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

Monthly Archives: September 2012

Toddlers on the Trail – Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Toddlers on the Trail – Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

…And don’t forget a few steps off trail to go look at that mushroom under the log… In the past year we’ve gone from hiking with an enthusiastic little Cragbaby who loved to take in the world from the confines of his backpack carrier to chasing after a headstrong toddler that wants to do it “on my own.”  In some ways its a lot easier (when C decides to hoof it there’s an automatic 30 pound decrease in pack weight…).  But C’s newfound independence has also opened up a whole ‘nother can of issues that we’ve had to work through.…Read the rest of this entry →

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Dixon Bouldering: All’s Well That End’s Well

Dixon Bouldering: All’s Well That End’s Well

  This weekend marked 7 months (almost to the day) since I broke my ankle on a funky lead fall last winter.  I paid my dues in a boot for 6 weeks, worked my butt off on the hangboard, and got back on the sharp end of a rope the second I was given the green light.  I waited a good long while before bouldering in the gym again, and when I finally got back to it I mostly kept it to problems I had wired and could use for 4×4 training sessions.  Because the hubs and I take turns…Read the rest of this entry →

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A Peachy KEEN Start to Fall with Toddler Hiking Boots

A Peachy KEEN Start to Fall with Toddler Hiking Boots

When I first showed Cragbaby the brand new box of Keen Alamosa WP Hiking Boots that had arrived on our doorstep together with my twisted X boots and shoes, the first thing he said was, “Peachy Keen.”  Really, he did.  But it probably had more to do with his current infatuation with the “Veggie Tales” theme song than his knowledge of 1950’s slang.  He tore open the box and enthusiastically jumped into my lap so I could help him put on his shoes.  While I crammed his wiggly little toddler feet into them, I told them that these were his…Read the rest of this entry →

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Play Hard, Sleep Hard (and GIVEAWAY!)

Play Hard, Sleep Hard (and GIVEAWAY!)

Today’s Sentimental Snapshot is twofold.  First off, it represents how everyone in our family feels at the end of the summer.  South Dakota, Wyoming, Ocean Isle Beach, New River Gorge, Obed Scenic River, visits FROM family, visits TO family, and of course several day trips to local crags thrown in for good measure – it seems to reflect Cragbaby’s motto of “Play Now, Sleep Later.”  It’s a recipe for loads of fun and family memories, but sooner or later it catches up with you and you have to stop and take a break!  So this picture is an accurate representation…Read the rest of this entry →

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Progress (Not Perfection) at the Obed

Progress (Not Perfection) at the Obed

The Obed Wild and Scenic River is our family’s favorite crag to hit over Labor Day weekend – it’s nice to have an extra day with the longer drive, and we’re able to avoid all the crowds that are swarming at the New and Red River Gorges.  However this time probably could have been talked into going just about anywhere  had the forecast been any better, but it appeared that the entire Southeast was being held hostage by Hurricane Isaac.  We weren’t too worried about the climbing – because of the steep terrain and enormous roofs, the Obed is a…Read the rest of this entry →

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