What kind of narcissist puts their mushy, romance story on their travel adventure blog? What does a modern, 40 something romance have to do with travel, adventure or blogging? Everything! If you get to the bottom of this article and don’t agree just leave a mean comment or send us a mean tweet @colemanconcierg . Don’t worry, we’re just the sort of narcissists who will read it in or on the Coleman Concierge reads mean tweets section, once we get a good assortment racked up. Until then, here is our opening…..when you choose love you jump in with both feet, like jumping into Navajo Falls.
Plenty of Fish in the Sea
Like many couples today, we met online. I loved online dating. I am somewhat literate and take decent photographs so it worked well for me. I planned my 10 minutes of small talk that was based two or three conversation starters. From there I would get my three indicators of interest, then quickly to phase shift. The entire setup worked way better for me than sitting in a loud, smoky bar meeting people who liked to frequent such places. Jenn never did buy the woo I was pitching. Her initial contact with me was mocking my tagline saying “I was the most adventurous nerd she would ever meet”. It took me a while, but when I convinced her that my lure was real, she was hooked.
Early Adventures
Our ‘coffee date’ was almost a disaster. I got the day wrong and proceeded to harass her while she was on a date with another man about why she stood me up. At least I was a day early, so I didn’t stand her up. When we finally met, she wasn’t into hearing about my science fiction story I was writing. She didn’t think that qualifying guys for their artistic and creative ability was important, yet, here we are today blogging together. Anyway, she wasn’t wooed by any means…. But she wasn’t offended either. I was kind of like Wonder Breaded. Nothing great, but nothing not to like, so worth a second taste.
The second date was meh too. We had a mutual interest in biking and lived near each other so we met for an early morning training ride down the Rillito River Trail. She was decked out in her full road biking regalia. I sported athletic shorts and tube socks while riding my 29er. Her first thought was – really? I am a morning person and a chatty rider. She was half awake and just wanting to listen to her jams with both earplugs in. Again, she wasn’t real impressed with my style, but I could hang with her biking. I wasn’t too weak, and I wasn’t a dick who would drop her off the peloton so I could get my ride in. I just liked cruising along next to her, albeit chatting in her ear the whole time.
Breaking Out The Big Guns
I knew I liked Jenn by this point, but she was on the fence. I had to break out the big guns. I took her on my famous closer date – sunset picnic at Sabino Canyon. Whenever my ex-girlfriends compare notes, they all agree that this was my best date. I would pick up takeout food from an upscale restaurant in the Tucson foothills and park at the nearby Sabino Canyon. A short hike takes us away from everything and next to Sabino Lake for a picnic complete with a bottle of wine and strawberries dipped in a chocolate fondue prepared in a tea candle-powered hot plate. I had this one dialed in. Jenn said it’s a good thing we had that bottle of wine because my nerd talk would have been too much. Alas, I married an adventure girl and not a nerd girl.
After dinner, I set up my backpack hammock next to the lake and we watched the orange sunset flicker and fade off of the sheer cliffs of Blackett’s Ridge. Once it was dark, the lights of Tucson lit the valley floor beneath us. Jenn liked the view and was impressed by my “short game”. She wondered how a guy this geeky could have so much joie de vivre. My secret was, like any good nerd, I had studied up on the art of picking up women from my playbook, The Game. It wasn’t adding up in her mind – the oxymoron of an adventurous nerd with game. When we got back to the car and parted ways. I was a bit disappointed that my closing date ended with a kiss in the parking lot, but my game was good enough that I scheduled the next date before going home.
Our First Real Adventure
That next date led to another and then another. Pretty soon we were dating and scheduling real adventures together. The first place I took her was someplace very special to me – Havasu Falls. I finally had an adventure girl, so I wanted to see what she could do. It went about like our first bike ride. She was incredibly well prepared and thorough in planning. I was just happy to be there. The way down was slow. Downhill with packs on Jenn’s knee that was one month out from being replaced took some time. Once we got to the falls, I felt heartbroken. The flash flood of 2008 decimated my favorite waterfalls – Navajo Falls.
The river now flows through a different section of the canyon creating New Falls. It wasn’t the same, as you can tell from the before and after pictures but it was a great metaphor about the need to move forward in life and not keep reliving your past. The past always fades and always changes. The future can be new and exciting. New Falls is beautiful in its own right and the local kids loved playing in the shallow waters. The metaphor was reinforced with Jenn’s hike out of the canyon. The knees didn’t stop her from hill climbing like a champ. We made it out under a full moon in half the time with a great pace and smiles on our face.
The First I Love You
Jenn favorite saying with me was “I am still on the fence”. It was my goal that summer to knock her off that fence. I knew she was falling when she agreed to go to the family farm in Ohio. First off, Jenn is not a huge fan of cornfields. Second, it was the trip home to meet the folks. Third, she had the option to meet up an old friend (aka hot single guy friend) of hers in Seattle. I wasn’t a big fan of the last one, but I figured I had to let her choose and I am very glad she chose me that summer.
We always make the best of wherever we go, even Ohio. We chose a romantic weekend in Cincinnati for her birthday. The rustic bed and breakfast wasn’t quite our scene, but cycling the Little Miami Bike Trail was. We also shared our passion for sensation seeking at Kings Island. The “last ride of the night” on Diamondback was probably the single best rollercoaster ride I have ever had. The coaster was solid, fast and smooth but what made it special was riding under a full moon as the fireworks were going off. You can always find adventure and get your thrill on, but it’s those special little things you didn’t expect that makes it memorable. That, and experiencing it with the person you love.
Photo Credits:
https://kenneturner.com/tag/sabino-canyon-lake/
http://hikelemmon.com/tag/city-lights/
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/36504288.jpg (Little Miami Trail)
https://www.visitkingsisland.com/images/uploads/image/DBWeb.jpg (Diamondback at Kings Island)
What a great story! I love how honest and open you are about the whole process. Meeting someone likeminded who loves travel and adventure is so important! Sounds like you both are very lucky to have found each other.
We feel lucky. She truly is my partner in crime and I see great things in store for us.
Good thing she hung in for so long while “on the fence.” 😉 This is a real-life love story — sometimes it takes awhile. It’s great that two adventure seekers met and can share their outings together. Wishing you many more adventures!
I kept scheduling the next date before I left and I never gave her anything to “not like”. It took her a little to turn nerd but she’s glad she did. For the most part. She is still not a fan of Can I / May I jokes but I am working on it.
Thank you for sharing your story! It truly sounds like you gave it 150% when you were pursuing Jenn – sunset picnic, biking AND Havasu Falls? Sold! Cheers to you two and more adventures in the future!
I had my dating game working pretty well. The sunset picnic was my standard “closing” date (it didn’t work for Jenn). It was the biking and Havasu falls that really sold both of us. I never expect to find somebody like Jenn and I knew I wanted more.
Well that was a nice breakfast read! Now I know how old you are, guys… did Jenn agree to letting the world know about her age? Jokes 😛 I really enjoyed this one! Now I know more about your story- Adventure Girl and the Nerd. I’d love to hear about this from Jenn’s point of view and what was the deciding factor in rejecting that hot single guy in Seattle haha. I gotta say though, that sunset chocolate fondue was a smoooooooth move 😉
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the read. We are really planting a deep seeded internet lie. In ten years, we will refer back to this article and be the same age. The internet never forgets and people are bad at math. On my POF profile I described myself as the most adventurous nerd you will ever meet and after a while Jenn realized this was more than boasting. Boyz got skilz. Just saying.
Aw such a sweet romance! Your first “breaking out the big guns” date sounded incredible. I think I’m going to make my husband read this post to get some new inspiration! I also love how you tied in the jump in Navajo Falls!
Get on him. There should be nothing stopping people, especially married couples from having date night. A take out dinner and picnic in a park is a great way to spend time together.
What a cute story. I think you two sound like a match made in heaven. You’re giving me hope. Best of luck to you in the future!
Glad you liked it. I am sure there is somebody just as wonderful waiting out there for you.
Awwww you guuuuys!! I love reading about how people met & fell in love! Such a feelgood read!
Thank you. It was a lot of fun to write and remember.
Aww this is such a cute story of you two! I didn’t know that you actually met online! Ed – I’m glad you found your adventurous, non-nerdy half! Jenn – there must have been something you saw in him for you to give him so many chances 😛 I need to hear your version of the story haha! Cheers to more adventure and travels together!!
I am a lot better person with Jenn around. Already responding to today’s comments I used binary, penultimate and a Tolstoy reference. She keeps things mellow and translated out of the nerdum. Yesterday I was on a GOT tangent. Everything I saw looked like Westeros.
For a second, I thought I was reading a novel. Your story reminded me of my story. A lot different but with same result.
It’s the Anna Karenina principle. All happy nerd love stories are the same. We’ll have to hear your story sometime.
I wanted to take the bait and leave some nasty comment, but how can I with such a sweet story. It sounds like a truly exciting match the two of you have made, and I really really like how you cemented the early stages of dating with glorious experiences in some amazing SW landscapes. Bravo my friends!
Thank you. I wish I didn’t have to use stock photos for this article but we had already moved to San Diego by the time I wrote it. Have you ever noticed how your photo quality on old pictures just isn’t up to snuff?
I’m wondering if you were in the dog house and this post was your way out of it. Never tell females you have game, it creates suspicion…. Just Saying! Kidding aside, love your story!
I usually give my…. ummm…. high score in binary so I don’t run out of fingers. Girls think it’s cute and nobody does the math. If I didn’t have game and a little edge, Jenn wouldn’t have slowed down enough to notice. Plus, I have no intrinsic since of fashion and I usually just wear what ever my girlfriend puts me in. The penultimate girlfriend had a certain style of that Jenn says was just wrong on so many levels so. I needed a little something to keep things fresh.
I loved reading your story and how you narrated it! I’m also such a sucker for love stories, so anytime I am reading about how people met, I’m swooning over the keyboard! (: Yay for you both, for creating this blog together and a lifestyle of travel!
Thank you. We are looking for our voice in narration and we are very happy that you liked it. I actually thought of your stories when I was reading through it again. Small world.
I am very glad I didn’t give up too. It turns out we have a lot of things we like to do together. Thank you for your kind words.
That’s an interesting question. I don’t think most guys have figured out dating yet so I would probably say that closer dates are probably the exception and not the rule. When you get to the bottom of things let us know how it turns out. The plot thickens.
It certainly was a step in the right direction. Hard to say no to all that beauty.
35 years – congratulations. We wish you many more and glad that you have found your best friend.
To be fair, we did live in Arizona at the time so it was an obvious choice. We are very glad that enjoyed the article and thanks for stopping by.
Get on him. Sunset dates are the best.
Glad you are on team nerd. It’s worth getting off the fence for. Ruggedly handsome bad boys are over rated.