Staying organized with all these trips!

 

I've got to say over the years, I thought I did a pretty good job with all these climbing trips and staying organized. Well...I'm taking the organization part of being a climbing mom to a whole new level. We have a bunch of trips coming up and I've got confirmation numbers and emails coming out of my ears. I found the most amazing app to help keep it all organized. It's called 'Tripit' and no, this blog is not sponsored by them (but hey, if Tripit wants to send me a little something for tooting their horn, I won't stop them!)

Tripit has a phone app and a website interface which are extremely handy. When you get a confirmation email, you simply forward it to plans@tripit.com, creating an itinerary for you on the app! That's it! I've started sending other types of receipts to it. When it doesn't know what to do with the email, it simply files it away in the unfiled category. I have all my important emails in one place...like my renewal confirmation for USA Climbing...oh yeah, I did pay that already...

My second app of genius is called 'Packr' and this one is really great. It creates packing lists that can be organized into trips and reused over and over. This is really great for all those competition trips that we have to remember the same items. I always try to include cool historical side trips to get the most educational benefits out of each trip (it's the teacher in me) or just for fun stuff (Great Adventure!).

The last genius app I would have to say is Google Flights. Although this is not really an app, I've been amazed at just what a great tool it is. It truly is an untapped resource that many people overlook. Be sure to check your travel dates to see the best flights organized by round-trip price. Even if you book directly with an airline, as we do with Alaska Airlines, check Google Flights first for better organization of flight prices. 

Well, I'm knee-deep in Tripit and Packr right now...

    CLIMB ON!

Preparing for Climbing Trips and Competitions

 

*Read my post on the Youth Series from 10/28/24 FIRST before reading this one! GET IT HERE.

When it comes to getting ready for a climbing trip or competition, there are definitely some things I wish I had done differently over the years. Hindsight is 20/20, right? That saying is constantly ringing in my ears!

First things first: GET THE WAIVERS DONE! Every gym requires a waiver for your climber and any adult who will be spectating. I can't tell you how many comps I've arrived at with the line out the door because people forgot to plan ahead and do a waiver for their climber and everyone else in their party watching.

Next, we have to travel to every competition. Even if you are not taking flights, there are things that I wish I had kept track of over the years. For instance, we have to go to many different cities. I wish I had kept a list of the hotels we stayed in and the ones I really liked. Additionally, it is nice to keep a list of what amenities are available in each city: grocery stores I like, climbing gear stores (generally this can be answered with - Where is the REI store?), and any restaurants or sandwich shops I come across that I love.

I've also got to know certain city airports pretty well and what is available. You know it is crazy when I keep up with airport construction and can track changes every time we pass through! I particularly love cataloging my favorite airport restaurants, collecting their apps, and noting what gates are better for the best restaurants. Like I said, if I had been smart, I would have started a big spreadsheet on all this, but I just didn't think I would be doing this now for the past 8 years. If you have the luxury of driving to your comps, the lesson is the same: know what is there before you get there.

Items you cannot forget to pack: a climbing bag. And if you are flying, NEVER check the climbing bag. We had Brendan's luggage get delayed and thankfully he had everything he needed to compete with...just not all of his clothes. Also, don't forget to bring a full medicine kit. You never know what you will need, especially for jitters before a competition...let me just leave that there...

Most importantly, don't forget to put bandaids in your climber's climbing bag. All bleeding must be controlled by the climber. So if they don't have a band-aid or cannot control their own bleeding, they are removed from a climb.

Competition wear is also important. Be sure to bring your team shirts in enough quantities for the number of days of the competition. A two-day competition required at least two team shirts so my climber could represent. 

Grocery stores are a must because you have to send your climber into what is called isolation before they compete. They can be in isolation, or ISO as it is affectionately called, for up to 3 hours. They will need food and drinks and typically are not allowed to have any electronic devices. A trip to a good grocery store to stock up the day before the comp is a must! Don't forget to go back and stock up for the second day of competing if your climber makes it to the Finals Round.

Now that Brendan is a Senior in high school and in need of a College résumé, I wish I had written down all of the titles he won. I went back and was able to recreate the list but I recommend starting at the beginning. It will save you a lot of headaches down the road when you are trying to list all of your climber's accomplishments.

Hotels: I like to find those extended stay hotels because I like having a fridge and a microwave. I started trying Airbnb's but only for the long trips to camps. More on that in a later post. Depending on how much cooking you want to do, it is nice to have those mini kitchens for reheating leftovers or simple reheating of items. Whatever you do, figure out what you like and get a hotel that has what you want. And then remember the hotel!

BONUS HEALTH TIP: ALWAYS wear a mask in the airport/on the plane after a comp. Brendan got sick every time because he would have a compromised immune system and pick something up from the plane on the way back. When he started masking up after comps to travel home, NO PROBLEMS!

Ok, more to come. Happy travels and 

CLIMB ON!

 

A Climbing Mom's musings...

Hello! My name is Janeen Ceparano Wilkins, and I am a proud climbing mom! I know you have heard of soccer moms...well, we climbing moms are just as fierce. I happen to be one who lives in Alaska. We have some special circumstances up here. When our son started climbing, I knew nothing about the sport. I'm still learning, but I wanted to create this blog to help any future climbing moms, especially those living in the great state of Alaska, navigate this amazing sport that has done so much for our son.

Our son Brendan took to climbing immediately. I enrolled him in a climbing class at our local gym, and the rest is history. He joined the climbing team a year later, and the first thing he did was make it to Nationals. As a new climbing mom, you can imagine my shock...'We have to go where???' was my first response to the news. Slowly I got the hang of things. But I am still learning as he navigates new frontiers of the sport. We have been at this for 8 years now! I can honestly say that climbing has taken Brendan, and our family, all over the United States. It has been and continues to be amazing!

I will be posting on our very busy upcoming season as well as some time-tested climbing trip hacks. (We up here in Alaska have to travel for all of our competitions!) 

UPDATE: Brendan is now at Colorado State University and enjoying new opportunities!

See you soon and CLIMB ON! 

Brendan at Rocky Mountain National Park