Sunday, January 27, 2008

100th CrockerBoys Blog

10 months ago we started the CrockerBoys blog at a time of great change in our family. Looking back over the last 99 posts its is clear we have come through with flying colors and are more engaged in our life than ever. It is interesting to look at what we have blogged and who we have spent time with. Some consistencies are very apparent: skateboarding, surfing, Lego, old and new friends, and most of all our family. Also, I have seen climbing and international travel creep into our life as well. For this, our hundredth blog, we will go way overboard and share with you a wonderful weekend where we are all keeping promises, building friendships, and having a good time.

First is the story of Rooney, Silas' kindergarten class pet. SILAS SAYS: Rooney is a stuffed animal dog ad he goes persons house in my class. When I got him I got to go to Tahoe with him and I am at Tahoe right now. Rooney got to go sledding.

JASPER SAYS: Skiing was fun. I went down the slope really fast with out any turns. I was with my friend Jeremy. I went on the lift with Jeremy the most without any grown ups. Once I fell down and I had to pop off both of my skis. The next fall I did I got snow down my shirt, I went one more time and then I went in and I drank hot chocolate. Next year I will learn to snowboard because I can skateboard so it might be a little easier for me. Check out my video.


SILAS SAYS: I can ski. I did a pizza down the hill. A pizza is when you cross your legs and it comes into a triangle and then you did a pizza. I went fast and I fell down and my dad didn't need to hold me. But, when I fell down he helped me up.


Finally, DaDa got to go snowboarding for the first time in over 10 years. The last time nearly killed me. I had been nervous to try it again. After two days I hit the powdery intermediate slopes and felt like I was dropping in on the biggest bottom turns surfing. I am in love with this sport and will probably not ski again. Thanks Andy and George for lending me your snowboard gear, I may not return it.

Happy 100th blog, we look forward to the next 100. Love to you from the CrockerBoys.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Skatepark Review: Jose Avenue Park, Santa Cruz

***
JASPER SAYS: Blah, blah, blah. I was a good skatepark because it had some hills and turns that on the ground were wet. I was also scootering and I fell once at the bottom of a hill because it was wet and I slipped and fell. I did a circuit around the bowl in the skatepark and my dad took a video while was doing the run. I gave it three stars because it was little and still fun.



Sunday, January 13, 2008

Big Waves, Little Chipmunks

CrockerBoys headed south Saturday morning for a visit to our other family in Santa Cruz. We arrived to a house filled with five 7 to 10 year old girls in the middle of practising their Alvin and the Chipmunks five song dance routine. Jasper became the iTunes technician and Silas bopped around while dada hit big surf at Sewers Peak at pPeasure Point. Long right point break and big drops, paddled until my arms failed. When I returned we got to see the dress rehearsal of the girls performance... BRAVO ladies. Then I took the GerGirls and the CrockerBoys to see the Alvin movie, even dada laughed, and we all ate too much popcorn and skittles.
The Alvin dance company.

Today we hung with the Gerlachs, dada's arms were worked from two hard days of paddling so we focused on breakfast and skateboarding (expect new review soon). Cori was lamenting we needed some Mexican food when an older man with a cooler on wheels hollered "tamales 99 cents." We ordered seven and then saw him on the way home and ordered a dozen more. Good to be with loving friends and enjoy a sunny weekend in Santa Cruz.
Those young forties.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Going home to Joshua Tree

I spent the last five days of my vacation in Joshua Tree with new and old friends and loved ones. We stayed at my new favorite motel, the Harmony Motel in Twentynine Palms, enjoying home cooked meals in our kitchen and a hot tub every night. Being in Joshua Tree in the winter brought on familiar feelings, it is amazing how life spirals and we come back to the things we love over and over again. I found myself on routes I did 18 years ago with Lon, Lisa, and Peter during the winters of 1989 and 1990. The routes felt fresh and I felt relaxed on my leads and am inspired to keep on climbing. First day we spent in the Lost Horse area, climbing the Atlantis area which wasn't even developed in 1990. We also climbed some classics on Freeway wall. Next day was a wander through the Wonderland of Rocks ending at Nomad Dome for some nice face climbs. The third day we stuck around Hidden Valley and climbed The Blob and The Old Woman domes, great hand cracks and a fun 5.9 roof. Visit this LINK for more photos.
The crew: DaDa, Greg, Stacy, Gabe, Amos, and George
DaDa stepping out on Cake Walk (5.8), fun fun fun.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Del Mar Holidays 2007

We drove to Del Mar in one day and stopped at skateparks and Lars' new house on the way. We had a great time with all the cousins and family we have in San Diego. Many birthdays, the messiest was Hayden's (Shaq). Beach time, more skate parks, Legoland, Belmont Park, and many wonderful meals and gatherings with the Del Mar Crockers, the Portland Grammas, and the Westons. Visit this LINK for more pictures and have a great NEW Year!

Shaq enjoys the fruits of turning one year old.


Legoland adventure for Grammas and DM Crockers.


A few CrockerBoys hanging out at red rocks in Del Mar.