Forget the films. Park City adventures will take your breath away

PARK CITY, Utah - Don't headbutt the driver.

This is probably good advice in any situation, but as I prepared to slip down the mile-plus length of an Olympic bobsled track in less than a minute at speeds of nearly 80 mph, it seemed particularly appropriate.

Even though headbutting is a common side effect thanks to the 5 Gs of force your body experiences on the ride, I had just signed my life away on a waiver during orientation. It seemed to me that the fewer distractions I could offer the driver, the better my odds of making it out alive.

Plus, our driver happened to be Olympic silver medalist Shauna Rohbock, who now spends at least part of her winters in Park City shepherding nervous tourists down the track like a mom taking her child out on a bike without training wheels for the first time. Headbutting an Olympian seemed, well, amateur.

Of course, my husband and I were amateurs, as are most of the people who fork over $200 for a bobsled ride at Utah Olympic Park.

During our December visit to Park City, we experienced a three-helmet tour, meaning we donned helmets three times over a 48-hour period in hopes of getting a sample of this town's mountain spirit. Forget the starlets, films and festivals. Come here for the adventure.

Zipping away

I had ridden zip-lines before, so when I heard about the new Zip Tour Adventure at the Canyons Resort, I had doubts it would offer anything particularly unique. Located at the top of the Red Pine Gondola, the ride includes three lines - a demo ride, an 800-foot Red Pine ride and the Lookout ride, which spans more than 2,000 feet across the canyon between Lookout Peak and Red Pine Lodge.

After putting on our helmets and receiving a safety briefing, we made our way across the first two lines. They were a piece of cake, offering the same fun, quick thrill I'd experienced in the past. It wasn't until we boarded a chair lift to make our way to the beginning of the Lookout zip that the nerves started to set in.

Clipped to the line looking out across the vast canyon, the thought briefly crossed my mind that were there a malfunction, I would most certainly not survive.

Thankfully, there wasn't much time to think. By the count of three, Patrick and I were releasing our brakes and soaring out over the wilderness. Because each ride has two lines, participants may ride simultaneously and even attempt to race if they're so inclined.

As for me, I was just trying to remember to breathe, the first half of the ride spent with my eyes closed tight in sheer terror.