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

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Sentimental Snapshots: The Urban Jungle

Sentimental Snapshots: The Urban Jungle

Since I started climbing in 2006, I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to climb in so many spectacular different settings – from the sharp-angled limestone of El Potrero Chico to the steep, intimidating granite on the Chief in British Columbia.  However, one of the more interesting scenery came from an unlikely place – Manchester Bridge in Richmond, Virginia.  This climbing area is right in the middle of downtown Richmond, and is basically a series of abandoned train trestles that have been equipped with bolts and shutts.   I like how this picture shows that you can find a corner…Read the rest of this entry →

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Gettin’ High (off the ground…) With a Little Help from my Friends

Gettin’ High (off the ground…) With a Little Help from my Friends

The old cliche is true – good friends are hard to find.  This is true in life as well as in climbing.  Sure its not hard to find folks that are psyched about getting out climbing – whether they’re the non-committal weather-stalking types waiting for the last minute to decide if conditions are perfect, the cool to hang out with but sketchy on the belay types, the newbie gym climbers trying to bum a free guide service types, or the “fad climbers,” phasing in and out of super gung-ho and wishy-washy.  Those folks are a dime a dozen.  But DEPENDABLE,…Read the rest of this entry →

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Review: The Peekaru Fleece Baby Carrier Cover

Review: The Peekaru Fleece Baby Carrier Cover

I don’t make it a habit of “categorizing” people…I think there’s a thin line between stereotypes and prejudice.  But, that being said, I suppose if you had to categorize our family, we’d be pitching our tent in the attachment parenting camp more often than not.  We are still breastfeeding (without plans to stop any time soon), we cloth diaper, we spend our early morning hours co-sleeping, and Steve and I both are proud babywearers.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with babywearing, its just like it sounds – carrying a baby or toddler in a cloth carrier.  Babywearing allows…Read the rest of this entry →

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Sentimental Snapshot: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Sentimental Snapshot:  Looking Back and Looking Forward

As I was digging around on my computer the other day trying to find miscellaneous pics for future cragbaby posts, I realized that I literally have thousands upon thousands of photos and video clips from various trips we’ve been on over the years.  I’ve decided to add an experimental category of posts to my blog – Sentimental Snapshots.  Once or twice a week (but don’t hold me to it…), I’ll post either a photo or a video from “back in the day”.  Some might represent a special memory, an important milestone, or maybe just a beautiful outdoor setting –  but all will tell a story…Read the rest of this entry →

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Pilot-Palooza aka Cragbaby: Scene 2

Pilot-Palooza aka Cragbaby: Scene 2

Sunny, highs in the 50’s in February…thats enough to draw a crowd at just about any crag.  We’ve been doing a lot of bouldering recently, but this weekend we decided to rope up at Pilot Mountain.  Incredibly enough, it was the first we’d done any roped climbing since October when we spent several days at the Obed in Tennessee.  Today turned out to be a darn near perfect day – despite how much I enjoy bouldering, I’d forgotten that nothing beats tying into the sharp end of a rope!  We met up with Jan and his wife Crystal in the parking lot. …Read the rest of this entry →

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