Wrapping up 2022

 

Back at it! After extended time in CA with Sarah and her girls we made our trek back to the van in New Jersey. 

First morning back in the van felt like being back home. 

Artsy. 

Our first stop was The Gunks in upstate NY. If you climb, you nod your head in recognition, if you don't you say, the what? The Shawangunk mountains, The Gunks for short is a premier climbing location in the US, known for exposed, overhung trad routes. We were both very excited to get back outside and on the rock however we both knew after the death of Gavin we might have some fears or hesitations arise. We decided to start easy for us, and as soon as we started climbing it also felt like being back home just as it did being in the van. Of course I thought about Gavin the whole time and only wished he was here to still have this feeling we get from climbing.

 I wore a shirt that we made for Gavin's memorial weekend that had a picture of him and Sarah on it from a climbing day we all had together just about a year ago. As cheesy as it might sound it was nice to feel like I was partly taking him climbing again. 

Felix and I were stoked to hit the Gunks right at peak foliage! 

Kidding. There were zero leaves on the trees, as we left the NE in September and spent October in CA however it was beautiful nonetheless. 

The famous High Exposure route! 

Neighbor climber. 

All smiles on some of the best easy trad routes we have ever done. This one was from Madame G's which was my favorite route of our time there. 

Top out view.

Peek a Boo.

After just 2 days we were done with the Gunks..weather was a limiting factor but you also have to pay 20 bucks a day per person...which just seems too steep in our opinion if we want to make climbing a more inclusive sport. I get it, places need to be protected and taken care of.  We pay day fees every once in awhile but never this much. Felix would like to add it doesn't even encourage carpooling as it is not per car. That being said the price was not necessarily worth the place in our opinion but we also only had 2 days there and I am sure the great climbing is endless. 

Onto the next! We drove straight down to the New River Gorge which is another climbing mecca in the US known for its hard sport routes and plentiful trad routes. 

Felix and I are extremely fortunate to have met Cara and Jason through our friends Caitlin and Art who have a house basically in the New River Gorge and offered to let us stay there as they live in Pittsburgh during the week and come down on the weekends. I was STOKED as the weather was heading towards highs of low 30's and snow..not exactly great climbing weather or living in a van weather...

A rare sighting, Felix reading. 

So enjoyed the house we did! We felt so lucky to have our own space (aside from the van) which has not happened since we left for our trip! 

We did somehow still sneak in some climbing days! 

Is the leaf large? Or am I small...

We also fit in this thing where you walk to see a cool view. The New River Gorge bridge was actually extremely impressive despite Felix's expression, apparently the 5th longest single span bridge in the world (the first outside of China). 

Ice cakes

Ice sculptures...

Ice art

Ice pointer?

Ice guitar

Cara and Jason finally came for the weekend! We attempted climbing which was a pretty hilarious failure due to the cold so we went for some exploring and route finding instead. 

Felix also started curling his hair apparently. 

But hasn't figured out hairspray. 

Jason came up with the idea to basically hike along the cliffs of some of the best climbing areas turning it into an all day hike that did not disappoint and ended with one of the best views of the Gorge. 

Felix and I had decided to stay through the cold weather and worked on wedding prep since perfect climbing weather was in the forecast for the following week (and we were thoroughly enjoying the house life to be honest). 

 

So climb we did! We got 2 great days of rope climbing and 1 fun day of bouldering. We met some great people through Cara and Jason and others simply through climbing together. 

Then onto Nashville! We got to spend Thanksgiving with the Searle family which is my Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Sheldon, their 5 kids and their kids! It was fun to crash their Thanksgiving as our families have both gotten so large getting everyone together is rare. I lived with the Searles while I finished my fieldwork placements for OT school and Nashville became one of my favorite places so I loved showing Felix around.  

We found foliage! 

Percy Warner Park. 

Unfortunately we took zero photos with the Searle family but we had a great time getting to see everyone and spend extended time with them! 

Next stop was Chattanooga, TN for some more bouldering. I went to Little Rock City when I first started climbing outside and I loved returning and completing some boulders that I wasn't able to last time (though not as easily as I had hoped haha). 

Some night sessions. 

I had hyped up Little Rock City and Felix was not disappointed. 

T-wall in Chattanooga had come highly recommended to us so we spent the next morning prepping for a climbing day only to walk up to a hand-made sign with about 40 exclamations marks making sure climbers knew the area was closed for hunting that day..which we did not. We have become pretty good at changing our plans with weather so this was no exception, we moved along to Alabama as we were seeing a friend of mine that night and stopped by Sand Rock for some afternoon climbing.

OKay Alabama. 

We had zero expectations for the area and found the park to be beautiful with fun super accessible climbing and we had it all to ourselves! Slowly learning that expectations are not often helpful to have..

Then I got to see Kalie!! Kalie was literally like a sister to me growing up. We met in 4th grade and did everything together all through high school including me joining all of her family vacations. Since I had last seen her she had moved from Kentucky to Alabama and had 2 kids! Which was crazy to realize how time  passes so quickly yet how some relationships like ours can stand the test of time without missing a beat. 

Then we continued onto Dallas! Our first visit was with Grace and Jay! Grace is one of my very best friends, we met in Dallas in OT school and I couldn't imagine not meeting Grace. She single handily made grad school a fun experience for me and is one of the best friends you could dream of. We decided to relive our stockyard days and show Felix the ropes. 

The flannel crew. 

My favorite bar/honky tonk of all time. 

Felix in his natural country element. 

Grace and I back in our element..except with husbands this time. 

Next was the Bartley family! We spent a day with my Uncle Ted, Aunt Sharon and my cousin Reed playing pickleball and watching the USA World Cup game. The Bartley's are simply some of the best people you will ever meet. I will never be able to express my gratitude enough for when they let me live with them during OT school but letting them beat me in pickleball is a good start. :) 

Thought we were done visiting people? Nope! Next up were 2 more of  my absolute favorites! Sarah and Sarah, yep add that to my 2 other Sarah friends I have already talked about. BUT each one is unique and special in their own way, I promise. Sarah B. and Sarah S. (Bachelor anyone?) are high school friends of mine that also stand the test of time. We only had one night to catch up and it wasn't nearly enough. 

Ready?

Ready.

King Felix. 

Then Nicole Bartley. My cousin/friend that has been one of my favorite constants in my life through every season/stage as a source of laughter, comfort, good music and great conversation. We got to see her little slice of home in Oak Cliff which made me want to ditch the road/married life and join her! Kidding not kidding.  

Jenna and Ben were next! Jenna is the youngest Bartley who married Ben in 2020. I just could not get over their adorable house in Austin and how she all of a sudden felt older than me (she somehow has the youngest spirit yet wisest/mature mentality). They wanted to go climbing outside with us as they have been going to the climbing gym so we went! 

And maybe picked some boulder problems that were a little too tall...

But it didn't stop them! 

It was so fun to share the love of a sport with family. 

Laaaaast quick visit before getting to the Ranch was Gillian. She started as a mentor in college and just became so much more. I've loved the longevity of our friendship and all the different dynamics it has brought knowing each other for over 10 years yet being 10 years apart! 

And finally, the Ranch. Felix and I spent the next 3 weeks planning for our wedding in April with my Mom and Dad.  

We had done a lot of prep work but still had a LOT to knock out in a fairly short amount of time. 

Our couple seat! We had a great time walking around the ranch, finding things in barns and storage and making use of things for the wedding! 

Cows getting curious. 

We did a lot of wedding day prep as well as overall Ranch prep including re-painting the big red barn! 

Before. 

The focus. 

After. 

There were other large painting projects..but no photos were taken as Felix and I were too busy disagreeing on absolutely everything that has to do with spray painting...but yes there is still a wedding celebration happening April 29th :) 

Stacey! Stacey and I became great friends when I lived in upstate NY 7 years ago and have stayed in touch since. She somehow swung driving by the Ranch for a night on her road trip from Tuscon back to Upstate NY! It was such a trip to have her in Texas let alone on the Ranch and catch up on life while we put her to work :). 

But Coffee first. 

Making an outdoor shower for our campers! 

Felix when ham on purchasing games for the wedding weekend! Kubbe is a current fan favorite. 

I never get tired of waking up on the Ranch. 

Felix embracing Ranch life. 

More wedding prep. 

Some fun/exploring was had in between. This was at Ted and Sharon's new house on the Ranch!  

We took a night to celebrate Christmas season in Fredericksburg. 

And the best for last...we decided we had gotten enough done for the wedding to make a trip to Amarillo to meet my newest nephew Grayson :) My sister has had 4 kids but this is my brother Paul's first! He's a chunk and I love him. 

And of course we saw ALL the other nieces and nephews. We lucked out when Paul and Erin both ended up in Amarillo! 

Erin's youngest, Asher. 

Harper and Eli on the right, the two oldest. 

We had 2 epic Sorry games that everyone loved and hated. 

We drove back to the Ranch to spend Christmas day with my mom and dad. It was a small Christmas but felt complete as I got to see my entire family in the past few weeks (Brett and Ameck visited while we were here). Felix and I both feel great about the wedding planning we completed! We have a lot more to do in April but will be back 2 weeks before the wedding and are very much looking forward to it. Time on the Ranch is somehow always fun even when there is too much to do. I had always dreamed of getting married on the Ranch and it still feels surreal that we are making it a reality, even more surreal that I found someone like Felix and convinced him to marry me. 

Onto New Mexico, Arizona, Southern CA, Las Vegas, and southern Utah til mid April!