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

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Extracurricular Training Part 1 – The Antagonists

Extracurricular Training Part 1 – The Antagonists

In the literary world, the “antagonists” represent the bad guy – the person, place, or thing that causes conflict and opposition to the “protagonist,” or good guy.  Lord Voldemort, Sauron, and even Satan are classic examples of antagonists.  It’s no wonder that we as climbers tend to steer clear of training our antagonist muscles…But joking aside, however, this type of training should be a very important component to EVERY climber’s training regimen, from beginners to the elite.  Here’s why. Just like their literary counterparts, antagonist muscles in climbing are the muscles that act in opposition to the main muscles used…Read the rest of this entry →

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10 Years: What a Long Strange Trip it’s Been…

10 Years:  What a Long Strange Trip it’s Been…

For the cynical, bitter-hearted among us, lookout – this post is dripping with sappiness! But I figured I’m allowed. Not only did I write a Valentine’s Day post that was anti-cheeseball just a few weeks ago, but today my hubby and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage!!!  I look back and 2002 seems like a lifetime ago.  In some ways it seems like the years have gone by at the speed of light (especially the past 2…), but in other ways it seems like Steve has always been a part of my life.  From playing in the nursery together,…Read the rest of this entry →

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Tales of a Broken Talus – Update #2

Tales of a Broken Talus – Update #2

It’s been an interesting week, less emotional than the first one, and with an end goal in sight that I can live with. Day 10:  Being that it was President’s Day, Steve had the day off.  Being that it was a clear, gorgeous day without a cloud in sight, the big boys all went climbing.  Of course Cragbaby incorrectly assumed that meant him too – he got really excited when he saw all the backpacks and climbing gear come out, and enthusiastically helped his Daddy load the car.  But when everyone said good bye and hopped in the car without…Read the rest of this entry →

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Julbo Kid’s Eyewear: I Gotta Wear Shades…

Julbo Kid’s Eyewear:  I Gotta Wear Shades…

Everybody knows that kids need lots of healthy doses of sunshine, right?  Well, yes and no.  Sunshine, yes!  Harmful UV rays, no.  Most of us in this day and age are aware of the damaging effects of the sun, (probably due to lessons learned the hard way back in our younger years…).  However, while a lot of parents are religious about lathering up the sunscreen on the kiddos before sending them outside, I’d wager that many of those same parents don’t think twice about protecting their child’s eyes from the sun. Did you know that children under the age of…Read the rest of this entry →

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An End to Winter Recreation in our State Parks?

An End to Winter Recreation in our State Parks?

So I usually tend to stay out of politics, but there’s been a recent issue that’s come up that I just can’t ignore.  A lot of you North Carolinians may have seen it already, but there’s been a nasty report going around social media circles recently about NC State Parks, and the government’s latest and not-so-greatest budget-cutting ideas.  The whole report can be found here, while a short synopsis can be found here.  But for the gist of it, and my (fairly strong) opinion, read on.  (And feel free to comment – I’d love to hear everyone else’s thoughts). Basically,…Read the rest of this entry →

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