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

Monthly Archives: April 2015

Best Kid’s Rain Boots: MyMayu! (and GIVEAWAY!)

Best Kid’s Rain Boots: MyMayu! (and GIVEAWAY!)

Those of you that have been reading for a while may recall a picture I posted during our big snowstorm (yes, singular) this past winter.  The picture was of my then 11 month old daughter, and she was wearing her brother’s gloves on her feet, for lack of winter boots.  A couple of weeks later, she scored an awesome pair of Muddy Munchkin Toddler Play boots of her very own from MyMayu! Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to use them in the snow this season, but we’ve had a hefty PLENTY of wet weather testing opportunities, in both cold and…Read the rest of this entry →

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4 Days of Pump at the Red River Gorge

4 Days of Pump at the Red River Gorge

Spring.  One the two times per year that our family heads to the Red River Gorge with the sole intention of obliterating our forearms.  For those of you not familiar with the Red River Gorge, the climbing style is the polar opposite of the climbing we typically engage in at our favorite weekend crag, the New River Gorge.  “The New” is all about technical face climbing – long, intricate, well-defined crux sequences involving tiny crimps and great footwork.  In contrast, most routes at “the Red” lack a distinct crux – the difficulty comes not in the individual moves, but in linking them all…Read the rest of this entry →

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Giveaway and Discounts from Medi-Dyne Brands!

Giveaway and Discounts from Medi-Dyne Brands!

Those of you that are keen observers perhaps may have noticed the latest graphic in the “Featured Partner” sidebar on this site. That’s because our family is psyched to have been chosen as ambassadors for Medi-Dyne Brands.  And that means great things for us AND you all! Medi-Dyne is a company that offers professional health care products aimed at improving performance and providing pain relief in both the long-term and short-term.  Their pre-hab products are designed to keep you outside enjoying the mountains, beach, lake, or wherever it is that you recreate most. So far we’ve had a chance to try 3…Read the rest of this entry →

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New River Gorge, Round 2!

New River Gorge, Round 2!

Another beautiful spring weekend means another trip to the New River Gorge.  And another trip to the New means another great weekend of family, friends, laughs…and of course climbing!  This was the second week of my Rock Climber’s Training Manual “perfomance phase,” and after the inconsistencies from the first week, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  Here’s how it went… Michelin Man Original Finish (5.12b) – After one-hanging this one last weekend, sending this was my primary goal for this trip.  I was hoping that hopping on it fresh as a daisy on Day 1 would feel a lot…Read the rest of this entry →

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The Perfect Hand-Me-Down: 3 Kids and 1 Down Suit

The Perfect Hand-Me-Down: 3 Kids and 1 Down Suit

Before I became pregnant with my first child, I was blessed to have some like-minded friends who were just phasing out of the life stage we were just getting ourselves into.  Their then-toddler would be their last child, and they were actually preparing to move to Germany…which meant our family was one of the many to benefit from their infant outdoor gear archives! We scored bigtime in the clothing and shoe department, most of which at this point has either been worn into the ground or given to other families of outdoorsy little boys who like to play in the mud.  However,…Read the rest of this entry →

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