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

Creating a Cragbaby – Sleepytime Solutions

Creating a Cragbaby.
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Every cragbaby needs beauty sleep…

Taking your baby to the crag for any length of time means that there will be naps involved – for your baby most definitely, and for you…quite possibly after a long day of climbing and hanging out with your little one!  Everyone knows how cranky an overtired baby can be (and how annoying that can be to everyone within earshot…) so before you go off gallavanting around in the mountains, make sure you have a strategy for helping your baby to catch some Zzzz’s.  We found through trial (and error…) several tips for making on-the-go naps in strange places easier on C.  The following is a practical guide for what worked for us – but remember that sleep habits during the early months are influenced a great deal by temperament and personality of each individual baby, so try our ideas but toss ’em and go back to the drawing board if they don’t work…

C catching some Zzzz’s on a morning approach to some boulders in Grayson Highlands State Park, VA

Take advantage of natural sleep inducers.   

  • Car Rides – For day trips with a decent drive, try to time your car time  with when you know your little one will be tired.  With any luck, your cragbaby will arrive at the crag well-rested and ready for new discoveries – plus mom and dad have time to scour the guidebook and plan out the day! 

The Kelty Kid Carrier makes it easy to transfer hibernating bears from our backs to the ground!

  • Nursing –  There is a lot of “mainstream” information out there nowadays that cautions moms to NEVER nurse a baby to sleep because it creates bad habits – babies should be taught to be dependent, self-soothers,  etc.  Our family sides with the camp that knows that all of those things will happen soon enough, when a child is developmentally ready, but this post is about getting your baby to sleep at the crag, not to debate infant sleep habits in general.  We believe that God designed breastfeeding to be a wonderful cure-all for baby’s needs.  As far as sleep goes, breastmilk contains many sleep-inducing properties, not to mention that the act of suckling naturally soothes and calms babies – it was designed to put your baby to sleep, so why not use it to your advantage!  If your out at the crag and baby is too excited to calm down enough to sleep, take him or her to a quiet place away from all the action, and offer to nurse.  Have your sleeping spot picked out, and your blanket down and ready so that all you’ll have to do is place your little snoozer down.

C rolling away to dreamland with his sleepytime music.

  • Music – C knows that when he hears anything off of Renee and Jeremy’s album, “It’s a Big World,” it can only mean one thing – sleepytime is coming!  He hears it when he’s getting dressed for bed, when he’s being rocked to sleep, during his last nursing session in the evening, when he’s fussy but fading fast in the car…and also when its time for a nap in the woods at the base of a cliff!  The album is downloaded onto my iPhone so that we have it in a pinch for whenever we need a sleep cue, STAT!  Obviously, it doesn’t have to be this particular album, (although many of our climbing partners can attest to its peaceful, eyelid-drooping properties!).  It doesn’t even have to be music (book, blankie, toy, etc)- the point is, find a strong sleep association that can be portable and easily accessible when you’re out at the crag.

Sometimes the Crag-Daddy needs some sleepytime, too…

  • Movement – Its no secret that smooth, rhythmic motion can lull a baby to sleep (and for that matter, adults – hammock, anyone?)  Our family is big into babywearing, and in C’s earliest months, he spent many a naptime nestled up snug and tight against Mommy or Daddy’s chest.  Now that he’s older and taking longer naps, he usually sleeps in his crib during the day, but we still capitalize on the movement principle a good bit on crag days.  Just like you can plan car rides to coincide with naptimes, you can do the same with approaches or hikes from one area of the crag to another.  Depending on your carrier, you might even be able to transfer your sleeping babe back to the ground when you get to your destination.

Some babies sleep with binkies, this cragbaby sleeps with his chalkbag!

Expect a different routine.  Especially in the beginning, a trip to the crag is going to be a completely different day than your baby has ever experienced.  Don’t expect everything to fall into place perfectly the first time out.  Eventually, you’ll start to develop a “crag routine,” but it may or may not be the same routine that you have at home.  For instance, at home C always has two naps, each 1.5-2 hours, whereas at the crag he usually has 3 naps, all around an hour or so.  It works for him, so it works for us. 

A peaceful bear slumbers nearby while everyone else crushes!

Know when to call it a day.  A full day of climbing, plus driving to and from the crag, makes for a long day for cragbabies.  Be considerate of your little people needs – finish up well before your little one gets overtired and cranky so you can end on a good note.  Our end of day schedule usually works something like this – We hike out sometime between 5 and 6, and grab dinner pretty soon after we get on the road.  By the time we finish dinner, its approaching C’s bedtime.  We go ahead and put him in his jammies and “super-dipe” him (we use cloth, so our night diaper is bulked out to the max!).  C usually falls asleep pretty soon after we get back on the road, and then when we get home we can usually transfer him to his crib with only some minor resettling, if any, rather than having him wake all the way up to get ready for bed at home.   

“It’s sleepytime guys! See ya when I wake up!”

Don’t forget that sleep is an issue that can be quite fickle at times for babies.  Remember the saying, “The only constant is change?”  It’s not unusual for patterns of sleep to change dramatically by the week, or even by the day.  There are all sorts of outside factors that can influence sleep behavior – developmental milestones, teething, growth spurts, illness, separation anxiety, etc.  What worked last week at the crag might seem like a horrible idea this week.  The best thing you can do is to have a host of sleep-inducing ammunition lined up in your arsenal, understanding climbing partners, and a long-term perspective that all too soon you’re gonna miss these days!

Dreaming of redpointing 5.14…

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Creating a Cragbaby – Baby Bouldering Beta

Creating a Cragbaby.
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Having a baby on board doesn't have to cramp your bouldering style!

In Rules for the Ropes, I gave some practical tips for how to keep your little cragbaby safe and happy while Mommy and Daddy rope up.  But for those of you that prefer a crashpad and a spotter to some quickdraws and a grigri, this post is for you!  Taking a baby to the boulderfield is much the same as taking him or her to the cliff in many ways, but there are some distinct differences – some pros, and some cons.  This post will discuss how bouldering compares with roped climbing when it comes to having a little one along for the ride.

Canaan watching the action from a safe distance with Mommy

Less commitment. When you’re bouldering, no one in your party is ever more than 15-20 feet off the ground.  If baby gets upset while Mom is working her project, its pretty easy for Mom to just stop what she’s doing and waltz on over – as opposed to if she’s on a rope 80 feet up.  You can get away with a little less planning of naps/feedings/etc and play things by ear a little more.  It’s still necessary to have at least one other person around, unless you’re working really easy stuff that you feel comfortable doing without a spotter, but unlike with roped climbing, adding a whole lot of people doesn’t really slow you down that much, and does provide you with a lot of extra hands.

Cragbaby Canaan doing some crushing of his own at Asheboro, NC

On the move. Boulder problems are obviously much shorter than roped routes, which can mean that you don’t spend as much time in one spot as you might when roping up, especially if there aren’t a lot of folks in your posse.  This has the potential to make naps a nightmare – by the time you get your little one down, its time to pack up and head somewhere else!  An easy solution is to choose areas with a high concentration of problems in the grades you’re looking for within close proximity of each other.  That way you can hang out more or less in the same spot for 1-2 hours at a time, enabling your cragbaby to catch some much needed shuteye.  If the boulders are too far away from the baby station for comfort, simply rotate who is climbing and who is hanging out with sleeping beauty.

A crash pad doubles as a great nap spot!

Crash pads are multi-purpose. Its amazing what off-label uses you can come up with for your crash pad!  A crash pad is a much softer on-the-go diaper changing station than a blanket on a rock.  It can also make a very comfortable napping spot (with snuggle room for the baby watcher too!).  The pad works out especially well for sleeping during cold weather, since its such a great insulator when the ground is really cold!

A furry little explorer

Less hazards. It’s easier to find a safe, out of the way spot for your baby to hang out in when you’re bouldering.  While there are still environmental hazards to be on the look out for (bee’s nests, poison ivy, etc.) you don’t have to worry as much about being in a landing zone for dropped gear or loose rock.  Holds do still break, but don’t fly as far off of a 15 foot boulder as they would from a 100 foot cliff face.

Canaan getting a smearing lesson

Less room for gear. If you’re climbing routes, both people can carry packs, so you can bring pretty much everything but the crib (and if you’re a beast I suppose you could hike a pack n’ play in…)  When Canaan was under 6 months old, I used a Moby or a Bjorn (depending on terrain) on my front, and a large day pack on my back.  Once he could sit up he moved into the backpack carrier, which had plenty of room for gear in addition to Canaan.  But if you’re bouldering, at least one person will have a giant pad on their back in lieu of a cragpack, and depending on the landings at the area you’re climbing in, you may even want two pads.  And although folding your gear up into your crash pad is an art to be perfected, it doesn’t hold close to the same amount, is not near as comfortable, and has a higher chance of getting lost along the way.  So when you’re bouldering, its imperative that you only pack what you need.

"Don't let all the fun fool you..."

So which is easier to start with – roped climbing or bouldering?  That depends on you.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both.  The real answer is whichever you are the most confident about.  Our first family crag day was a roped climbing day trip to Pilot Mountain with two dear friends that were sweet enough to volunteer their help in our cragbaby experiment.

"....this bouldering stuff is tough business, guys!"

I’d toproped throughout my entire pregnancy, but had given up bouldering early on, so it had been almost a year since we’d taken the pads out.  Even before my pregnancy we considered ourselves more roped climbers than pad people, so we felt a lot more comfortable starting out with that.  However, now that we’ve adjusted to our new style of craggin’, I’d say we split it up pretty evenly, and just head to where the weather is good.  It will be interesting to see which one Canaan takes to more once he can be a participant rather than just an observer. I suppose there is also the chance that he won’t be into climbing at all, but if that’s the case, I’m sure his “thing” will still be something fun – but for now I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn’t get hungry for first ascents on big alpine walls in Patagonia…

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Falling Up and Falling Down at Asheboro

North Carolina.
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Some pre-climb snuggles with my favorite bear

Our house went on the market last Monday, and after a smattering of showings towards the end of the week, we got slammed with 5 requests for Saturday showings.  We figured since we were banned from our house for all but an hour here or there, we might as well get outside and enjoy the weather.  We decided to meet up with a few folks at Asheboro.  Since it was a gorgeous day, lots of other people had the same idea, so we ended up making several new friends as well as a Charlotte connection! 

Topping out Lightning Bolt

We didn’t get on anything new, but had fun on all the usual suspects – Lightning Bolt (V4), Seam (V0), Falling Up (V3), and Falling Up Arete (V4).  Somebody broke a key foothold off of the start Falling Up Arete, but thankfully the route still goes, although I do think its a fair bit harder without that right foot. 

Steve low on Quiver

My new beta is to just to crank up on the left foot and let the right hang – which actually sets my body position up to make the whole problem flow a little better.  Our crew also did Quiver (V2/3), which Steve and I hadn’t gotten on in a couple of years.  I also found a new project for the day – Layoff (V4).  We ended our day by shedding some blood in the off-width warm-up cracks in the main area – really fun problems, but also fairly painful…

Can you figure out which one of us is mad because they were just told not to eat dead leaves?

Canaan spent the majority of his day being a ladies man.  He was quite the charmer, and by the end of the day, had quite the collection of girlfriends. 

Canaan says flashing his pearly whites makes the girls melt.

We assumed that Monday might be similar with regards to the house showings since it was a holiday, and since Steve had the day off from work, and we already had another partner lined up, we decided we might as well head back to Asheboro for another round, even though the weather wasn’t quite as nice as it had been on Saturday. 

"Easy ladies, there's plenty cragbaby snuggles to go around!"

We were both feeling a little beat up from Saturday, and I’m pretty certain that another rest day would have been beneficial (especially since ironically enough, we ended up with ZERO showings…), but it was still a good day.  We did mostly the same stuff that we’d done on Saturday, in addition to getting lost on our search for the Outback Area and the Alien Head boulder.  We also did Get Up Stand Up (V2), then discovered that a huge chunk of rock is now flexing a bit on it…

Canaan having fun with Miss Lauren!

Steve came heartbreakingly close to sending Dumbo (V4), which would have been his hardest send to date.  I think with some more work it will go for him. 

All that fun makes for a sleepy bear...

While Falling Up and Falling Up Arete went down very smoothly on the first go for me, I also did my fair share of falling down on Layoff as well as Quiver.   A couple of funky landings, but nothing a visit to the chiropractor and my favorite massage therapist the next day couldn’t fix.  Big shout-out to Jeremy Sanders for all of his professional spotting – I should definitely hire you out…or at least bake you some cookies.  Also thanks to Jean Adams for letting me snag some of her pics from Saturday!

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Creating a Cragbaby – Rules for the Ropes!

Creating a Cragbaby.
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So you’ve taken your family on some local mini-adventures, you’ve got all the right gear, and you’ve got the right perspective – you’re ready to hit the crag for real!  You’ve got a few different options – you could clip some bolts, plug some gear,or break out the crash pad.  And although a lot of the logistics are the same, we have discovered that within different types of climbing there are a few distinct differences with how a baby best fits into the picture.  In order to keep this post fairly concise, I’ve decided to split this section into two posts – this one for roped climbing, and the next one for bouldering…

6 week old Cragbaby chillin’ with Daddy on his very first climbing trip to Pilot Mountain, NC

Pre-cragbaby Steve and I loved planning our multi-day climbing trips around areas that we could do  both sport and trad.  My favorite combo was a day of hard clip-ups followed by a nice long, easy multi-pitch climb.  You know the kind I mean – the approach is the crux, and the actual climbing is a relaxed way to take in some pristine mountain panoramas.  (Think: Linville Gorge, NC, or SuperNova in El Potrero Chico, MX).  But now that our Cragbaby is in the mix, our multi-pitch days are out – not forever, just until C is either done breastfeeding and able to stay with the Grand’s, or eventually, big enough to tie in with us (that’ll be a whole ‘nother post…)  So suffice it to say, all the roped stuff we’re doing these days are single-pitch – for you non-climbers out there,that means less than 100 feet or so off the ground.  It’s obviously pretty important that at no point is everyone off the ground.  Although you’d be shocked at how many people assume that I just strap C on my back and take off up the cliff…these of course are the same people that questioned my judgment for top-roping in a full body harness while C was well-protected and padded in a cushy life floating around in amniotic fluid…but again, that’s a whole ‘nother post.

Steve getting ready to climb while Mommy and C cheer him on!

Steve and I made a pact before we ever took C out cragging:  NEVER LET BABY-WATCHER AND BELAYER BE THE SAME PERSON. Even though logistically it probably would’ve worked, especially in the early days before the C-Squatch got mobile, we were never willing to take the risk – too many variables outside of our control.  We decided there would always be a designated man (or woman) on Cragbaby-duty at all times.  So the first Rule for the Ropes is this:

C spraying beta while Mommy climbs.

1.  An experienced extra partner. Three climbers means one person is climbing, one person is belaying, and one person is on Cragbaby- duty.  Unless your extra person is just a non-climbing babysitter, it is important that your third person be an experienced climber that you feel very comfortable with – remember, the entire day that person will hold either you or your baby’s life in their hands.  A less tiring option is to have two extra partners.  Its not a big deal if your fourth person is a newbie.  Four climbers means one person is climbing, one person is belaying, one person is on Cragbaby-duty, and one person is free to grab a snack, take pictures, scout out the next route, etc.  This option is more relaxed, but with a party of 4 climbing on one rope, don’t expect to get in a ton of routes.  In our experience the ideal option is 5 climbers – 2 people climbing, 2 people belaying, one person on Cragbaby-duty.  You save time because there are two ropes up at once, but during the down times, there are a lot more hands on deck.  More than five climbers and your posse starts getting a little crowded…

It helps if your extra partners are fun people!

2. Know the Area. Use your best judgment and don’t forget you have precious cargo with you (that #6 camalot wasn’t cheap, right?  Just kidding…)  Some climbing areas are better suited for hiking in with a baby than others, so now is not the time to try out a new area.  Its not so much about the distance as it is the terrain.  Approaches involving scree slopes, talus strewn trails, fixed lines and water crossings are probably a little ambitious to start with, especially if your baby is still too young to ride in a backpack carrier.  Think about what the cliff base is like – if there is a chance of rain, are there any natural caves/overhangs that you’ll be able to take shelter in?  Are there steep and rocky places where it will be difficult to put your baby down for naps and diaper changes?

Having fun in a safe, out of the way spot!

3.  Safe Baby Placement. This also goes along with knowing the area, but its about more than just having a flat spot to toss a blanket down for naps.  Rock fall is fairly common in some areas, and who here among us has ever accidentally dropped gear?  I know I have.  That level, out of the way area shaded by a tree might have a hornet nest at the base, or be right beside a patch of poison ivy.  Inspect these areas thoroughly.  Even though there will always be a person on baby duty, its still of utmost importance to consider all of these factors in deciding where to set up your “baby station.”

Now that he’s mobile, Canaan-duty doesn’t always double as rest time…

4. Expect extra nursing sessions. Breastfeeding is definitely the way to go for a whole bunch of reasons, but when it comes to cragging with your little bean, it can’t get any more convenient!  For the first 6 months you don’t have to pack any extra food (except for the ravenous nursing Mommy…)  And although the AAP recommends babies are exclusively breastfed until 6 months, there’s nothing magical about their 6 month birthday that means all of a sudden baby needs his own bag of trail mix and energy bars.  It wasn’t until around the 8 1/2 month mark that we started bringing food for C at the crag since up until then he was only eating one meal a day (dinner).

C learning how to give a fireman’s belay…it’s never too early, right?

Also, accept the fact that odds are no matter how hard you try to time it, your little one will decide that only Mommy will do JUST as you are trying to pull through the crux on one of your pre-pregnancy projects (ask me how I know…).  In the early weeks there were some days that I remember preemptively nursing C right before I tied in almost EVERY TIME.  Nursing is about more than just nutrition – its a safe and familiar comfort for your baby when he or she may feel a little anxious about being in such a strange environment.  Also don’t forget that babies quench not just their hunger but also their thirst through nursing.  On hot days, expect your baby to get more thirsty (don’t you?).  That being said, here’s a tip for the nursing Mommies – you will be more hungry than usual, and you should be drinking more than usual, pack accordingly.

Cragbaby Canaan says, “Keep me safe out there, guys!”

5.  Don’t be a Moron! Pre-cragbaby, it might have been cool to spray to your friends the next day about how you got stormed off your project just as the sun was setting, had to rap down in the dark because your rope got stuck, then got lost on the hike out and almost got be-nighted because you just barely made it through before the park ranger closed the gates.  This is NOT cool with a baby on board…do your best to avoid situations that lead to these types of shenanigans.  Only climb in areas/routes that you know well, and allow plenty of extra time to make it out before dark.  Make sure both you and your baby are prepared for any and all types of weather situations you may encounter.  Do your very best to avoid an epic – even though its read as a cliche at the front of every single guidebook that I own – “Rock Climbing is a dangerous sport that can result in death, paralysis, or serious injury.”  Stay safe out there and have fun!

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Creating a Cragbaby – Training Days…

Creating a Cragbaby.
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One of Canaan’s last outside climbs while on the inside.

A mountaineer doesn’t choose Everest for his first alpine climb.  A figure skater doesn’t begin with a triple-axel.  And you can’t expect your sweet bundle of joy to turn into a cragbaby overnight.  You’d better take a few runs on the bunny slope first before tackling the moguls.

In the climbing world, the term “approach” is used to refer to the initial hike that one takes to get to the base of the route you are going to climb.  Depending on the climbing area, the approach could be anywhere from a few feet away from your car to a multi-day hike.  Before your baby is ready for the crag, you’ve got to figure out the right approach to get you there.

Our first family hike with 12 day old Canaan, celebrating the day he was SUPPOSED to arrive!

Ideally, your little one’s training begins in the womb.  Research has shown that not only is exercise beneficial for mom during both pregnancy and labor, it also has many benefits for baby as well.  If you decide to use pregnancy as an excuse to sit around all day eating pizza and ice cream, you won’t have the physical ability or mental motivation to take baby out for any type of recreation, especially during those early weeks of round the clock feedings.    So turn off the TV and get off the couch so you can give your little jelly bean 9 months of practice from the “inside”!  Once your little guy or gal arrives, its time for a cragbaby action plan!

Enjoying a family picnic during our first day-long local excursion

The first step is to ACCLIMATIZE YOUR FAMILY.  Alpine climbers have to take special steps to make sure that their bodies can adjust to the decreasing oxygen levels at higher altitudes – one way they do this is by “climbing high, and sleeping low.”  By climbing up a few thousand feet during the day but returning back to a lower altitude camp at night, the body can adjust to the higher altitudes in a safe and controlled way.

To make sure your whole family is ready for the committment of a full day out in the woods, acclimatize slowly by planning a few local mini-adventures!  These first few forays into the outside world don’t have to be complicated – in fact, simple is better (and less stressful!).  They can be anything that serves as a chance to practice (on a smaller scale) some aspect of the adventures you have planned for later (“Climb high.”), but close by so you that you have an easy retreat when the activity is over (“Sleep low.”)  Remember, babies are flexible, and their needs, although often, are really basic.   These family outings are really designed more for you as a parent to figure out your “system” for doing things.  Sure, its advantageous for your baby to be exposed to a wide variety of new sights and sounds, but for a newborn, home is where the Mommy is.  So as long as you’ve got that covered, feel free to hit the trail!

A mid-hike father/son snuggle

Our family’s first mini-adventures included a 2 hour hiking excursion at Umstead Park to celebrate Canaan’s “due date” (he was 2 weeks early…).  We also took two hiking day trips – one at Umstead Park, and the other at Falls Lake.  These day trips were invaluable learning experiments which allowed us to work through the logistics close to home, as well as gain confidence in our abilities to take care of Canaan outside of the comfort zone of our own house.  We learned that diaper changing on uneven terrain can be a two person job, hiking with a 10 pound furnace is sweaty business even in the most comfortable of temps, and that its not always easy to find a comfortable nursing position in the woods (here’s a million dollar idea: a boppy pillow that self-inflates like a thermarest and packs down tiny when not in use!)

A fallen log works out great for a nursing chair!

Use these local mini-adventures to narrow down your gear options, so that before you hit the crag for real you can work on the next important thing – PICKING YOUR PORTERS.  A mountaineer wouldn’t dream attempting a big expedition without choosing to hire the right porters to help carry their gear – food, water, oxygen, camping supplies, first aid, etc.  The “Sherpas” are a people group from the Himalayas that are most well-known for their skills as mountaineering guides and porters.  These guys are well-respected in the international climbing community for their toughness, knowledge, and experience.  Some speculate that these abilities are genetic adaptations from living at such high altitudes.

4 week old Gym-Rat checking out his namesake route

For all of OUR cragbaby excursions however, we serve as our own porters, so choosing the right way to carry our gear was a MUST in our family’s comfort at the crag.  We searched far and wide for the perfect pack.  For a typical day at the crag, we needed to be able to transport baby, baby gear, climbing gear, and our food/water.  Our system ended up being Steve carrying all of our climbing gear in his bigger crag pack, with me carrying Canaan in a front carrier (we found pros and cons with both the Baby Bjorn as well as the Moby Wrap) as well as a backpack style diaper bag on my bag filled with our food, water, and all of Canaan’s gear.  We used the (aptly named…) “Baby Sherpa” backpack, and were pretty happy with it.  We liked that it had a cooler section built in to the bottom as well as a removable changing pad,and loads of pockets on the inside as well as the outside.  It was kinda bulky for everday use, and certainly wasn’t as stylish looking as the cute over the shoulder messenger bags, but it was durable and comfortable on long approaches.  But, since babies are constantly changing, your system must be flexible and open to change as well.  Once Canaan was able to sit up on his own without support (at just under 6 months) we’ve been able to use the Kelty Kid Carrier that our good friends Norbert and Manuela bought for us – and it has made life so much easier!  We still divy up the gear the same way, but its a lot easier hiking with all of my items in one spot, rather than split between my back and front!

Moby Wrap on the front, Baby Sherpa on the back!

Finally, the last and possibly most important part of cragbaby training is to REALIZE THAT YOU WON’T ALWAYS SUMMIT!  Any experienced mountaineer knows that lot of attempts end somewhere mid-route rather than at the summit.  You can be in tip top physical condition, and have all the right gear, but there are still numerous things out of your control.  Weather, illness, injury, wildlife – these are just a few of the culprits that might keep you from reaching the top.  But a seasoned climber also knows that the real adventure is in the journey, not the final destination.

Diaper changes were easier in the early days before he was so wiggly…

Yes you can take your baby to the crag… but never forget that you have a BABY at the CRAG!  Take some beautiful toys from https://makaboo.com/Gifts/angel-dear-lovie/ to keep your baby busy. Never again will your climbing day be solely about taking turns working your projects or trying to get that one last route in before the sun sets so you aren’t hiking out in the dark.  Canaan will always be our first priority at the crag (or anywhere else, for that matter).  Most days we still manage to get a ton of climbing in – other days I wonder where the daylight hours have gone.  But regardless of how many routes get ticked off our list, one common thread has remained the same throughout all of our trips thus far – we have truly enjoyed spending quality time together as a family and with amazing friends in some beautiful places.  And I figure we better enjoy it now, becaues all too soon Canaan will be complaining that we’re cramping his style as he begrudgingly lets Mom and Dad toprope his warm-ups before he goes off to send his projects with his buddies…

And in the end I want to recommend you Coast2Coast Ottawa trainings. CPR training classes give you the information and the skills you need to help adults, children and infants during breathing and cardiac emergencies. Whether you choose in-person or blended learning CPR training, our world-class instructors deliver the most up-to-date information that’s engaging and effective.

A happy boy!

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