Romance on the Hike
Hiking/backpacking can be very romantic. You are alone on a trail hiking with someone you love. You get to have 100% attention from your loved one. You will likely see beautiful views, amazing sunsets and have experiences that will last a lifetime. I really didn’t do much hiking until I met a man in California that took me hiking, camping, backpacking and fishing almost every weekend. I fell in LOVE with it. I did some camping prior to meeting this man, but not a lot. He really introduced me to a new passion. We were married for 20 years and have since parted ways, however, I have amazing memories of our trips, and I now have shared new experiences with others in my life and continue to camp, backpack and hike. I haven’t been fishing like I use to when I was married, however, that is just because I haven’t really found a great group to go with. I was lucky to have many amazing trips in California when I first really started to enjoy the outdoors. We’d raft down rivers throughout northern California, fishing with our dogs.
We would hike all day to disperse camp at night, usually by a river so we could catch dinner. Below is me, with my fly rod and backpack heading out on a trail with my dog Casie. She was a great dog and I miss her everyday. I started this hike early in the morning with my boyfriend- he said we were going about 10 miles. We were going to camp and fish.
Little did I know… in his backpack he had a bottle of champagne, a full shrimp dinner AND an engagement ring. Yep, he got me 10 miles into the woods, got down on one knee and proposed. I accepted and spent the next 20 years hiking, camping, fishing and raising two beautiful children who also love the outdoors. Do you see my engagement ring in the picture below!! Beautiful.
Fast forward to January 2020. I was divorced and single, but lucky enough to meet another man who also LOVED the outdoors. We hiked ALL over Massachusetts. I was so happy to find another person to enjoy hiking and camping with me. One of our first trips was just outside of Amherst, MA and it was through quite a bit of snow. We made it and bonded quickly.
We hiked up to the top of a Mtn that overlooked the Connecticut River as well as other hikes with my kids where we overlooked western Massachusetts.
One of my favorite pictures is at the top of a Mtn we hiked, where we had to use a timer to get our selfie. A beautiful day for a hike, just after the new year into 2021.
We moved to Memphis in Sept 2021, and are outstanding friends today. We continue to hike and camp here in Memphis as friends and have both joined a Hiking Group that we have grown to love. I truly believe there is love to be found when enjoying activities together. I know for a fact that I would have a really hard time dating a man who didn’t enjoy the outdoors like I do. I have met a few men recently, and they state that camping is not their thing, they prefer a beach resort and nice hotel. I know I want someone who will spend time enjoying the outdoors like I do. Laying down under the stars and staring into the night sky at the all the stars- maybe even seeing a shooting star to wish upon. I want to find that person who will get in the tent with me, and maybe even zip our sleeping bags together to be close and keep each other warm. Hiking, camping, fishing and backpacking is a way that I bond and it is an important part of my life. For now I’ll keep hiking with my group here in Memphis. If you have a new relationship, or want to rekindle a relationship, take your partner out on a hike, camp in the woods, and lay under the stars. Cuddle with the person you love. It will be a forever memory.
