DeLanceys Go to Rock City - April 28, 2013

If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE rock climbing.  So, when Lance mentioned that we should take the kids to Rock City on Mount Diablo to do some rock scrambling and verrrrrry light bouldering, I was all in.  

I've been to Mount Diablo (Boy Scout Rocks, Butt Rock area) for top roping a couple of times back in the summer and fall with my friends Laura and Lydia, but Mount Diablo State Park also has some sandstone rock formations, including some cool wind caves, in Rock City that are easy enough to scramble up without any equipment. I wouldn't really classify it as bouldering (although there are some places were it would be), but it was fun for us as a family.

Logan did really well climbing!
What he lacks in skill, he makes
up with his fearless attitude!

Both RJ and Logan enjoyed
themselves.  I love this picture -
Logan was so excited when he got
to the top of his first little climb that
he gave me a huge bear hug at the top!

Logan and RJ inside a cave, as viewed from atop another
rock formation.

RJ, Logan, and I lounging inside
one of the many wind caves.

Me, on top of that rock formation

RJ and I on top the rock formation.
I went up alone first, then realized
that it was plenty easy for RJ to try.

I'm not sure what we're doing here,
but I SWEAR we are NOT reenacting
Glee's 'Don't Stop Believing' routine.

When RJ got up with no problem, I convinced Lance and
Logan to come up too.  Lance was a ball of nerves with the
kids up there the ENTIRE time, even though they were
not even close to the edge.
He's cute when he's worried about us though. 

RJ is actually getting REALLY good at
climbing.  He practices on the plastic wall
at our playground all the time, and while
the playground is easy, and this climb was
also pretty easy, he is CLEARLY ready
for more challenging routes.  I think it might
be time to purchase a harness and shoes
for him.  He told us several times how much
fun this outing was AND he was super
excited when I told him that he might be
ready to start coming on day trips with me.
If it's okay with Laura, of course.

Boys in a Cave.  RJ's grown quite a bit since the last time he
was in a Rock City Cave.
We brought him here when he was about 8 months old!
It would've been funny if he was in the same cave, but alas,
it is a different cave.  

See, different cave.  

The boys and I also managed to climb up to this connected wind cave, because
the boys were interested in the fact that people defaced the cave with paint and
carvings inside and wanted a closer look (and it was an excuse to climb something else).
Some of it is beautiful, but still really bad because it increases the already fast rate of the sandstone's erosion. 

More pictures from Rock City are here.