Climbing in Yosemite

One of my favorite things to do is climb in Yosemite. What an amazing place to spend the day! On this particular adventure some former students of mine spent the day with me on Royal Arches -- a classic route up a beautiful wall in Yosemite. It is 15 pitches and 2000 feet of climbing which makes for a long day of climbing (and rappelling).

Their is something deeply satisfying about looking up a wall of granite.

My student are now MUCH stronger climbers than I am -- climbing is mostly in the "fun category" for me these days....not the "achievement category" anymore. 

What a great day on the rock!

These are good days.

Spending time with my brother

Climbing is fun....but doing it with your brother is AMAZING! He's a knowledgeable climber -- safe, calculated, adventurous, and not afraid to "go for it". He's a great partner to have in the mountains! 

On this trip we went to a local climbing spot named Squarenail for a low-stress route named DAVE.

These are good days.

Rockclimbing Tollhouse Rock

I think that adventure is measured but the mindset that brings you to wild places. If you want adventure, you can go and get it! Recently my brother and I didn't do the hardest climb in the most wild place....but none of that matters when you're pursuing an adventure. Adventure is a mindset! Adventure is the admission that it's OK to put a pause on the duties of the day to find the things that your normal day-to-day can't provide. 

Jameson recently called me and said, "I need an adventure, let's go climbing!" So we booked a day that worked for us to head to the hills. 

It was a great climb up a classic route. But it was never about the route itself....it was about adventure -- cultivating a mindset that sought out the beauty and peace that is found outdoors when earth meets sky. 

After the climb, we decided hang out on the summit, drink coffee, read, talk, and listen to Jesus. Glorious! This is how adventures are made. 

 

At the end of the day, we watched the clouds roll-in and the weather change....it was time to head down the mountain. We found adventure.

These are good days.

Road tripping to Joshua Tree - Part 1

For the last 13 years, every spring we take a week-long road trip to the desert to camp under the stars and to rock climb and hike. This family rhythm re-ignites our passion for one-another and for the world outside of our normal lives. 

This year we went to Joshua Tree National Park. It's a 6 hour drive and for some families that would not be enjoyable. People ask, "That's a long drive...how do the kids do in the car?"

Our kids are great travelers. Before they were 5 years old, three of them had been to 3 different countries multiple times (2x to China, 2x to the Dominican Republic, 5x to America).

Here are our top-tips with traveling with little kids (our kids are 9-7-5-3):

1. Bring stuff for them to do in their seats...but don't give them too many things to do. Introduce something new every 30 minutes. 
2. Cultivate conversation in the car. Ask questions and talk about stuff.
3. With really little kids....let them cry and bring ear plugs. DON'T TURN AROUND. The storm will pass (in a few hours).
4. Keep them going with food. Snacks are your friends. Don't let them pound the water though...only stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
5. Let them be bored and don't always fix it for them....boredom is the soil for creativity and imagination. Seriously, we have found if we weather the whines about being bored...in 10 minutes their tune will change and find something to do. 
6. McDonald's with play areas are your friends. Let them RUN LIKE WILD MONKEYS in the play area!
7. For drives over 10 hours, plan the traveling time over naps and bedtime. Sometimes that means that you'll be driving at night or extremely early in the morning. It's worth it for us to be wrecked, more than dealing with our kids being wrecked. 

After a while....our kids inevitably fall asleep in the car - the rhythm of the road lulls them into deep contentment. Long car rides are just as much a part of our experience as is the camping, hiking, and climbing. The minute we're in the car....the adventure has begun! 

That evening we arrived in the town of Yucca Valley we rented a cheap motel next to a beautiful Joshua Tree reminding us that the following day we would be camping under the desert moon.  

Oh, and top-tip number 8: Long drives need to end somewhere awesome for the kids. A cheap hotel with a pool is worth it in our opinion because no one likes to set up a campsite after a long-drive on little sleep. Best to leave these things for the morning when everyone is fresh and excited about the day!  

Road trips are the containers that hold new experiences, personal growth, and family love - an important combination for any healthy family. 

These are good days.

From Neighborhood to Mountains

Our day started the Jackson Neighborhood as participants in a Serve Day. This was a gathering of neighbors and volunteers to clean alleys and renovate dilapidated lamp poles along Platt Avenue.

We are so thankful our kids enjoy being a part of the good work happening in our neighborhood. Uncle Jameson said at one point, "I was working with your kids...and they are amazing! They work really hard, take instruction, and don't stop until the job is done."  We've seen the same thing -- we are proud of the people they're becoming.

After our Serve Day under a blue sky and cool temps...it was time to head to the hills. The season is changing from winter to Spring (which in the valley basically means early summer). But the hills are still green and the wildflowers are in full bloom 

We enjoy going to Tollhouse Rock just outside of Fresno. In an hour or so...we are in multi-pitch granite heaven. On this particular trip, we took our housemate climbing for her first multi-pitch experience! She did amazing! 

It takes about 20 minutes from where we park on Hang Glider Slab to hike down to the base of the climb.

The first pitch of Tollhouse Traverse starts a couple hundred feet off the ground and follows a large left-leaning groove/crack system to the top of Cap Rocks. It's easy and very aesthetic. 

The foothills in the southern Sierras are beautiful this time of year. It feels like a privilege to spend time in these hills. 

Every good day in the mountains needs a summit shot! 

The day started with us serving Jesus in our neighborhood, and the day ended with Him serving us in His creation.

These are good days! 

Rockclimbing & Camping at Smith Rock

Some time ago we took the kids to a place we seem to return to every couple years: Smith Rock. Smith Rock is the perfect blend of climbing and camping....with lots of adventures for all ages. Typically after work we will drive 10 hours and arrive late to a cheap motel, carefully transferring sleeping kids into a single hotel room with multiple kids per bed. After a nights rest we will wake up and find our camp spot and for the next few days chase adventure wherever it can be found. 

Remember, adventure is a state of mind. It doesn't need to be a big objective or something hardcore to build a tolerance for uncertainty that pursuing adventure can teach. 

...when we camp....we always try and eat healthy. Feeling good is as important as the adventure itself. 

....smith rock is the only place cheap beer is acceptable. These are Joe's "favorite" cheap beers.

Can you se Elizabeth high on the rock in the shadow? 

We sleep in a big tent but all four kids sleep in a small tent...they like to cuddle and keep each other warm.

Camping includes a lot of reading and sitting around...we need that in our busy and stressful life.

Adventure is our state of mind!

These are good days.

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