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

Category Archives: Biking

Why Mountain Biking is an Awesome Family Activity

Why Mountain Biking is an Awesome Family Activity

About a month or two before Baby Z’s arrival, my then 3 year old son transitioned from balance bike to big boy bike.  I cannot sing the praises of balance bikes enough, as the skills he learned there made for a seamless switch to pedals, without the need for training wheels.  And while we’ve undoubtedly done about a zillion laps around our neighborhood, the local mountain bike park has been the best outlet we’ve found for channeling his “inner ripper” while keeping the rest of the gang content (whether it’s a 9 month pregnant Mommy or a Mommy/newborn babywearing pair.)…Read the rest of this entry →

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How Parents Can Still Find Time to Mountain Bike…(and a GIVEAWAY!)

How Parents Can Still Find Time to Mountain Bike…(and a GIVEAWAY!)

Of all the recreational pursuits my hubby and I enjoyed pre-kiddo, mountain biking was actually the hardest to get back into consistently, namely because it wasn’t something we could do all together as a family. But I still managed to always read more on it and kept upgrading my bike in hopes that I would take it out soon. Rock climbing was easy, so long as we had an extra person with us.    For running, hiking, and even biking along the greenway, we could simply strap C into the appropriate carrier and adventure away.  But ripping down steep, rooty,…Read the rest of this entry →

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Family Bike Day Along the New River Trail

Family Bike Day Along the New River Trail

Regular readers of this blog know we are big fans of the New River in our household.  During prime climbing season, the New River Gorge is like a second home, as we head up there almost every weekend.  But as wild and wonderful as the gorge is, the river itself is even bigger, extending down through Virginia and into western North Carolina.  Actually, I guess it’s more accurate to say that it extends UPWARDS into West Virginia, as the New is one of the few rivers of the world that flow north!  Anyway, one of the best parts about the…Read the rest of this entry →

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Toddler Bikes and the GOOD Kind of Peer Pressure…

Toddler Bikes and the GOOD Kind of Peer Pressure…

While most of our family’s recreational pursuits tend to revolve around rock climbing, it’s probably also fair to say we’re pretty avid bikers, especially in warm weather.  With that in mind, a balance bike was one of the first things on C’s birthday list when he turned 2.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with balance bikes, the concept is quite simple – just a bike frame and two wheels – no gears, brakes, pedals, or training wheels.  The rider propels the bike forward with his/her feet – at first just standing over the bike and walking, and gradually…Read the rest of this entry →

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The Green Hour Combo – A Family Affair

The Green Hour Combo – A Family Affair

Last week I wrote about Green Hours and grandparents, and about all of the cross-generational memories that can come from spending time in nature with extended family.  This week however, I wanted to focus a little closer to home – with immediate family.  If you are a frequent visitor to this site, you’ll know that its no secret that the majority of our weekends are spent outside at the crag scaling cliffs.  I’m pretty certain that when Cragbaby looks back at his early nature memories, most of them will involve ropes, helmets, and tents.  To put it mildly, I guess…Read the rest of this entry →

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