Geoff and Chase first learned of each other's existence on a climbing trip through App State's Outdoor Programs. Geoff was an apprentice climbing instructor and Chase was clumsily trying climbing for the first time. A few months passed and Geoff was apprenticing and Chase was participating on an overnight trip to Linville Gorge. Wouldn't you know it… they were paired up in the same team for a multi-pitch climb! The day consisted of not so witty banter about the logistics of knot tying and the waving away of a persistent bee.

It wasn't until the end of the trip, when they were driving back to the university in a big oversized van that they happened to sit next to each other and Chase broke the awkward everyone-is-tired-from-climbing-all-weekend-and-just-wants-to-sleep silence. Once they started, we just didn't stop. It was only them talking for the entire trip back and from there something sparked.

A third climbing trip in, Geoff overheard Chase talking about taking App's snowboarding class on Thursdays during the upcoming winter. Geoff thought about this one night while falling asleep and thought "you know what? I need to see how this could end." So he signed up immediately for that exact course. Winter was coming.

Winter came, Geoff was snowboarding, and didn't see Chase on the first class, or the second. The third one was a charm, however, and he saw her in line renting gear. They exchanged looks, the friendly hello, and Geoff said that he hoped to see her out there. He didn't see her for close to an hour and then found her riding the conveyor belt back to the top of the bunny hill. Geoff called out to her and Chase immediately panicked. She was not very good at snowboarding (ask anyone) and could not possibly survive having a cute guy see her eat snow. Therefore, when she got to the top she immediately plopped down and they ended up talking right there for what seemed like forever!

A hike and a hammock session later and they became the item they are today (only with more obligations with less tie-dye).

Just thinking back now, it's amazing how much of our lives has rested on a small decision of Geoff's to take a snowboarding class on a Thursday, at a specific time, just because he heard a girl was taking it then almost half a year before it took place.

Last summer Geoff and Chase embarked on a 3 week trip to Scotland! About halfway into the trip, they camped in the most beautiful valley they have ever laid eyes on (commonly known as Glen Coe). Geoff had the ring with him since the previous Christmas and had been patiently waiting until he could find the right spot to propose to. When they arrived in Glen Coe, he knew he had found it.

The next day, they went out on a misty (incredibly rainy) hike to Coire Gabhail, the Lost Valley, where some scrappy MacDonald's hid themselves and their cows after some rude and extraordinarily unfriendly English soldiers murdered some of their clan. Besides being referred to as the most beautiful valley Geoff and Chase have ever laid eyes on, Glen Coe is also called the "weeping valley." This could be due to it's bloody history and/or the multitude of waterfalls cascading down from the sides of the mountains throughout the entire hike. The trail was tight and meandering and eventually opened to the wide expanse of the Lost Valley. Way, wayy, waaaaay up, at the veeeeery end of the valley, super far away, right in the center, there was a spot where it looked like all the waterfalls converged and dropped into a small cut out gorge. Naturally, Geoff decided that they had to get up there for the proposal.

Turns out, this portion was much too ambitious for most normal people to do given the rainy conditions, so Geoff and Chase were completely secluded except for an enormous herd of red deer on the other side of the valley. Shrouded in mist and just far enough away so as to not get a clear picture of them, Geoff and Chase agree that there is a 5% chance they were imaginary or ghosts. During this whole hike Chase had a hole in one of her boots because she was too lazy to get new boots before the trip and was starting to get very wet. When they finally reached the top, Geoff pranced down to a precipice overlooking the convergence of 3 huge waterfalls overlooking this amazing valley. Chase squished her wet wool socks and boots much more warily to the precipice. Right as they were both admiring the view, the rain (finally) stopped and Geoff decided this was definitely the right time and place to profess his love and propose. Chase agreed wholeheartedly on all accounts and they plan on living happily ever after.