March 22nd, 2018, was a great day. On March 22nd, 2018, both Megan and Rich met at an Adirondack Mountain Club Young Member Social at Wolf Hollow Brewing Company. Perhaps the weather was poor, perhaps it was fate insuring we had a more intimate group than usual, but only five people attended that evening. A mutual friend there, one Emily Wallwin, seeing them together thought there was potential there. She caught Megan on the way out to give a little push. She inquired if there was interest and said Rich was a man of good prospects. Her list was everything a girl in her 30s wants to hear: handsome, kind, owns his own home, skilled at home and car repair (we had discussed how he started framing his basement earlier that evening and I am happy to report the basement is now 90% finished and shows real promise to be finished this year!), holds a steady job, and she didn’t even know about his perfect credit score! What a catch!

Photo of the momentous occasion by Dustin Longmire.

Following the social there was some Facebook stalking, and they both signed up for the same hike a couple of weeks later, North-South Lake Loop in the Catskills. They trailed the group and chatted most of the hike. Megan trailed the group unintentionally just because she is slow, and the group had some realllly fast people, and Rich because the day before was “leg-day” and he was stiff. Now that Megan knows Rich better and has heard him say, “everyday is leg-day” at least 5,724 times over the past 6 years, she likes to think that he slowed down intentionally to be able to talk to her and his legs were just fine.

Group photo of the North-South Lake Loop. Photo by Dustin Longmire

Less than a week later on April 19th, 2018 both attended another ADK social, this time at the Van Dyck. Megan made sure to look extra cute. Both stayed after everyone had left and continued to chat. Rich discussed enjoying going to IMSA races. Megan, while having no idea what IMSA* was, said, “I like cars, it sounds like a fun day, I would totally go to one.” That was all it took, she had him. After he picked his jaw up off the floor, he asked her out.

A first official date was held shortly after at Druthers in Saratoga, and by May he got her to an IMSA race at Lime Rock Park, CT. This has been followed by many more races, hikes, adventures and a few beers.

*International Motor Sports Association, if you were wondering. Photo below of the race that day.