Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Monthly Archives: April 2012

Cragbaby the Dirty Hippie

Cragbaby the Dirty Hippie

It started out innocent enough – just Cragbaby and the Mommy at Matthews-Sardis Park (which has been a long time family favorite – more on this park here).  It was a beautiful spring morning, and for the first 30 minutes we had the swings, slides, and tunnels all to ourselves as we listened to a chorus of songbirds equally as excited about the fresh air.  After a while though C’s fascination turned from the playground equipment to the tiny sliver of a creek separating the playground from the surrounding woods.    Like most toddlers, C is enamored by water.  Favorite wet and…Read the rest of this entry →

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A New Season at the New River Gorge

A New Season at the New River Gorge

 As we packed up our climbing and camping gear as a family on Thursday afternoon, I realized that it had been quite a while since we’d done this.  Our last family camping trip had been at the New last October, our last day multi-day climbing trip had been at the Red just before Thanksgiving, and our last day trip at the crag as a family had been at Hidden Wall 8 weeks prior when I fractured my ankle.  To be honest, I was feeling a bit rusty.  Family Packing Hour used to work like a well-oiled machine – but this time…Read the rest of this entry →

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An Egg-straordinary Green Hour!

An Egg-straordinary Green Hour!

Wow, who knew all the fun that could be had with a dozen hard-boiled eggs, a small blue bucket, and a few packages of food coloring?!?  Since we spent Easter weekend enjoying the perfect weather at the New River Gorge (stay tuned, trip report is on the way…), our family decided to partake in some egg-decorating festivities a few days early.  Of course Cragbaby had no idea what to expect when the Mommy laid out the official egg coloring kit (is PAAS the only company that has ever made that stuff, because I’ve NEVER seen another brand…), but he was enthusiastic all the same. …Read the rest of this entry →

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Just a Touch of Redneck

Just a Touch of Redneck

Dear Trango, “Sorry I haven’t been able to send in any videos yet.  I’ve been too busy catching cutting edge footage of my 2 year old son being hauled by a giant radio-controlled truck.”  This post shows that our family can have fun doing more than just climbing.  Unfortunately it also proves that our family also has a bit of a redneck side, which I hadn’t really been all that aware of until I found myself agreeing that this seemed like not only a great family activity, but also a perfect video opportunity.  But what can I do?  I might…Read the rest of this entry →

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Guidebook Update…Sans Boot!

Guidebook Update…Sans Boot!

 Well, it’s been quite a while since my last guidebook update, but rest assured it’s not from lack of progress.  Since a fractured talus and a walking cast put my vertical research on hold for a while, I’ve chained myself to my computer the minute Cragbaby falls asleep, fervently finishing up route descriptions and working in all of the creative anecdotes so many folks have been so kind as to send/tell me.  But there’s only so much work I can do without actually touching the rock, so as soon as my doctor officially de-booted me I hit the ground running…well,…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN