apAdventures

Never too many.

posted by ARR

posted by ARR

Viewer beware: contains “song of the summer” 😉

posted by ARR

Upon returning to Flagstaff with Jen, Brian and family in tow, we soon learned that friends John and Mandy with their four kids were also going to meet us there. 8 kids on a climbing trip! Gah! Silas dubbed the week “Kids Paradise.” Well put, Silas. 🙂

The Boys

Saltine Crack Whore, v10

Paul sending Saltine Crack Whore (and nobody cares, heh heh)

Brian flashing Disco Polly, v6

Jen sending an Unnamed v5 at Gomez Traverse

After getting rained out one afternoon and thinking the day was done we all headed back to camp, only to find the weather all cleared up. Not able to resist the pleasant temps that the rain had brought we decided to get a little wild (wild, that is, for parents with small kiddos that outta be in bed at a reasonable time if we don’t want to pay for it later). We ordered up a stack of take-out pizzas downtown and then drove out to Super Roof for an evening session. Wild, I tell ya. 😉

Jen looking gorgeous

The boys really got obsessed with this one. An Unnamed V2 on Badass Roof. Both Seb and Oren sent!

And Jen on Badass, v5

posted by ARR

Pittsburgh climber buds Brian and Jen plus kids drove out west this summer. We intercepted their trip at Mesa Verde, Colorado and then all headed down to Flagstaff together to climb. A few photos from Mesa Verde:

Cliff dwelling

Approaching Step House, a self-guided site

Climbing around Step House

More Step House

A kiva at Balcony House

Balcony House

An evening hike on the Knife Edge trail

magical

posted by ARR

On one weekend at Priest Draw our friends Cat and Gus joined us. Both are now Protocol enthusiasts too. Climbers plus weightlifting? Don’t knock until you try.

WHICH pocket?! A common scene at Bat Roof, v3

The kids have their own use for all these pockets

Gus slapping his way up Wife Beater, v8

Cat on an adjacent and also slappy unnamed v2 we oh-so-creatively refer to as “Sister Beater”

Paul giving a sending go on Carnibroiler, v12, which he nailed the following weekend

And me on Meateater, v7. DONE! FINALLY! Still can’t believe this thing was so hard for me. I’ve vowed to never attempt a repeat. Ever!

Icing on the cake, I snag Move N Groove Barbie, v7 the following weekend. Woo!

posted by ARR

I’m sharing a bit of a backlog with you all. School is now back in session but summer was a blast! We spent the early part of the summer bouldering at Priest Draw up in Flagstaff, which is typical for us. But what’s not typical is the amount of sendage that went down in such a few short trips. Paul took down Pink Lightning v11 the very first weekend we were there! (Which I got neither pics nor video of because I honestly wasn’t thinking he’d actually send it that soon, haha). And I quickly cleaned up my long standing nemesis Meateater v7 without much effort. The kids were little crushers too, with Silas topping out actual legit boulder problems versus the typical “kids climbs” that they make up for themselves on smaller boulders. It’s been a good summer, and a great encore to my own comeback from such lousy health this time last year. I’ll start off with posting some pics. Video to follow…eventually. Heh! We’re busy around here these days! 😉

John warming up

Mandy styling Flip Flop Traverse, v1

Kite flying! I’m embarrassed to say that soon after this photo was taken the kite’s tail got stuck in the top of a tall pine and ripped off, leaving an ugly piece of red plastic litter overhead. All of the kids apologized to Mother Nature profusely. Can’t say as that made any of us feel any better about the blunder. 🙁

Morning maintenance

Climber Ivan

Brother Silas

Darn cuteness

posted by ARR

We’re making a legit effort to give the local boulders some attention this summer. We went up to Mt. Lemmon and down into Marshall’s Gulch, beyond our frequented River Boulder. Here are a couple of good boulders. The setting is unbeatable on a hot summer’s day in the desert.

Rich Forever, v1

Indian Summer Stand, v9

posted by ARR

Found THIS(!) hid away in the corner of my 8 year old’s bedroom mattress:

I’m really gonna have to keep my eye on this kid.

posted by ARR

A few weeks ago our five year old turned six. The following two stories just about sum up our little Ivan right now:

* I’m tucking him into bed one evening. We kiss, hug and say goodnight and then he says to me completely randomly, “My mind just wants to break apart when I think about the universe going on forever.”

* We’re all outside bouldering. Paul is resting, Silas is up in the woods drawing, Ivan is running around jumping off rocks and I’m trying to figure out what he’s up to. I signal to Paul to watch with me. Ivan climbs atop the largest rock he can find, then springs off. As he springs, he tucks is elbows close to his sides and starts flapping his forearms and hands wildly. He lands, stops flapping, climbs atop another rock and tries again. I look at Paul. “Hey, you gotta try, right?” he says. We both grin at the preciousness.

Impressive little intellectual one minute, yet still the innocent imaginative dreamer the next. Precious little birthday boy indeed.

posted by ARR