Rock On

Nora got her own personal rock-climbing harness for Christmas this year, but we hadn't had a chance to use it. We'd planned to inaugurate it over Memorial Day weekend, but then she broke her arm. Nora bailed on a second trip due to the heat and requisite hiking. We were finally set to go over Labor Day, but things started looking grim when she slammed her thumb in the door at the doctors office. However, after some cauterizing and an x-ray, she eventually got the all clear.

We'd asked Andrew & Luke, Owen & Allen's regular climbing buddies to join us, as well as Owen's friend Leo, who'd been out of town for Owen's party, and his family, to join us at Carderock. Leo, was pretty nervous, but finally tried it after Owen lured him with a promise a Captain Rex helmet. Jonah did a little better and Micah managed to out-climb both his sons, though they were a bit too distracted to bear witness to his accomplishment.

Owen kissed the 'biener on his first climb and made it almost to the top of the second, but the real story of the day was Nora, who stopped a bit early in her climbing (she totally could have made it farther up), but bouldered like a champion and proclaimed that she would totally be up for another outing. Assuming she's in one piece.

(To see all the pics, click here.)