purpose of the games was to make us laugh and to help make it seem like we were going to have fun (which we did).

            The actual climbing was fun. Before we started climbing though, the group leaders taught us about how to be safe when climbing. Devon Hunt and I went to the “Catwalk.” That was one that I  couldn't do because I didn't like climbing up the pole. It didn't look like much from the ground but once I got up there it was pretty high. So instead of doing that course Devon and I vowed to go on the “Zump.” It was a cross between a jump and a zip-line so the group leaders called it a “Zump.”  Devon and I both ended  up going off of the “Zump” by the end of the trip.

After the ropes course the group went to the riverside center for lunch. The boys went off and played football with Mr. Pena. While the boys played football the girls talked about what we had done for the day and some of us went to Java City.

By Delaney, 7th Grade

The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade went on a magnificent field trip to Sac State on October 2, 2006. We went to Sac State's ropes course where there were a few spectacular activities. It was a thrilling field trip and the first field trip we had this school year. Everyone had a great time.

When we arrived at Sac State's rope course, we were greeted by three young adults and they played a couple games with us. We had a great time playing the games with them. Some of the games required good team work. One of them was gutter golf. In gutter golf, each person received a gutter and we had to get the ball in the hole by forming a chain with the gutters. The hole was pretty far away so everyone had to use their gutter more than one time.

Once we finished playing the games with them, they went over the instructions on how to do the ropes course. There were three ropes course: The first one was rock climbing, the second one was the “Zip Line” where you had to jump off a small platform twenty feet high, and the third one was the “Catwalk” where you had to walk across a log several feet high. I was only able to go on the “Catwalk” and the rock climbing but I still had a good time. The rock climbing may not seem very exciting since you probably have done it before, but the rock climbing was actually pretty fun since it was about forty feet high which is probably higher than the rock climbing you've ever done before. On the “Zip Line” you had to wear a harness with a rope attached to it and you had to jump off a high platform. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go on that course because we ran out of time. Anyways, on the “Catwalk,” you had to climb up a ladder about twenty feet high and there was a log at the top of the ladder which you had to walk across. It was great experience. Of course, there was a harness attached to you so if you fell off, you would be safe. After we finished the ropes course, we went to eat lunch. We ate at Sac State.

My favorite part of the trip was climbing up the rock wall. It was good exercise and it was a thrill. I was able to get to the top of the rock wall. I was exhausted by the time I reached the top. I had a great time at Sac State. I want to go the ropes course again someday.

By Gabriella, 7th Grade

On October 2, the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades went to a ropes course. The ropes course at Sac State University is a fun and challenging 'fear breaker'. It was exciting to get up in the air and accomplish the challenges, even if you didn't make it was fun to try. At the ropes course we had to learn a few terms such as belayer. Belayer is a term you call the person on the other side of the rope holding you up. Another thing you had to learn was not to be afraid to tell the belayer that you wanted to stop. The most important terms were PLEASE and THANK YOU.

One of the challenges was the Catwalk, to walk across a balance beam 30 feet in the air I didn't make it across but my class cheered me on and made me feel better.

Another was the Zipline, to jump off a platform 20 feet in the air. Before you jumped you had to count to 3 and tell the belayer when you were ready to jump so they would not drop you. After you jump, you're soaring across the air and it feels like you're flying.

The last challenge was a rock climbing wall, about 40 feet to the top. I didn't make it all the way but I reached my goal of about 20 feet.

All of the challenges were a new experience that boosted up our confidence and took away many fears. Everyone should be able to experience a ropes course for many indescribable reasons. It was an amazing field trip.

By Jarett, 7th Grade

The Carden Middle School, or 6th, 7th, and 8th grade went to the PEAK ADVENTURES Ropes Course on October 2, 2006 at Sac State. If you didn't know, a ropes course is an area that has different activities like the rock wall, the “cat walk”, and the “zipline”. The instructors also play games such as Capture and Escape and Tail Tag. They also had some team building games.

We had taken a bus to Sac State from Carden. Once we had gotten to Sac State, we had met the instructors and they had started to play the Introduction game. We had to say our names and say something we had done before. If you had done that activity, you had to move from your dot. Next we played Tail Tag, which is where you put a bandana in your back pocket and you had to try to grab everybody else's flag and whoever had the most flags in the end won the game. After tag, we played Capture and Escape. Capture and Escape is a game where the person to your right put their finger in your palm and you put your finger in the person to your left's palm. When they counted down to three, you had to try to capture your neighbor's finger and escape from your other neighbor's palm. After the games, we were split into groups.

We were put into groups to help learn team building. Our group was put on an imaginary space expedition. Our spaceship had broken down and we had to get to the other ship. We had about eight wooden blocks that we stepped on and they were jetpacks. We never made it to the other ship because some of us were not as focused as we could have been, but I believe our team learned to listen to each other.

After the team building games, the instructors, Eric, Valerie, and Brad, had explained how to put the rock climbing harness on and took us to the rock wall. They explained that we should only encourage others and only do what you feel comfortable doing. After that it was time to climb!

The first activity I tried was the zipline. I was very happy because my dad had seen me go down the zipline. After the zipline, I tried the rock wall. After patiently waiting, I had my turn to go. I didn't get as high as others, but I went as high as I wanted to. I was going to do the catwalk, but we ran out of time.

I had a very fun time and if you have the chance, try to experience a ropes course for yourself.

By Jentin, 7th Grade

On October second, the Carden middle school (6th, 7th and 8th grades) went to the Sac State Ropes Course. We were assigned into teams. Soon enough they had each team doing different activities. My group, the dogs, were assigned the gutter golf challenge. To complete this task we had to use teamwork and perseverance. Thanks to this, we completed our challenge.

For those of you who don't know what a Ropes Course is, it's a daredevil obstacle course of sorts. At the Sac State Ropes Course they have a forty foot rock wall, a thirty foot high cat walk and finally a zipline off a twenty five foot pole. My personal favorite was the zipline. When you jumped off the pole it was so exhilarating it felt like you were flying. My experience at the Ropes Course was one in a million. I had a great time and I am sure everybody else did too.