Walls tacked with maritime imagery & navigational charts set the scene for our first date at the Muddy Ruddy watering hole, a pub shouldering a bridge in SE Portland. Darren's online presence showed a handsome profile, but it wasn't until he languished me with his stories of jumping off granite rocks into the white-water-froth of Three Rivers CA that my interest was piqued. As he embellished the land, of grey granite spires, steep gorges & green covered mountainsides that are locked in place on the edge of a giant forest, my heart began to connect. Already charmed, he went on to share the fact that he was looking forward to his upcoming visit with his family in CA. The Perseid's Meteor Shower, which is normally hidden by the waning gibbous moon, was said to be so bright, with its stars so numerous, that he 'might' have the chance to sit out with his stepmother under the dancing sky. (Wow! Just - Wow!) Dreamily, I began to connect the spirit of John Muir, one of my favorite writers/naturalists, to a man I had only known for 40 mins. My mind built a web: Muir spent most of his 30’s living in the Sierra’s, while his 40’s were spent in Alaska (my state). Muir married the two locations in his 50’s, spending equal time in both places. Here I was, sitting across from a handsome 'river man' in a pub that spoke of adventure. Each of us, marked by the landscapes of our youth. I like to say, that we parted the Muddy Rudder with curiosity for one another. I hoped he would want to see me again, but I wasn't sure if he liked me. I can't remember if I told him my chicken or swan stories (which tend to leave an impression that I'm either a little crazy or caring), either way, I was delighted to receive this text: "OMG, I just realized i never got a bill and you probably ended up paying for my beer. Ack! I feel like a jerk. Hopefully, I have the chance to make it up to you." He did. Date #2 was a paddle to my secret waterfall that ended with a kiss.

The Astoria Column. Our first weekend get away together as a couple was to Astoria. It was a magical weekend full of the excitement and wonder of new love. One late afternoon we climbed the dark Astoria column's interior to finally emerge onto the warm, sun drenched observation area. High above the town with balsa wood gliders in hand we wrote a secret wish on their wings and tossed them to the wind. This is a tradition at the column and I know you all probably are wondering what we wrote. Well, you'll just have to attend the wedding to find out! Fast forward to a bit over a year later and I've planned a second trip to Astoria and a surprise! Having enjoyed a beautiful drive and afternoon in Astoria, we again ascended the column to enjoy the sunset and toss another glider into the wind. Unbeknownst to Tracy, this time I had come prepared with a ring in my pocket and a marriage proposal written on the balsa wings of my glider. There in the warm, golden light we got ready to launch our wishes into the wind once again. I stop Tracy and suggest this time we read aloud what each other wrote rather than just taking a picture of our gliders like we did the first time. She agrees and turns over the balsa toy to read what I had written on the underside; "Full circle took and now we look To a future bright and new Here now I bend On one knee to spend A life forever created with you" I believe Oh My God was her response. And then a YES! ...and then, are you sure?! :-)