We met while trekking in Nepal…
We met while trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Cute, we know - we feel SO lucky to have met in an organic, wild, and wonderful way and think that this sweet little beginning is apropos to our story.
Sarah had just completed a monthlong yoga teacher training and Robbie had just finished working for an environmental NGO in Thailand. We connected on the trail over our mutual love for travel, Thailand, both of us having worked there, and we instantly recognized our shared love of backpacking, big mountains, and spending time in nature.
You can see our combined crews at the summit of Thorong La Pass at 17,769 ft. Sarah is (freezing) in white and Robbie is hamming it up in yellow pants in the front.
Hold your horses - we didn’t start dating right away. We both had heart eyes in Nepal but kept pretty busy living our own lives after we met. Sarah lived in North Carolina and Robbie in Colorado.
Occasionally Sarah would message Robbie to tell him he was a cutie pie and that his adventures looked cool. Cut to a year and a half later, Robbie planned a trip to visit his sister Kelly in D.C. and asked if a North Carolina visit was in the cards. It was!
Robbie bopped down to Chapel Hill and an 8-day first date began! We made the most of it traveling northwest to Roanoke, Virginia in the Appalachian mountains and then east to Hatteras Island off the coast of North Carolina. That’s our first date / first photo together.
We continued long-distance dating for the next two years. This was an exciting and adventurous time - and included many trips to Washington and Colorado. We also met up in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, North Carolina, D.C., Texas, and Oregon and we traveled to Mexico, Vancouver Island, Brazil, and Kauai.
Sarah and Cash moved to Seattle in May 2019. We all lived together in Wedgewood before moving to Capitol Hill and then Ballard with awesome roommates, including Robbie’s mom and stepdad! We eventually moved to Bellingham in September 2020. We are super fortunate to work remotely and enjoy our lovely little life immersed in nature in Bellingham while keeping rad Seattle jobs.
Cut to September 2022, after a magical weekend spent celebrating Robbie’s sister Kelly’s wedding, we road-tripped to Santa Cruz and then east to Yosemite.
Robbie proposed in Yosemite…
Iconic, I know. We started the day with 7ish miles of sweaty uphill hiking. We stopped for a swim and to finish our snacks at Yosemite Falls. After sunbathing and daydreaming about a proper lunch, Robbie suggested walking another mile and another 1,000 ft upwards to Yosemite Point. After a series of eye rolls from Sarah, she conceded.
Once at the top - it was totally worth it! All the crowds stopped at Yosemite Falls leaving Yosemite Point deserted, quiet, and absolutely breathtaking. It was there that Robbie proposed and Sarah answered the question before it was even asked. Woot!
Thankfully two hikers wandered up a few minutes later and we took a proper “just said Hell Yeah!” photo.
We ended the day eating charcuterie out of a cast iron pan while relaxing with Cash on a sandbar on the Merced River.
Road trips in the van and hiking and biking adventures are such a special piece of our relationship. It’s so fitting that after carrying the ring around for months, Robbie chose that moment to propose.
The last year and a half has felt like a renewal of our blissed and beautiful life together. We’re reveling in the feelings of lifelong commitment and planning for our future together.