Winter Adventures

I've always been the kind of person that gets in the car and wherever I end up is where I spend the day. This bodes well with the fact that over the years I've found that unplanned dates are the best kind. The dates that become an idea the moment you get there have become some of my most treasured memories. I have always chalked it up to being a poor planner but recently I decided that it has less to do with planning and more to do with the fact that I like to see where things take me. Everything is planned at school and work and when I get a chance to break away from routine I jump at the chance.

Luckily I have found a man that feels the same and doesn't mind getting in the car to a blank map and a full tank of gas. That's where we found ourselves today when he made the decision to visit a wooden park he had played at as a child.

Perfect ideas are never quite what they seem however. He wasn't in my car for more than two minutes when he began fiddling with random items he could get his hands on. This is when he came across my pepper spray and due to its unusual shape, decided to try it out. Before I could answer his question about what it was, pepper spray coated my windshield, pepper hit the back of my throat, and the sweetest and most confused face met me from across my center console. Luckily we hadn't left his driveway yet and were able to clean it up and be on our way.

Eventually we made it to the park and I've realized that nothing makes you feel more like a child again than climbing across rope walkways and tunnels that are not made for adult heights. Luckily everyone is back to school and so alone we were able to explore without feeling like we were make anyone feel uneasy. After we had made our way through the whole park, a walk seemed to be the next logical idea.

Geocaching has quickly become something we do together since we're usually in an unusual spot and so the walk became foraging through underbrush and thorns in the woods. After emerging on the other side we came across the paved path that clearly would have made more sense. He then realized that he used to run on these trails in high school and decided he wanted to show me a place he used to run. It was a path through the woods that led to a creek with step stones across. The half-frozen creek became the perfect target for tossed stones and conversation. More geocaching rounded out our adventure and then we both headed home.

What I've found is that is doesn't take a lot to have a good time with the right person. A few stones and a frozen creek was all that was needed. These are the kinds of days that I hope I wake up remembering thirty years from now.