Packing for Adventure

Chris and I met online, back when that was still weird, and right before Tinder became a huge thing. When people would ask us how we met, you’d see the change in their face as they’d say “Oh…” when you know what they’re really thinking was “oh so you couldn’t find a match the real way…” Our shared interest was hiking. He suggested a hike for our first date, and I was less than enthused about meeting a stranger in a secluded mountain. When he kept suggesting a hike, I almost cancelled altogether!

Instead he suggested we meet at Lee’s Mongolian in Ogden, Utah. A dinner here involves building your bowl and watching it cook on the giant grill. We sat down with our food and then talked so much our food got cold before we could pay it much attention. We talked until the restaurant emptied out and we were the last to leave. We arrived as strangers and left as friends. I knew on my drive home that Chris was going to be someone special.

Our second date was a movie (The Dark Knight Rises), so it wasn’t until our third date that we actually went on a hike together.

Chris asked if I wanted an easy hike or a harder hike with a great view. Obviously, I chose the harder hike with the great view. Why bother going on a hike that doesn’t have a view at the end?

He took me up the Lewis Peak trail to the overlook above Huntsville, Eden, and Liberty. We talked the entire way up, and the entire way down.

Dinner afterward was at Ogden Pizzeria, and that night we shared our first kiss (sorry for TMI haha).

It wasn’t until much much later that I found out Chris had been secretly testing me that night!

Apparently, he’d been unimpressed with the caliber of girls he’d met online so far, so he mechanized a series of tests to determine if the girl was worth future attention. One girl in particular had claimed to be an “avid hiker” but apparently struggled on what he had suggested to me as the easy hike.

If I could make it to the overlook with no more than three breaks, he would take me to his favorite restaurant afterward. I’m not sure where he planned to take me if I didn’t pass his test. Probably McDonald’s.

Completely unaware of this secret evaluation, I made it to the top with exactly three breaks.

I’d like to point out that if I hadn’t been trying to keep up with his giant hiking strides while simultaneously holding a full conversation and pretending I wasn’t gasping for oxygen, I probably wouldn’t have needed any breaks at all.

This secret test is so Chris. Sometimes it makes me wonder…

What if I had taken one extra break?
What if I had cancelled that first date because he wanted to hike?

Where would I be now?
What skank would Chris be married to instead?

We will never know.

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