Grand Canyon Proposal
Day 3 " Our engagement story, What are those floating green eyes?"
Yesterday I mentioned our last trip to the Grand Canyon (2016). Today I am going to do some storytelling. The rim to rim adventure + how I asked Danielle to marry me.
I can't say what made us decide to do the rim to rim challenge, btw we will reference it as "R2R" from now on. I know why we wanted to do it but I can't remember how it got brought up. No real reason other than, that it was there to do.
What is R2R? Rim to rim is one of those weird bucket list items for endurance/hiking people. The challenge is to travel from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the opposite rim. Either north to south or south to north. Plenty of people make the hike in segments or sleep at one of several campgrounds at the bottom.
However, the real fun is completing the 24 miles in a straight shot. The is also 10,000 feet elevation change. Not an easy task.
In 2008 I accomplished "r2r" with my grandpa and his 2 brothers. We had no clue what we're doing,lol. we did it but good grief was it a long day. What I will never forget is having that experience with them. The Canyon and r2r have a weird way of engraving themselves into your memory banks. The beauty, the size, the sweat and pain, the smiles, the accomplishment, all become a perfect storm. The pieces in combination become exponential. The best part is that know you and these humans have a shared experience. you can't fake that, you can barely replicate it.
I wanted that for Danielle, I wanted that for us. Something that could never be taken away. It was also a test.
Not a test of her athletic ability but I was testing the waters. I knew she was strong-willed ( good grief have I learned that ). We had already completed a couple marathons ( with little to no training). So I knew she had it in her. The test was more about how will she react to the idea, how will she respond when things are difficult.
When we first started making plans for the adventure, engagement at the canyon was not the goal. I knew we had a good thing, this was months away from the hike. As we got closer and closer I started thinking about how and when I would ask her. Every training ruck and hike, I would think " yep the Canyon is the place"
I knew the emotions that the Grand Canyon can produce, I know the emotions of challenge. I wanted to magnify the proposal with those emotions. plus, everyone loves a good proposal story. You want something you are proud of re telling.
So, I knew where to ask but didn't know when or how.
I waited until 4 days out to ask her parents. I snuck up to Tulsa on a Tuesday and invited them to lunch. Right, They obviously knew what was happening. Another moment I knew where it was going to happen but no clue how or when, lol. About 5:00 into small talk, her mom looked right at me. " well, What are we doing here?" she wasn't messing around. I still to this do have no clue what I said but they gave their permission.
Parents are on board , check
proposal location , kinda check
ring ........
I knew Danille well enough to know that me picking a ring would be a disaster. Not that I don't have good taste, Danielle is .... picky. Not in a bratty way, she has a process. I respect that. I knew the best way to get her a ring is to be with her.
I racked my brain and what ring to use? I have to have something. After walking around too many jewerly stores and hobby lobby, I chose a gold string. This would be something I could keep in my pocket and she would never expect.
Ok , here we go. I have most the pieces.
Let's do this.
We flew into Vegas, picked up a car, drove to the north rim. We had made a decision to hike the canyon through the night. I had read that the canyon under full moonlight was a very unique experience. To be at the bottom under full moon light is rare.
What that meant was we would start the hike at 4pm and had to be out the other side by 8am the next day to make our shuttle. No big deal we won't need 16 hours.......
At this point my first goal was to take a small detour at mile 8 to look at a waterfall. As we are hiking down , taking our time, taking pictures, we start to realize that sunset at the top of the canyon is not sunset in the canyon. We start running down the canyon. we have about 25lb packs and we crush a couple miles. We will not make the waterfalls. It's already dark in the bottom.
guess what kids?
That was my plan!
I was going to ask her at the waterfalls. It's pitch black! even if we could find the falls, we certainly wouldn't get to see them. This whole time I am freaking out.
Well, shit now what do I do?
We continue to take a nice easy walking pace, headlamps on.
Now, what they don't tell you about full moonlight is that several miles of the canyon ARE IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOONLIGHT!
Do you have any clue how dark that is? it's so dark you can't see your hands in front of your face. The other cool benefit is that the animals have glowing green/blue/gold eyes. But all you can see is their eyes!
Was that a squirrel, a deer , a bobcat, an alien? Who knows?!
We press on
We get to the Bottom of the canyon, it's roughly 1 am. For the last 6 hours I have been racking my brain on when and how I will bust out this bad ass gold string.
" The river!, the colarodo river under full moonlight. That will be epic!"
Let's just say that 14 miles of hiking in the dark doesn't put you in the best of moods, lol. We tried some night photography but it was not working. I knew the GoPro wouldn't get any thing either. could have been me being a wimp too. "No Balls! Sean!"
Ok , Sean what are you going to do now?
I have no clue
The last several miles of R2R are the best....er worst.
The last 4 miles of trail are also 4,000 ft of elevation. It's also now approaching 4am. I will say that right before the climb. The sound and view of the canyon walls under full moon light are amazing.
It's a completely different planet. All the reds and browns are shades of grey. The shadows play tricks on your eyes, the Colorado rushes by but it's all you hear. I have never been the moon but I can imagine this is what it's like.
An image I can see clearly in my mind right now.
We start climbing and it sucks! You go about 4 steps before you stop and let your heart rate go down.
I don't know if you know this but the canyon is a giant hole in a mountain. the river is 2000ft elevation and the rim is 6000ft.
Our packs have way too much shit in them. extra layers, camera equipment, and the necessities like snacks and champagne. not kidding.
This is an oddly fun stage of a hike. All you have left is to laugh and enjoy the pain. We grudge along watching cheery bright-eyed hikers pass us as the head down.
Guestions like " when did yall start"
"Yesterday" lol
We trudge along, devouring whatever food we have left. stopping to look at each other in awe that we are
HIKING THE GRAND CANYON
the whole damn thing!
Now my window of oppurtintiy is shrinking fast. my last resort is at the trailhead as soon as we crest the rim.
come on Sean, get your shit together.
we get right to the rim , first thing Danielle wants to do is find the best picture spot.
"Ok, trailhead won't work "
we find a spot to watch sunrise, there are people everywhere. This does not help my nerves. I set up the go pro to "timelapse the sunrise"
well that's what I tell her anyways
I get down on one knee.
It's freezing, we are exhausted. 14 hours of hiking. Champs is open. Oreo cookies are flowing.
"Better get this done Sean"
I start word vomiting. I'm stumbling all over myself.
Danielle has no clue what's happening or what I'm doing down on the ground.
I grab her hand, pull out my fancy gold colored string and ask her to share adventures with me forever.
The strangers clap , the champagne is now even more important.
We smile, Hug, kiss and huddle underneath an emergency cold blanket.
It's a very surreal 4-hour shuttle back to the north rim.
We go back to that same canyon in 3 weeks. I can't wait to see that sunrise again in the same very spot.
Danielle still has that same very string
1550 words - 90 minutes of writing- please if you read this far, drop a comment below.