Ever since we began climbing, whispers of an amazing boulder destination up in UT called Joe’s Valley have been heard everywhere we go. So many people we know have raved about it saying “You HAVE to get up there! It’s awesome!” So this year we finally got around to getting up there and boy, were they right! It’s a depressing drive to say the least, but the destination is absolutely amazing! SO MANY boulders and NO ONE around. That’s one of the beefs I have about going to Bishop now. I swear, it’s like going to an outdoor gym. So many people! But anyway, Joe’s had a wonderful variety of rocks and routes and easy approaches so we were able to sample a lot of lines in the short time we were there. We only stayed for four days and after a six month hiatus, we didn’t expect much. We actually did pretty well, I think, but are anxious to go back when we’re stronger. We’ve already planned next years trip, so hopefully we can put down some classics and enjoy another quiet getaway. =)
Picture of our campsite and me just waking up. HahaThis was Huntington state parkFinding some warm ups…Pretty country…Tommy balancing up one of our first rocks…Me tenuously trying a crimpy problem…Whew, kept the sloperThe approach to an awesome cluster of boulders…Trying a sketchy highball…
Time for a siesta!Up at the dairy farm. This place was gorgeousWalking down the hill after scouting out some stuff…The snowmobile making it’s way outWorking my way up Big Lebowski. Really fun problem
Super good crossThe view from New JoesThe infamous car from the guidebook. Pretty coolThe beautiful reservoirA river runs through itRight next to a rock we were on…Suuuuper fun V5.Our Joes crew. We met these guys on our second to last day and just formed a little gang. Awesome people. Far left is a Joes local with his dog, Trigger and the other two were German guys visiting the states. Climbing peeps are so super cool. =)
Here’s a little video compilation from the trip with a preview of the action from Arches and Monument Valley!
Well I have all the excuses in the world why I haven’t kept up with these posts for the past 6 months, but I’ll spare you all the details, and just get right to it! Took a trip up to see our good friends Jason and Shelley and their adorable little boy, Nolan, in July. We got to stay in their new house and hang out for the weekend. It was fun and so good to see these guys. We miss them down here in Tucson!
Nolan and Uncle TommyUncle SpenceHenry and Will with Auntie Shelley – this was at some land bridge national park up there. I can’t remember the name. All I remember is that it was HOT.Look at that foliage! Beautiful!The boys trying to keep coolThose stairs were so steep! YikesHere’s the cave underneath the bridge. It was hugeAnother angle…Really cool features on this wall…Kind of morbid, but at a glance they look like skulls! Creepy!TurdsMe and my stinkerTurds take 2…
After almost 5 years, we finally got back up to see Dad and Tess in Missoula. I can’t tell you HOW MUCH FUN WE HAD! I knew it was going to be great to see everyone but we experienced some stuff that some people never do. Especially at the boys age, it was so amazing to be able to watch them fish for the first time, (and not throw a mad tantrum about it) watch them make a vase on a potters wheel, watch them have an absolute blast on water toys and watch them love on their grandparents. What a treat. It was a wonderful visit and a hard goodbye, but hopefully it won’t take as long to reunite as it did this time. Missoula is beautiful and the weather was perfect for us the entire trip. We also floated down the river, bouldered at the local rock gym, caught up with old friends and made new ones. What a great way to end the summer. After getting back home, chaos ensued as it was the week before Henry went back to school. I found out a couple weeks ago that William makes the cut off for kindergarten next year which means, I’m losing my baby a year earlier than expected. I’ve been struggling with that lately just because he’s my last and I realize that what everyone has been telling me is true…the years are flying by. I can’t believe it’s almost August. Where the hell has the time gone? It is a joy watching them grow and change though. It’s just that as Will and Henry get older, Tommy and I are getting older too. Booooo. Don’t worry. Neither of us are having a mid life crisis…YET. But ours probably won’t be like normal people where they go out and buy a fancy car or something. We’ll want to go sky diving or BASE jumping. Something completely and ridiculously stupid. Haha! Or maybe we’ll just invest in dirt bikes for the whole family and go tear it up on the trails. Yeah…that sounds more like it. =) I hope all of you are well and are having a great summer. William’s having his 4th birthday party next weekend so stay tuned for some more pics. Love you’s!!
Grandpa Lind getting the wheel ready…Will was first…he was nervous about getting his hands dirty. What a Sally…Push!Harder!Making the well…Evening it out…Great job Will!
Henry’s turn…Shaping the vase…
A little skeptical…My boys…Me and my boogerGetting a workout on the rings…This kid is STRONG. Hopefully he can overcome his frustration in climbing cuz he’ll be really good at it…Walking out on the bridge…Locks all over the place…Playing in the river…one of their favorite things…
Surf’s up!
Time to fish!Tommy helping Henry cast his line…Dad helping Will castReeling it in right away…Actually enjoying it…Just chillin’And relaxin’…After insisting that he could do it himself, Tommy let him try and he just picked it up right away. Really impressive…All by himself. =)After reeling his line in and finding a fish on the end covered in weeds!! Hilarious!Believe it or not, William caught one too! Both were so small but made them feel SO big. Haha!Floating down the river! I had Will and Tommy had Henry. It was super fun.After our float…waiting for Daddy to pick us up…Crashing on the way to somewhere. We upgraded his seat so he can’t sleep very well in it anymore…Stopping at the Bison Range on our way to the lake…
This guy was HUGE and so beautiful.The ride to the lake house with Burt…Their little cabin was on an island in the middle of the lake.Burt’s dog, Echo. She was a total water baby…William waiting his turn for the jet ski…and striking a pose for the camera =)Henry after his first ride…he was addicted!Switching riders…Echo wanted to ride too. Hahaha!She ended up in the front sitting on Henry…Tommy’s turn to take a spin…Burt and Will chilling on the inner tube.The kids were pooped and crashed on the bunk beds which they loved!
The next morning. Back out in the water!Getting ready to be hauled! So fun!Flying!They would do this all day if they could…The weather turning cold…view from the cabin deck. So awesome.Side deckView of the little guest house we stayed in…View of backyard…complete with outhouse. Awesome.View of cabin from periphery of property.View from dock…Gazebo that Burt built. Such a cool place!Crashing on the ride home…Catching flies…haha!
Our good friends Jason and Shelley moved up to Payson a few months ago, and we finally made a trip up to see them over the weekend. Neither Tommy or I have ever been to Payson so it was a real treat to hang out in this adorable, small town for 2 days. The weather was gorgeous and it was so fun to just relax and hang out with our good friends. The boys had a great time also and we are excited to try and make it back later in the fall to see the change in seasons. Hope everyone is well out there! Love you all!
The boys crashed in the car on the way up…Spence and Shelley’s adorable little chateau…Hangin’ out on the porchHenry snaked one of Nolan’s phone toys…I ended up having Shelley hide it because he was obsessed.A bomb went off…Look how adorable these guys are…Us girls…Me and my sweetie…Playing on a tire swing at the park…
This was a famous guy in town…Look at those arms!Jason and his lil’ stinkerWe went to a lake on Saturday and Henry had a meltdown…Mid-tantrum…HAHAHAHAHA!!! I’m keeping this picture to show to his future girlfriends…The happy familySTILL throwing a tantrum…(down in the corner)William was an angel and just rolled with us…Finally down at the water…We decided to go a little further up the trail so the boys could throw rocks in the waterGetting a rideThis little chipmunk was munching on a cheese ballFinally finding a good spotStriking a poseSpence teaching the boys how to skip rocksLook at this view! This was off the road by the lake…
Shelley was SO sweet and bought a surprise cake for Tommy’s birthday. Awwww!Blow it out!The gang!Stopping by the bridge over Roosevelt LakeThe boys taking it in…Roosevelt damThe cutest turds ever
We took our 3rd annual trip to Bishop this year and had a great time. Of course like all trips before, it had it’s share of hiccups, but they didn’t stop us from having a wonderful time overall.
Our first bump was on our first day driving out to CA. We stopped at one of our FAVORITE places in the state – the FiveTen Outlet in Redlands. They were having a super duper sale on discontinued shoes and we made out like bandits!! Well while we were in the store trying on shoes, Will decided that he was going to barf all over himself. Don’t ask me why – he had a cold so we surmised that he was throwing up phlem – but he proceeded to puke up pizza all over himself while I was holding him, covering his mouth and making a mad dash for the front door while screaming “Tommy help me!!!” It was awful. We ended up having to throw his shirt away but believe it or not, not a drop was spilled on the floor in the store and only a little got on my shirt. The rest was on his face, up his nose, in his ears and in his hair! Poor baby! He was fine right after that though, so that was good.
Our second hurdle was that our original campground of two years previous turned off the water hook-up to our rig and then also turned off the hot water in their showers. We didn’t realize it until 2 days later when Will and I almost died of shock gttting into a freezing cold shower, so we switched campgrounds two days into the trip which was a little annoying but it worked out well. The new one had free, hot showers for as long as you wanted, free Wi-Fi, and laundry hook ups. It. was. Awesome…weeeeeeellll, except for the fact that a skunk died outside of our trailer the 4th night and stunk it up to high heaven. There is nothing like trying to eat pancakes while smelling that sweet perfume. Yuck! =)
I was really happy with this trip because I sent the projects I had failed to complete last year. My two highlights were Every Color You Are V6, and High Plains Drifter V7. Tommy found a new project, Morning Dove White, a V7 and was 3 moves from the top but didn’t have any gas left. He was totally cashed and technically it was supposed to be our rest day. So next year, he has some scores to settle. We’ve also found some new projects that are going to be great – my new one is Checkerboard, a V8 that is SUPER tall but the moves are great. It has a horrible start and a scary finish but the line is so stunning. Tommy’s new problem is Seven Spanish Angels, a V6. It’s a really cool problem with good moves but sharp holds. He’s excited to get back next year and crush it. =)
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and stuffed themselves full of turkey and pie. We’ll be heading to mom’s again for Christmas so we’re really looking forward to that. =)
Love you all!!
Will playing in the grass outside of the FiveTen outlet...he hadn't puked yet..Climbing the treeThey had a lot of funFirst day out - This is just one of many instances where they're stuffing their faces...Will loved throwing himself on the pads...Loved these colors...Tommy warming up on a cool problem...The boys were content throwing rocksMy turn...this was a really cool rockAnother sit and stuff session...Turkeys...Getting caught trying to steal our trail mix...Cheesing for the camera...He was freezing but refused to put his coat on so he snuggled with me for a minute...My terrorsThrowing rocks...again.Will got in trouble so he went and laid on the pad and hid under Tommy's coat...and then fell asleep. HahaTommy getting ready to give his problem a go...Working a really pockety problem - super fun.Our view on the way to the HappiesWe all got sick the day we arrived...we must have gone through 20 of these Kleenex packages!William messing around in the tent - look at that hair!Crying for his hot chocolate...Third day on - the sun finally came out and gave us beautiful weather. This is Tommy's pad set up - hilariousHenry was such a doll - he tried to help carry the pads but they were way too heavy for him...My little shy guy...Henry did great this year and walked everywhere we went - Will did well too but the majority of the time he was on my shoulders which almost killed me. He is pretty heavy and heaving him up a steep hill and terrain was NOT funSpotting Daddy...adorableYelling at the canyon - it was hilarious...his chant was "Bad Dog!" HahaThis was supposed to be our rest day but Tommy really wanted to try his project again since we wouldn't be coming back to this area. The boys were of course running around and jumping off everythingMaking sure Daddy's got a spot...This is the heart of the Happies...lots of great stuffLook at how big these boulders are...Will looks like a little rag dollTommy giving his project a burn...such hard moves!Mt. Tom covered by clouds. So prettyHere they are stuffing their mouths again...Will looks like he stuck his hand in a light socketHenry doing the zombie run - hilarious!Don't be deceived...this adorable little boy is a terror! =)They started a snowball fightThis was another awesome problem! Green Wall Center V6...this thing really suited my styleHere's Will looking for a good line to climb...And two minutes later he was passed out on the padHere I am climbing to the top of the boulder after I sent my problem - High Plains Drifter V7I did it! Yay!!!This was right after eating Thanksgiving dinner...wow, that turkey took the life out of meView of Mt. Tom from a lower pointHenry crawled up this rock all by himself...He was pretty proud. =)Last day on...Tommy working Seven Spanish Angels. It was a beautiful day!Exploring my new project, Checkerboard V8. This picture does NOT do this rock justice. This thing is huge and the line is so amazing and scaryA view of the Buttermilks in the sun. Beautiful!The boys were messing around in the snow...Really cool rock formations out there...Cool looking tree on the hillside...
