apAdventures

Taken over the last few months. Had to share…

posted by arr

The itch is back to do some running while we take a break from the bouldering. Thankfully the desert temps have been so amazing this month that we’ve been able to knock out significant mileage without having to wake up at 4am to beat the heat!

…a treat that will be gone by next week I fear…say the smart weather guys and gals on the tv.

An early morning moon on Douglas Springs Trail

Sunrise over the Catalina Mountains

A rare, gloomy morning overlooking Tucson with my running chica, Mandy

Ok, so this one technically doesn’t count as a trail run because it’s not. It’s my early morning road run that I’ll sometimes squeeze in real quick before Paul heads to work, with this wash being my destination. Beautiful, eh?

A gila monster scaling a rock! AWESOME!

Your’s truly psyched as all heck to stretch my scrawny running legs

And me and my other fav running chica, Linda

Virga. “In meteorology, virga is an observable streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates or sublimes before reaching the ground.”

The Catalina Mountains again as seen from Douglas Springs Trail, this time at sunset.

Tucson is down in the green flatness. Hard to believe with all the spring vegetation in bloom right now.

Mandy rockin’ it on Phoneline Trail on yet another cloudy, cool and stormy day just last week!

Sabino Canyon from Phoneline Trail. And no, that’s not virga this time. Real rain in the mountains threatening to come down and pummel us.

A sea of saguaro cacti with the Rincon Mountains on the left in the distance and the Santa Ritas further away on the right

Photos from Paul’s run with John on the Bear Canyon trail

Seven Falls

The Bear Canyon Trail as it wraps around Seven Falls

A pool at the bottom of the Falls

Another pic from a Paul run, Sycamore Resevoir

And yes, the stroller runs still continue too, although they have been modified just a tad. I sold the B.O.B. Duallie and just use the Single now while Silas rides his bike. Assess, adapt and run on! 🙂

posted by arr

A few weeks ago the kids and I visited a local farm that distributes raw milk and cheese at our CSA. The pics pretty much explain it all. The kids not only got to try their hand at milking a cow, but we took the milk inside and strained it, sipped it (still warm!) and spun it in a centrifuge to make cream! The whipped cream that I used to top Ivan’s ‘birthday construction cake with berries’ was from this friendly brown bovine shown below.

posted by arr

We’re done with the Hueco season and we didn’t send our projects. That’s the wrap up folks. Paul gets an honorable mention for getting really really close on Slashface though (post-finger surgery!) falling off the top, too pumped to stick the last big pull. I deserve no credit, having totally plateaued and going nowhere on anything hard from February to April. We decided to call it, not because of the heat (cause it actually hasn’t gotten hot yet here in the desert southwest! So nice!), but because my psyche was low and Paul’s fingers needed a hardcore rest. So instead of posting a overly amped video showcasing how awesome and strong and full of ourselves we are, I’ll instead post some cute pics of our kids that never made it to the site this spring. hehe. Enjoy!

Stylish Silas

Cute boys

Silly boys

A side trip to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

Who’d ever guess there is an ENORMOUS cave around here?!

What is called “the natural entrance” to the cave

…which, despite the three foot wide paved pathway cut into the side of the cliff all the way down is indeed considerably more “natural” than the alternate entrance, a 500+ foot elevator.

Cuteness in carharts

Silas content with his sketchpad

while Ivan gets grumpy cause he wants to climb NOW!

Campsite hangout time. Get those flip flops off your face! Gross!

Animal track! Whoa!

Site 12 at the campground

A lush Mescalero Canyon in East Mountain

And a bunny chillin’ in the shade.

posted by arr

Silas and Ivan’s Grandma and Pap Pap were in town visiting last week for the birthday.

An evening stroll along the wash behind our house

A morning trip to the Agua Caliente Park, aka “the duck park.” Magnifying glass and binoculars ready.

A mini train ride at Trail Dust Town

And “bubble fun.” Ivan doesn’t ask if he can play with the bubbles, he asks “me do bubble fun mama?”

While mama and dad get a double date night with friends Linda and Ty. Agave Fest….a tequila tasting extravaganza!

posted by arr

…announced Silas during his first swim in the pool this season. He played in the chilly water until his lips were blue!!

Three, two, one, blast-off!

The plunge

Dad’s turn

Now Ivan’s turn

Ivan’s not nearly as psyched as Silas about this

And after a few test-dunks with his life jacket on Silas wanted to practice swimming ‘for real’ without it. He jumped in and swam just fine, first try! He had only just barely got the hang of swimming on his own at the end of last summer. Guess it’s like riding a bike? Waahoo!

posted by arr

I love the sound of your cute small voice, trying to articulate big, grown-up words.

I love how in-love you are with your big brother, and how the first question you ask when you wake up from your nap is “Where’s Silas?”

I love watching you cruise on your balance bike, with those chubby legs running and pumping along.

I love how you take that first bite of your peanut butter and jelly sandwich right in the center on the cut, so that the gooey corners smudge on your smiling chubby cheeks.

I love how you say “whitsle” instead of “whistle.”

I love how you refer to the leftover crumbs on your plate as giblets.

I love that little ‘humph’ sound you make when you think something is funny but not funny enough to full out laugh about.

I love how when you’re concerned about someone or something you ask “What’s happening?” instead of “What’s wrong?”

I love when we curl up for a nap together and you want to pet my face.

I love it when you figure out something new on your own and announce “I’m a genius!!!!”

I love coming in your room late at night to tuck you back under your covers and find you laying there in the same position you would sleep as a newborn – on your back, head to the side, arms out like a cactus.

And yes, I’ll admit…I do love seeing you grow up into a big boy and celebrating another birthday…..even though I always joke about wanting to keep both you and your brother small so I can fit you in my pocket and nuzzle you close forever. Happy Birthday sweet Ivan!

…oh, and one more thing. I love how you adamantly kept asking for a “construction cake with strawberries and blueberries and all kinds of berries” for your birthday. By the look on your face when you saw it, I think I got your creative little vision just right. 😉

posted by arr

posted by arr

You haven’t heard much from us because we still haven’t sent our projects. Grrrr! The good news is we decided to extend our trip by another week though. Cute kid pics will thus have to suffice for now. ☺

Morning cuddle with Ivan.

A dancing Silas

The boys with Mike and Raquel

Windblown baby

Laundry day

Silas being an artist and Ivan being cookoo at Slashface

The view from Slashface that we’ve been enjoying for a total of 15 days now (since Paul first tried it back in November)

posted by arr

Yesterday was a climbing day. On the agenda was Bloody Flapper Traverse, v9 then Slashface, v13, maybe Mo Mojo, v11/12 and then Ultramega, v8. Trying to warm up for Bloody Flapper Traverse I realized I was still extremely sore and tired after only one day of rest. I needed two, maybe even three full days of rest, and so I bailed on climbing for the remainder of the day. Having now knocked Bloody Flapper Traverse and Ultramega off the agenda, Slashface was the mission. AND!….

….no, Paul did not send. But he came close! I will admit I didn’t think he was ready to start giving sending attempts quite yet. I thought he needed at least another day of working the climb. He thought otherwise though, announcing he was pulling on the start with the intent to climb it to the end. And he almost did! His first go was completely solid – nailing the big move perfectly, executing the cross move and then almost, almost! nailing the swing, slipping off unexpectedly at the last second. He tried 4 more times, but that first go was the best.

Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday our friend’s Mike and Raquel will be back at Hueco to climb with us. Resting up today for three big days of crankin’! If you hear distant whoops and hollers coming from the southwest direction, you’ll know Paul has just sent his first v13. 🙂

Pretty clouds over North Mountain

Paul and Ivan at the Bloody Flapper Traverse

Hiking up the East Mountain slabs

Slashface

Cute Silas

posted by arr