It was not a chance meeting when they first met. And that they would meet at all could be considered rather doubtful at the time. They had corresponded hardly at all, little at best, when
Don gave a 'Hello' through that dubious internet dating tool called
Match. But meet they did for lunch one sunny afternoon in downtown Denver. Don found a table outside and waited.
Christine came into view and she walked confidently over to him. Don rose. She sat. And as a professional woman with no time to waste asked, "Do you think martyr and murder come from the same root word?"
Don did not think their first encounter went very well. Don had asked if she wanted to meet again for lunch or dinner half-heartedly. Christine paused and said, "No." And then she added, "But I'll go climbing." On a Thursday Christine and Don hiked up to North Table Mountain to climb with Don's friends. Don had reluctantly agreed to take her. He did not need another female climbing buddy who had no interest in him except to lead routes so she could climb. Christine's first climb went well. Resting on a rock next to Don, a friend of Don's came over and asked, "How do you two know each other?" Christine quickly replied, "We're dating." To which Don flabbergasted abruptly asked, "We are?"
Don had it fairly planned out. After a nice dinner in LoDo they would take a leisurely stroll towards Larimer Street. He would propose to her at Café Colore, and hopefully at the same table they sat at when they first met. Nonchalantly Don directed their path to cross by Café Colore. "Let's get some dessert here," he said. Café Colore was getting ready to close, but Don insisted on staying here for dessert. Christine said, "I don't want to eat here." Don tried to convince her. Christine became more adamant and angry. Don realized asking an angry women to marry her is not a good plan. They walked over to The Market on 15th and Larimer. Christine's demeanor brightened. Outside at a small table with dessert Don proposed and Christine laughed and laughed and laughed.
It was supposed to be a thirteen mile hike that should only take eleven hours. Yes, we would need to start at midnight and all of the hike would be above tree line, twelve thousand feet. The plan was simple. Hike through the night and meet friends on top of Culebra, a fourteen thousand foot mountain, follow them down to their car, in which they would drive us back to ours. Crossing over six thirteen thousand foot peaks and one fourteener, a lightning storm, endless scree, lost, bushwhacking, mirages, twenty-six miles, twenty-two hours later Christine and Don are on a dusty dirt road wondering where they are with no one in sight. Through this experience they learned a few things about each other. Most importantly, they are a pretty good team when circumstances get tough. Christine has also learned that Don miles are different from real miles.