A Zorbing course has opened in Brighton, Michigan where you can enjoy the activity that originated in New Zealand. Until recently, there was nowhere in the United States where you could Zorbing, which is where you get into a giant inflatable ball and roll down a set course, usually downhill.

Robert Pelon decided to start the operation in the United States after seeing the giant Zorb on a reality show. It has been popular in New Zealand for quite some time and has gained popularity in the UK as well, but it took longer to catch up in the US.

After research and planning, Pelon bought the rights to open a UK branch of the company called SphereMania. He decided to do it at the ski resort, Mt. Brighton, in June 2006.

At the ski resort, he adapted the course of a snowboard half-pipe down a 700-foot slope. You can roll the course in two ways: the shooter, which is a gentle roll off the top of the hill, or the mixer, which involves rolling down a twenty-foot drop to enter the course.

He descends the slope in a PVC sphere that is twelve feet in diameter and weighs about 350 pounds. There is an inner and an outer chamber separated by three feet of air mattress and connected by thousands of nylon straps that link the two chambers.

The course is completely safe, although you do have to sign a waiver, which is common with many extreme activities.