|
Romantic Outings: Let your love take you someplace new - Romantic Outings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Erin Frustaci
|
|
Thursday, 08 February 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 3
Sometimes the meaning of Valentine’s Day can get lost in the aisles of heart-shaped cards, bouquets of flowers and fancy dinner reservations.
Sometimes it can be found while drinking dirty water and lugging 40 pound packs through the snow on a rustic mountain getaway.
When it comes to romance, Paul Wozniak, 32, and Sarah Erickson, 26, are not into red roses, cheap heart-shaped boxes of chocolates or dorky teddy bears that say “I love you.”
 “Unique is more romantic than anything,” Wozniak said. “When a woman can tell her girlfriends a story they’ve never heard before, that’s it. That’s romantic at its best.”
And if Erickson’s friends are any indication, Wozniak’s proposal definitely lived up to that expectation.
But first, let’s rewind to the part where Wozniak met Erickson. Wozniak, the morning DJ for 99.9 FM The Point, was at a business-after-hours event at the 2003 Greeley Stampede.
“I saw her and was like, ‘Oh my God, what an amazingly beautiful girl,’ ” Wozniak said.
He tried to talk to her but, because she was incredibly shy, he figured she wasn’t interested. Later, his boss called Wozniak from the Stampede.
“He said he was standing with an Outrider who likes my morning show, and then shoved the phone in her face,” Wozniak said.
It worked and Wozniak asked Erickson out to dinner.
“I thought I came across as a bubbly, retarded college girl,” Erickson said. “After that we hung out a little bit. I was immediately attracted and interested.”
Now, back to the proposal.
The outdoorsy couple had been on several camping trips while they were dating.
“We both love nature and the (Poudre) river,” Wozniak said. “As soon as we pass Picnic Rock, it’s playtime.”
The couple planned an excursion up near Cameron Pass on Christmas Eve.
Wozniak knew he was going to ask her to marry him. He had thought of the way he wanted to pop the question when he was 15. As a teenager, he hiked in Pennsylvania and saw the wilderness as the most romantic place. All he had to do was find the right girl who would agree. That girl was Sarah.
He looked online for huts in the area and found Never Summer Nordic, at www.neversummernordic.com. The company offers remote yurt camping in the Colorado State Forest. In case you have no clue what a yurt is, it’s a circular or domed tent-like hut originally used by nomads of Mongolia and now popular wilderness destinations for snowshoers, back-country skiers and hunters.
Wozniak and Erickson packed up the car and ventured into the snow. They were a little nervous because of the blizzard conditions.
They parked the car and prepared for about a two-mile trek to the yurt. Luckily the trail was easy to follow. Wozniak has about 25 years of cross-country skiing experience. Erickson started just two years ago.
“She was such a trooper,” Wozniak said.
Erickson said it was her first time skiing with a pack — challenging, but fun.
The secluded huts had everything the couple could possibly need — pots, pans, a wood-burning stove, beds and an outhouse. It had room to sleep five, so was spacious enough for two, and it cost $110 a night.
“All we had to bring was food, warm clothing, a bottle of wine and sleeping bags and we were good to go,” Wozniak said.
Despite the chilling -10 degrees, the roaring fire heated the yurt to a cozy 80 degrees.
While enjoying appetizers and wine by the fire, Wozniak handed Erickson a little wrapped box. He told her she could unwrap the box, but couldn’t open it right away.
“She saw the size of the box and her eyes got as big as plates,” he said.
Wozniak got down on one knee and told Erickson how much he loved her.
“I asked her, regardless of what’s inside the box, if she would marry me,” he said.
Of course, Erickson joyfully said yes.
Inside the box was a ring Wozniak’s 7-year-old nephew got for Erickson from his school bizarre. Her real ring was being made.
“We had a good laugh,” he said. “She’s been wearing it every day.”
Erickson said she wasn’t expecting the proposal, which is one of the many reasons she loves Wozniak.
“He’s very outgoing and easy to talk with, where I’m a little more shy,” she said. “He brings me out of my shell. He’s very adventurous and spontaneous.”
The two have yet to pick a wedding date, but are planning for late August or early September.
They both recommend the yurt getaways to couples who appreciate nature.
“It’s great for anyone who doesn’t need to be pampered,” Wozniak said. “It does involve a little bit of work. Some people need a five-star hotel and a spa. You have to do your own dishes and sweep the floor, but I think more people than not should try it.”
While Erickson would not pass up a five star hotel, she can’t wait to go on another trip to a yurt.
“Doing something different is always a good time,” she said.
If you can handle a little dirt, rustic getaways can spark romance any time of the year. Because it was winter, Erickson and Wozniak used snow melt, seasoned with a little dirt, for water — instead of drinking Perrier. They gave the drink a new name, The Mountain Man, which is but one of many memories the two will forever remember.
“It was one of the best nights of my life,” Erickson said.
WATCH THEIR VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea2apVQDwdI
Photo by Heidi Muller for NEXTnc
Paul Wozniak and Sarah Erickson pose in Old Town Fort Collins.
|
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
| |
