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

Tag Archives: Camping

Ups and Downs Climbing at the OBED

Ups and Downs Climbing at the OBED

Last weekend was Memorial Day Weekend, which meant it was time for our 5th annual climbing trip to the Obed Wild and Scenic River.  Usually this trip marks the start of the humid sweatfest that is otherwise known as summer  climbing in the Southeast…but we actually lucked out with a spring-ish weekend.  Nights were cool, and midday highs were in the low 80’s with very little humidity.  Definitely the best Memorial Day conditions we’ve ever had! But when the whole family is involved in the climbing experience, there’s a lot more to great “sending conditions” than just weather.  Without wasting too…Read the rest of this entry →

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2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Kids

2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Kids

Looking for some ideas for your favorite adventurous kiddo this holiday season?  Here’s a list of some gift ideas based on our experiences adventuring as a family of four this past year.  I’ve listed a general gift, why it  makes a great gift, as well as  specific brand recommendations that have worked for us (and of course, where to find them!)  Depending on how much of a gear junkie your child is (it’s hereditary in our family) these items may or may not be found in a letter to Santa (in fact, some of these items are more of a gift to help mom and…Read the rest of this entry →

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Adventures in the High Country…and First Postpartum 5.12!

Adventures in the High Country…and First Postpartum 5.12!

So far it’s been a pretty wet autumn here in the Southeast…so our family was psyched to see good temps with no rain in the forecast this weekend.  We cut out of town just after lunch on Friday, bound for the High Country – that beautiful stretch of the Blue Ridge mountains that lies in the western part of NC.  We arrived just in time to set up camp and enjoy a hike to the summit of Table Rock.  With breathtaking views of the Linville Gorge wilderness as far as the eye can see, it was the perfect backdrop for a family picnic…Read the rest of this entry →

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Gear Review: The Luci Lantern from MPOWERD

Gear Review: The Luci Lantern from MPOWERD

Our family got the chance to try out the new Luci solar-powered lantern on our Labor Day climbing/camping adventure to Tennessee.  I had originally planned on mentioning it in the trip report, but we liked it so much that I thought it deserved a post all on it’s own! Luci is an innovative idea from MPOWERD, a company that “develops and manufactures game-changing micro-solar energy products for use by people living and playing on and off the grid.”  At first glance it might just seem like any old solar-powered lantern to hang around camp, but it’s cool factor is so much better…Read the rest of this entry →

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Labor Day at the Obed River

Labor Day at the Obed River

If you read last week’s trip report from Grayson Highlands, you may remember that lately we’ve been struggling with bad weather woes, as well as securing climbing partners.  Climbers sans kiddos can wait until the last minute to make their plans, and just head out the door on a whim to wherever conditions look best…we can’t!  For us, no partners means no climbing, so we’ve got to be proactive and plan ahead.  This time around, we ended up with a good-sized group for 2 out of the 3 days.  The weather forecast wasn’t stellar, but it ended up being a…Read the rest of this entry →

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