8/11: Tahoe-rama

Hey guys, it's been FOREVER! 

We've been busy bees up here around Tahoe for the past few weeks, and I'm feeling overwhelmed trying to write about all of it. So here are a few recent pictures (not in order...at all) from epic mountain adventures, and I'll try to get back on the blogwagon. 

First, this is how we're looking these days. It's getting wild. We smell bad. Clothing is getting brighter,
and dirtier, at the same time. My flip flops broke in half. Mattie has the worst bed head ever, all the
time. I bought those tights in the kids' section at REI (they're the official climbing tights). Gremlins.

It was Anni's 4th birthday and we went to the water park with
Scott and Sid. Then we came back for a little party and gifts,
and Anni got her first real bike. I love this picture. This is how
proud every kid should be when they get their first real bike.

We climbed with the infamous and unbelievable Greg Reynolds
around Tahoe and Donner Pass and his moves are totally
inspiring. Unnecessary heel looks. Amazing footwork and poses.
And check out that winning smile.
He told me I climb like a hamster.
Mattie was happy to hang
out with Milo, our new favorite puppy buddy.

The SLO crew came up to Truckee for a few days of debauchery and idiocy and best friends. We hung out at the lake.
Drank PBRs and jabanero margaritas. Ate terrible Mexican food. Decided it'd be a good idea to raft down the
Truckee River (with Mattie) and ate shit on the last rock in the river, flooded (then lost) the entire raft, saw our
very special personalized flasks (from Lindsey) get washed away before our eyes, made it mostly unharmed
back to the house and played way too much Cards Against Humanity.
My phone was injured after a swim in the river and I had to go to a MALL to get a new one and it was the
worst hour so far of the sumer.
Hot tubs. Music. Buddies. Ridiculous stories and plans. I miss you all already. 

Mattie loves collecting pine cones...

...and reminding us (Ryan in the background) to stretch before a day of climbing.

We had an incredible, perfect day on the lake with Mattie and Ryan after climbing injuries (and general mellowness)
left us feeling like it was a relaxation day. BURRITOS at T's in Incline Village. SERIOUSLY!? So good.
Swimming in clear clean water with our eyes open. 

Ryan rappelling off of the Grouse Slabs on another amazing day. He leads
everything and it's the best. And he encourages me when I freak out on cracks, or slabs...
or basically any route anywhere. Ryan, we miss you. Come back and play. 

The man, just prior to a pretty solid ankle roll. Below the Rainbow Bridge.  

5.9+ my butt. Ryan coming down from Devaluation Direct on the Snowshed Wall.
First route of last weekend...not quite the warm-up I was expecting? Got destroyed on that one,
and Ryan did it twice. A humbling, beautiful, fun, mellow weekend of climbing and
great music at the Brews, Jazz & Funk fest at Squaw. 

More recently: artifact hunts, bouldering at the Washoe Boulders (AWESOME), smokey skies, meteor showers (but not real showers).

Sorry this is a lame post. We'll get back on it -- a ton of work to do in the next 6 weeks for school, so it'll be online world for Allison and Mattie again. BACK ON THE GRID, DOGGIES.

Love,
Allison & Mattie the Homesick Dog