"The Rock" at Barnes Park, Eastport, MI
Posted by: 
jub8
N 45° 06.565 W 085° 21.806
16T E 628740 N 4996408
We sat on this rock when we decided that our dating would eventually lead to marriage. Seventeen months (and a four hour drive) later I drove her to this spot to propose.
Waymark Code: WMKQW
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 08/11/2006
Views: 93
We met at Oakland University (Rochester, MI) in the winter of 2000 through a mutual friend (thanks Adam). I grew up in the area (Sterling Heights) but she was from northern MI (Central Lake). Spring break hit and she invited a few people back to her family’s home. Everyone thought it was a great idea, but one by one they cancelled. The two of us headed out for spring break and were inseparable after that.
June ’00 hit and I took a job at Camp Patmos on Kelley’s Island in Ohio. We’d be apart for a few months. Before I headed out to camp we drove up and visited her family again. She loves Lake Michigan so we went to the beach at Barnes Park. We sat on that rock as we discussed our future. Would we date other people or stay together? We decide at that point that we’d not only stay together but eventually marry.
I bought the ring. Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Years? November 17, 2001. I took the day off work and we decided to go out for breakfast do some outlet mall shopping. While driving I conveniently passed the exit. She was a bit upset. You have to understand that when I drive I tend to not pay attention to what’s going on around me. Passing exits was normal for me. She says, “You know you just passed the exit!? The next exit is going to be another 2 or 3 miles.” How do you hide a 4 hour car ride?
At that time I opened an overhead compartment and she saw the box. She welled up with tears and apologized for getting upset. Now she was wondering where and how I was going to propose? The NIKE outlet? I assumed she’d figure it our eventually, but the mall was still 3 hours. from our destination. We continued to drive and I asked, “Where do you think we’re going?” She knew at that moment where we were headed.
I think we rolled into the park around 9pm. It was cold and dark. I forgot to mention that she had dragged her feet a bit getting out in the morning. Before meeting me she did some laundry, went to a few garage sales, and the library. It was her only free day to get chores done at her apartment. When I found out what she was doing I took my time as well. She was upset that the whole process was taking so long. I just laughed and thought, “If you only knew…the laundry can wait.” Back to the cold, dark night. We made our way down to the rock and I proposed. It was so dark that we had to go back to the car before she could even see what the ring looked like.
We were married August 10, 2002.