Team Building - Opening Your Mind to a Different Way of Viewing the World

From The Happy Show exhibition, created by Stefan Sagmeister currently on exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center through September 23, 2013.

At the Upward Enterprises ropes course in Buckeystown, MD we are always encouraging or team building groups to look at the world in a new way.

Bicycle Elevator - First Floor Canopy Tour?

At the ropes course we use ladders to get up into the trees for our canopy tour zip line but what an inventive way to switch things up - a bicycle ride to the treetops! Being safety conscious, I'd recommend wearing a helmet. Can't wait to see how the rest of his tree house turns out.

Meet Our Facilitator Travis

If you have come out to our team building ropes course this year, you might have met one of our newest members of the Upward Enterprises team, Travis Creamer. 


Travis Creamer at Upward Enterprises Ropes Course

Using his degree in Physical Education from Ohio University, Travis has worked in the outdoor recreation field for many years both as a facilitator and a builder of ropes challenge courses. His love for outdoor education started in the late 80's as a lifeguard for a local camp. Since then he has worked for multiple organizations and camps. He also has experience leading a variety of activities such as canoeing, climbing, caving, backpacking, primitive skills and of course team building on a challenge course.  In his free time he enjoys coaching team sports, fly fishing, disk golf, home brewing and barbecuing. 

We are very happy to have Travis as part of our organization. He has brought considerable talent and energy to our team.

Great to work with Travis yesterday!
Donna Kerner, Program Coordinator Bishop Claggett Center

Jack Rides the Zip Line at Upward Enterprises Ropes Course

Jack, my nephew is visiting us for the summer. I took him out to my ropes course last week to ride the zip line. It was a beautiful day and as you can see by this video below, we had a blast. Now its your turn to get your group out and enjoy the ride.

Extreme Zip Lines from Around the World

Over the past two years, it seems every where I look there is a new zip line / canopy tour is being built. I fact from the Upward Enterprises ropes course in Buckeystown, Maryland, I can more than a half dozen that are only driving distance away. What makes our zip lines at our ropes course so unique is that they are part of our team building program and just one of the many elements we use to build leadership and team bonding.

But everyone wants to have fun too, right? That is why I have put together my "wish list" of zip lines around the world that I would love to ride. Just get me a plane ticket and I'll be off!

1. Ever want to be a bat in a cave? The Louisville Kentucky Mega Cavern underground zip line is the only cave zip line in the world.

 

2. Ah, Luzerne Switzerland... the mountains... the lake! Now I can take the Sternensauser world's longest zip line and see it all.

 

3. Heading to warmer climates is the Dragons Breath Zip Line in Labadee, Haiti. I can feel the cool ocean breezes now as I sail over the water for a soft landing on the beach.



Do you have any zip lines in your bucket list? Post a comment and let us know.

 

Being Together, Without Being Together

Communication is a key element we teach on our ropes course. Face to face interaction is dwindling as we filter our communication through technology. Team building requires us to put down the cell phones and talk to one another, to think, and share ideas face to face to solve problems. The greatest chance of success in life and on the ropes course is through communication with each other in the here and now. Let us teach your group to build connections with each other that will stay with them throughout their lives.

I found this interesting talk given by Sherry Turkle, a professor at MIT. What are your thoughts on her topic "Connected, but Alone" ?