So the Nose Goes

JASPER SAYS: I broke my nose. It really hurt. This is how I broke my nose. First, I went down a hill at McInnis skatepark. Then, I went over a bump and then I went up a hill but I didn't do what I was planning on and then I fell face first on my nose and it went crooked. After that I had to go to the emergency room. When we got there they tried to crack my nose into place without sedateing me, but it didn't work because it hurt me too much. Then we had to wait a couple hours and they gave me an I.V. and they sedated me. Then when I woke up I had to stay in the hospital bed for awhile becasue I was really spaced out from the sedation. Now my nose is straight.

Four Sports in Four Days

Packed the car to the hilt with camping, climbing, biking, surf, and skateboard gear and headed to SC after school on Friday. Got an evening of surf and then off to Pinnacles with good old friends and Ernesto the "Italian Stallion." who joined me in Red Rocks the weekend before. Great ocean time and then a full day of climbing with the kids. Found a great long wall with plenty of holds and not too steep. The kids all just ate it up. Then Ernesto and I headed to some Pinnacles classic routes: Ordeal, Swallows Crack, and Wet Kiss. I had not been to Pinnacles in 14 years. It felt like home again and brought back many good memories of beginning to climb in college in SC.

JASPER SAYS: Our Spring Break was really fun. We went to Pinnacles and camped and we rock climbed and we went caving. At camp it was really hot in the day and really hot at night. On the first night we gnocchi and sausages. For dessert we roasted marshmallows and we made Swiss chocolate s'mores. The next day we had macaroni and stake and then we had chocolate cake. The Easter Bunny came and we got a bucket with chocolate eggs, gummy banana slugs, a giant chocolate bunny, and hen gumball dispenser.

On the second day we were there we went rock climbing. We set up two top ropes and I climbed both of them. I climbed the blue rope 3 times and the orange rope 2 times and it wasn't scary. Our friends Gabbi, Maya, Morgan, and Veronica climbed with us. The caves were really fun because you got to climb around rocky and dark places and you had to bring a flashlight in because it was dark.

Before and after we went to Pinnacles we stopped at Santa Cruz. the main thing we did in Santa Cruz was surf. The surf was really fun and I got pounded by a couple of waves on my boogie board.

SILAS SAYS: We went to a campsite and when it was Easter we got chocolate eggs, gummy banana slug, and small gumballs and a mother chick and you took of the head and you put the gumballs in and then you put the head on and then you push the feet down and the gumball came out. I climbed the First Sister at Pinnacles. I liked it.

Red Rock Crocks

Calico Hills at sunset on Day 1.

After a very productive work week in Las Vegas, George, Gabe, Stacy, Matt, and Ernesto (from Italy), joined Amos for a weekend of climbing on the gorgeous aeolian sandstone of Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon is a blissful counterpoint to the prefabricated money machine of the Las Vegas Strip, and is one of my most favorite climbing areas on the planet. I first came to Red Rocks in 1988 with Lon and Lisa and it was a mainstay of my life for about eight years. I have not been here to climb in almost 10 years. Being back here with family and old and new friends warms my heart and brings me full circle again in the spiral of a life.

CrockerBoy George and Charlie on the Calico steeps.

First day we spent in the Calico Hills happily hang-dogging bolted sport routes. For moderate beginner routes, the Tuna and Chips wall was perfect. Next day we headed to Willow Springs Canyon at a higher elevation and climbed east side of the Ragged Edges area. I lead a scary 5.8+ protected by slung chicken heads on friable rock. Everyone got plenty of time on the rock, though we all got a bit cold when the sun ran over to the other side of the canyon.

GO TEAM!! George, Gabe, Ernesto, Stacy, Charlie

This brings me to the third of my 3 favorite climbing spots in the last year: Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Red Rocks. Climbing is again part of my life... care to join me?

Silas doesn't fall down

He did it. All it took was a blue Mohawk and bribery with Swiss Chocolate. He finally just accepted his fate and rode the damn bike. It was a big mental effort for him and way out of his comfort zone. But now he loves it and is so proud. What a daddy day: Bionicles, Mohawk, first bike ride, and Star Wars, did I mention homemade chicken noodle soup?

SILAS SAYS: Biking is my second favorite sport now. Skateboarding used to be my favorite sport then climbing was my favorite sport. Now biking is my second favorite sport and skateboarding is my third. My dad wasn't holding me any more and it felt good to be riding a bike by myself. When I went out I thought I was going to be able to ride. I was right, I was able to ride. The Mohawk might have helped to make me ride because it made me heavier.

Silas' Started Mohawk

SILAS SAYS: I am only starting my Mohawk now, but we went to Walgreens and bought the hair dye that doesn't stay. I wanted a Mohawk because it looks cool. Might be the only one at school who has a Mohawk.

People Like Me

Fun field trip to the Herbst Theater with Silas' kindergarten class. Great show with clowning and dance from around the world: Hawaii, Hungary, Congo, Argentina, and China. Silas like the dancing Chinese lion. DaDa like the Hawaiian and Argentinian dancing. The man from Argentina spun the Boleadoras, strings with a hard ball on the end, generating amazing rhythms as they hit the stage. Here is Silas with the leader/drummer/story teller of the Hawaiian dance.