By Dave Windsheimer<\/p>\n
A Long Island-based developer is hoping to
\ngive North Country visitors the chance to fly
\nhigh over the Adirondack treetops beginning
\nnext spring.<\/p>\n
Ralph Macchio Sr., the owner of the Wild West
\nRanch and Western Town on Mill Road in Lake
\nGeorge, plans to construct what he says will be
\nthe longest zip line (nearly 3,500 feet in length)
\nin the Northeast.<\/p>\n
A zip line allows a rider (suspended by an
\noverhead wire) to soar in the air between cable
\ntowers. Macchio’s thrill ride, called the Bear Pond
\nZip-Flyer, would plunge adventure-seekers some
\n800 feet in elevation in 60 seconds from a tower on
\nFrench Mountain in the Town of Queensbury to
\nanother tower on Wild West Ranch in the Town of
\nLake George at a speed of about 58 miles per hour.
\nWhile enjoying the pulse-quickening ride in
\nthe air, Macchio said visitors would experience
\nwondrous and unique views of Lake George, the
\nvillage and surrounding mountains. On a clear
\nday, Macchio (the father of the star of “The Karate
\nKid” films of the 1980s, Ralph Macchio Jr.) said
\nthe Adirondack High Peaks are visible from atop
\nFrench Mountain.<\/p>\n
According to Macchio, the project has been
\napproved by the Adirondack Park Agency and by
\nthe planning boards in both towns. He’s currently
\nawaiting final construction plans for submission
\nto municipal officials.<\/p>\n
Macchio laughingly recalled his first zip line
\nride.
\n“From my experience, when you’re first sitting
\nup there in the seat, looking out and down, you
\nhave some apprehension,” he said. “Then, the gate
\nkicks open and out you go. For about two seconds,
\nyou’re startled but all of a sudden, you take in the
\nscenery and realize you’re flying through the air.
\nIt’s amazing.”<\/p>\n
A zip line, Macchio said, is a perfect complement
\nto other plans the developer has for his
\nranch. “We want to do things that are familyoriented,
\nsuch as circuses, concerts, archery,
\ntarget shooting and the like.”
\nThe ranch has a restaurant, tavern and a video
\ngame room.<\/p>\n
Macchio said if things go according to plan, the
\nBear Pond Zip-Flyer would be up and running by
\nlate spring of 2015. “We’ve been working on this
\nthing for nearly four years,” he says. “We’re so
\nclose yet so far.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Dave Windsheimer A Long Island-based developer is hoping to give North Country visitors the chance to fly high over the Adirondack treetops beginning next spring. Ralph Macchio Sr., the owner of the Wild West Ranch and Western Town…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[66,103,121],"yoast_head":"\r\n