Ben and Gina met at Rockspot Climbing gym in Southie orchestrated by the prestigious and incomparable Liz Allen. While they really hit it off, they knew it would be short lived because Ben was leaving to hike the Appalachian Trail in March.

Ben began his journey on March 21st at Springer Mountain in Georgia, walking alone and meeting lifelong friends along the way all the way up to Mt. Kahtadin in Maine. He wasn't too optimistic about cell service, but despite the distance Ben and Gina kept in touch. They texted almost daily and talked on the phone whenever he stayed in a hostel to restock in a local town. Things were looking up!

In the meantime, while Ben was hiking through the wilderness, Gina had just finished up her second year of graduate school for PT at BU and was headed into her second of 4 clinical rotations. Studying hard, she was looking for a good holiday break!

In July right before the holiday, Gina drove up to Hanover NH to pick Ben up off the trail where they then headed to Lake Winnipesaukee to meet up with Liz Allen and her family for a fun-filled weekend! This is where Ben asked Gina to be his girlfriend, writing it on a piece of birch bark he had picked up from the AT.

Success! Ben finally finished his long journey back, after hiking over 2,000 miles in some serious time.

The Cape and Islands are a special place to Gina and the McLellan clan, and none more special then the Grey Lady herself. They spend a post-trail and clinical mini-vacation on Nantucket! What started as a day trip turned into a spontaneous overnight taking in the sights and sounds of the Sound.

During the tail end of this 2018 summer is when Ben got a glimpse into life on Cape Cod during the summer time. He got to experience warm waters for the first time growing up near Nantasket Beach, and learned more about boats than he ever thought he would.

By the time the fall rolled around, it was Ben's time to shine as he started introducing Gina to his favorite place in the world: the Gordon family cabin in Freedom, NH.

Ben has spent many years and made many memories within these walls built by his dad. He and Gina would come up and spend many a weekend, no matter the season, to get away and enjoy a fire pit meal with plenty of cider to wash it down!

Then, the best day ever arrived: The arrival of Crosby McLellan to Cotuit!

Crosby became an integral part in their relationship, learning a lot about each other when they had to reprimand an over-tired puppy or be patient on walks to new places. Mostly though, they got to enjoy having a dog again for the first time in a few years together... even if it's just for a short while.

Gina graduated from BU... again! But this time with some shiny new letters to add to her name graduating with her Doctor in Physical Therapy, as well as with Ben by her side.

To celebrate graduation and a whole summer to be together, Ben and Gina drove up to Canada to spend a few days on a Quebecois vacation. The poutine was heavenly...

...as were the sights and memories.

In September 2019 Ben and Gina moved in together in Cumberland RI where Ben continued to work at a PT clinic at the front desk and Gina started her first job as a practicing PT. Things were going pretty well until the dreaded March 2020.

They coped somehow. Luckily, after losing their jobs one after the other and then getting back to work in a pandemic, they learned the most important thing in the world was the company of each other. Luckily, for about 6 months that's all they had!

So when Ben got into PT school at AIC to pursue his DPT in Springfield MA, Gina quit her job to move out with him. They moved to Westfield MA and have been enjoying western MA living ever since.

They got a taste of small-town living again, having met lots of friendly neighbors through good and bad weather, and had about 6 trick-or-treaters on their first residential Halloween, which was amazing.

Speaking of Holidays, they always celebrate their birthdays at the same time because they are 4 days apart. Gina likes to call it "efficient" because she gets the birthday cake, and Ben gets the birthday lasagne.

Over the years Ben has introduced Gina to the world of his many (many) friends and vivid fantasy work of D&D...

... the cabin in all seasons, rain or shine...

... And Gina has continued to show Ben the world of boating and the beautiful Cape Cod coastline with their furry friend close behind.

To celebrate working in healthcare during a global pandemic, and making it out stronger than ever, they went on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Costa Rica!

Where Ben was holding onto a little (not so secret) secret.

After returning home and about 3 and a half years they went back to where it all started: back at the AT. At the tallest peak in MA just an hours drive West, Ben got down on one knee and asked Gina to be his forever-adventure buddy and future wife on the top of Mount Greylock. Of course, she said yes!

And now, you're all caught up! Ben and Gina are bringing the story back to Cape Cod to celebrate how far they've come and where to go next. Thank you for being along for the ride!

We can't wait to see you all at this special boathouse very soon!