ad • ven • ture

adˈven(t)SHər,ədˈven(t)SHər/

noun
1. an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.

verb
2. engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.

I discovered cycling about 15 years ago while trying to lose some weight. The pounds came off quick once I started mountain biking. You probably can tell, I got pretty hooked. I love almost all things about cycling. Competition was a big draw for sure. Man was I obsessed in those early years with getting lighter, monitoring heart rate & training programs. I pretty much turned into a robot, eventually the fun factor was gone. I needed to get back to some of the reasons I originally started riding. You see, cycling does a lot of things all at once. It can be social, riding with your closest buds or it can be time alone to think (or not think). All this occurs while exercising keeping the body healthy. And for me that includes my mind, I like to think spirit as well. I’m not saying it’s Jesus saving souls or anything. Simply, the bicycle is a great invention. It encompasses and compliments many parts of life. Probably the biggest reason why I ride is for the adventure. When I was a kid riding took me places. I would dare myself to go further. I would see new exciting things. I still can remember bombing down “suicide hill.” It was exhilarating and I still get a hint of that curious young boy’s mind when I ride today. Adventure might not save your soul but I’m convinced it is good for it. The bicycle can take you there.

About 9 months ago PCG and I embarked on a new adventure.

A different kind of adventure for us. We weren’t 100% sure we were going to do the kid thing. Once we decided to have a dig, looking back was not an option. Time to look forward (or at the stem) and keep the pedals turning. I gotta say, having a kid meets the definition of adventure with a hardy handshake, high five & some knucks.

ad • ven • ture – Unusual & Exciting

Fitz Canfield Grunnagle was born on November 11th. Watching my wife give birth was easily one of the most dramatic, coolest, most awful and brilliant things I have ever experienced. Big thanks to Amy for all your help! I have two significant life changing memories that are “off the front” compared to the others. First, watching my dad take his last breathe after a terrible battle with cancer. Second, watching 6 lbs of tiny human being come out of my wife after 14 hours of labor. These two things are my bookends for sure. So intense. Memory is a powerful thing.

ad • ven • ture – Typically Hazardous

Whoa, the pain of child birthing. I can’t experience it directly but indirectly it was still pretty terrible and once that little human being was in my arms a white terror came over me thinking about any harm that might come to him. The first time he was sick, he was inconsolable, just wailng in our arms for hours. My mind ran a gambit of intense emotion, some bad, some good. Epic stuff for sure. And most recently, a trip to the ER after an allergic reaction to food. Watching a 9 month old baby’s face turn red and swell up not knowing how bad the reaction could be is scary stuff. Hazardous…check.

ad • ven • ture – Activity

So much activity at our house these days. The unwanted at night, when everyone should be sleeping. The activity part has us pretty beat down at times. I don’t know how you folks with multiples do this. I still get to ride my bike but I’m tired before the first pedal even turns. Not to mention my upper body has bulked up since I have to lug this 18lb kid around. All that unwanted upper body strength (bike racers, you know what I’m talking about). “They” say, it will get better. And it has. But sometimes it is just a grind. Like climbing Mount Sherman out of Jasper. Just gotta keep’em turning, find some rhythm.

ad • ven • ture – Unknown Territory

Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been calling it thriving & surviving. One moment you feel like you are thriving, that life doesn’t get any more meaningful. The next moment you are hanging on to the wheel of sanity with every muscle fiber you have. It is all unknown territory for us and every bit as exhilarating as bombing down “suicide hill.” I have been pushed to the limits of overcoming selfishness these last 9 months and I know I will be pushed even further. A good adventure has the tendency to do that. The personal growth is rich, VERY rich indeed. A good adventure has the tendency to do that as well. I just wanted to encourage you folks to keep on adventuring, whatever that might look like for you.

Still striving for balance and to make sense of it all. I’ve been meaning to try and put this to words for awhile now. So thank you for indulging me. We have also discovered a few great products along the way.

Oh Baby Foods. A local company which sources all their ingredients from U.S. farmers. We like that, and all the organic, non-GMO stuff but…

..mostly I like the flavors. I secretly want Fitz to become a world renown chef, so he can cook for us when we are old. Exposing him to some diverse flavor profiles early on is key! Just check out the flavor titles in the pic above. To find out more about Oh Baby Foods click here. They have a neat story.

ExcerSaucer Roo Door Jumper. This gave Fitz his first taste of mobility and is one of my favorite kid products so far.

I want to shake the hand of the person(s) who invented the Jumper. Look how much joy it brought this little guy. Thanks Aaron! To find out more about ExerSaucer Roo Door Jumper click here. 

B•O•B IRONMAN. This is the real deal man. A whopping 3″ of travel in the rear suspension. The IRONMAN is incredibly smooth rolling. It also comes with a front brake that works great on downhills or just when you want to lock the stroller in place. While I can see a few upgrades that might improve this stroller like a disc brake or carbon hoops there is nothing like it for walking or jogging. We bought this one used from a friend. Thanks David! For information on B•O•B IRONMAN click here.