There are many stages in life. You are young and your parents take care of you. They encourage you to do as well in school as possible and sometimes forcing you to do things you do NOT want to do because they know what is best for you. They drag you to church and birthday parties and all around the country for family reunions. Then they also do fun things with you and for you. They provide for you and expose you to all kinds of things in order to tempt your likings… baseball, dance, the outdoors, football, fishing, canoeing, hunting and so on and so forth. You really do not know where life will take you, but you just trudge through life one stage after another. You make it through High School, decide on College or not, pick a career and here we have it, another stage of life.

One of those stages of life would be choosing someone to spend the rest of your life with. That is a hard one. This could be most likely one of the biggest, more important decisions you ever make in your life, if not the most important. You could meet randomly, or you could have OTHER people suggest the two of you meet because, in their eyes, you seem compatible and perfect for each other.

Gia — We paint this picture when we’re young of what we think life might be like. For many (including me) that picture includes being in an exclusive, committed, romantic relationship. Not that being in a relationship is a more exalted state than being single, but if it’s what you think might happen, you long for that. When it doesn’t happen like you think it should, there’s some grief and growth. So, you try to be diligent to live the best, most interesting life you can regardless of your relational state, making the most of every opportunity, while you remain hopeful and keep trying to put yourself out there.

This past August, I was invited to go on a trip to the Boundary Waters with a friend. I had met David (a Law Enforcement Officer for the National Forest) while camping at the base of Forked Mountain in the Ouachita National Forest a few years ago. We hit it off and became friends right off the bat. He came back the next morning; he came back to our camp with some homemade bread his wife had made the previous day. Over time, we had met up and hung out several times. During this time, he invited me to come to his family’s cabin, just outside of Ely, Minnesota. We all (He, his two teenage sons and I) piled in my Prius and headed north, driving all night and arriving the next morning to the cabin.

His parents and his sister were there waiting for us to arrive and welcomed us with open arms as soon as our feet touched the property. We spent the week canoeing, fishing, and just relaxing. The weather was amazing, so we spent many afternoons on the back deck, reading books or playing on our phones and just staring at the amazing lake that was located just behind the cabin. David’s sister, Kim and I connected quickly. I was recently divorced and she was in her 50’s and never been married. We talked about everything under the sun, but mainly about relationships and how the opposite sex drove us crazy. After a day or two, she stated to me, “You really need to meet my friend Virginia.” I was not in a place where I was ready to do that. Even with photos she received via text from Virginia, I just played it off and stated that I was “just not ready.” She said, no rush, but she really thought we would be perfect for each other. We both love to travel, adventure, hike, bike and do whatever outdoors. She is 41, single and a schoolteacher. Truly, yeah, she checked all the boxes, but here and now I do not know.

Gia — The text from Kim, one of my close friends, read, “Oh my gosh. I have met the perfect man for you. Send me pictures of you on adventures.” I knew she was up at her family’s cabin in Ely, Minnesota, and I knew her brother had brought along a friend. Ok. What have I got to lose? I went through my phone and picked out some photos of me adventuring– snaps of me paddle boarding and kayaking in Hawaii and relaxing atop a 14er in Colorado I’d hiked and hiking on the Goat Trail along the Buffalo River. I’m one of those rare never married, no kids that didn’t really start dating until I’d turned 40. I’d tried the whole online-dating for a few years, but I was tired of meeting men through that platform. The idea of meeting someone through one of my best friends was really appealing. Kim and I have traveled the world together and been friends for over 20 years– she knows me, I trust her, and if she said she’d met a man I’d hit it off with, I believed her. Her next text “He’s really cute”. Ha. Even better. She sent me some snaps of him fishing and a link to a YouTube of him adventuring in his vehicle (at the time, I had no clue what Overlanding really was.) I sent the pictures of myself off and filed it mentally to “this might be interesting” but didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. After my online dating adventures, I’d really been learning patience and how not to get my hopes up.

We returned from Minnesota and immediately went back to work after being off for a couple of short months. It was nice to be back in a daily routine. Being single, I work as much as possible. Overtime is something I eat up as I am trying my best to get out of debt and I do not really like being at home by myself for long periods. It just happened to be one evening, working late at the hospital that I was talking with Kim about Virginia (Gia is what everyone calls her). She was telling me all the ways she was trying to come up with for us to meet. Razorback games, dinner at her house and the list went on and on. She was determined. I just finally gave in and told her “just give her my number. Tell her to text me and we can get the awkward parts out of the way.” In a few minutes, Gia responded with something to the effect of “hey. This is your friend’s psycho friend she is dying for you to meet.” It was just crazy from there. We texted back and forth for the next 2 hours. The next weekend she was not able to meet up. She was taking her niece on a girls-only outdoor trip to Petit Jean. They were seeing the sights, backpacking, hiking and just spending time together. Apparently she claims she is the world’s greatest Aunt is doing her best to keep the title. That is awesome to me. First, she is an adventurous person, loves the outdoors, and loves her family enough to go out of her way to do things with them. That was a green flag for me. Although we had never met, that was someone in which I could see myself.

Gia — It had been so long since I’d sent any pictures to Kim to share with Joey, I didn’t think anything was going to happen. I’d still been doing the online thing, going on several dates a week with some nice men but no one with whom I really felt a sincere connection that had the same interests I had. Then one rare, dateless evening at home, I got a text from Kim saying, “Here’s Joey’s number. He wants you to text him.” I called her to find out a little more, and I guess he wasn’t enjoying the online dating experience and was picking up more stalkers than potential mates. So, I texted him. (Please let the record show my first text was actually, “Hi! This is Kim’s friend, Virginia. I understand you don’t have enough stalkers and want another one.”) From that initial first text, the text conversation was on. I have never texted so much, so quickly in my life, like I did those first days and weeks. My thumbs quickly tired but it was so much fun. Talk about an instant connection about anything and everything where I cackled at everything. Among the millions of tidbits exchanged, we established we both love travel (domestic and international), love the outdoors, love our friends and family, love to be active just as much as we love to eat, and love God. I bombarded the man with questions, and he gamely answered all of them. Joey is a witty man, and I was at my witty best myself. The flirt was strong, and I couldn’t wait to meet this man in person. The following weekend, I headed down his direction to hike with my niece, Chloe. I had read an article that mentioned some of the hikes in Petit Jean as some of the prettiest in Arkansas, and I wanted to check them out via the Boy Scout Trail– a trail that combined many of the shorter trails in that park into one longer, 12-mile adventure.

That weekend I took off on my Adventure Motorcycle and rode all through the Ouachita’s. I ended up right in the middle of the Arkansas Traveler 100. This 100-mile foot race is off-road through the Ouachita National Forest. Once I got in the middle of all the runners, they were everywhere. I did not know if I was ever going to get out of there. I finally did and took off to Petit Jean (see where I am going with this?). I rode around the mountain and just had a great time relaxing and seeing the overlooks. I was around on the backside of one of the roads at an overlook, when I received a text from Gia. “I can’t find Chloe. We were hiking the Boy Scout Trail and ended up separated. I am back at the Lodge and she is not here. I do not know where she is.” My “I can fix everything in existence” part of me kicked in and said, “I am just a few minutes away. I will be right there and help you look for her.” I took off on my bike and was at the lodge in minutes. There we were. Together. We had spent many days texting back and forth and finally were able to meet each other face to face. We were not at our best. I had been out in the sun riding my bike all day and she had just hiked 14 miles in the scorching heat. We sat down in one of the common areas of the Lodge and talked. Chloe had just shown up so the worry was gone. I wondered if she had just told me that to get me there so she could scope me out in person. You know how women are, right? I made myself laugh with all my thoughts. She was so nice. We had a great conversation for a few minutes. I walked her back to her cabin so she could change into her bathing suit. She and Chloe were about to cool off at the pool. We said our goodbyes and that was the end of our first face to face meeting. I was impressed. She had just hiked further than I had ever hiked in one day. That was humbling. She took it so well. I know she was exhausted, but there was no quit in her. She was headed to swim and then had a dinner planned before bed. This was someone I was not used to, someone as adventurous or maybe even more adventurous than me? I did not think this person could exist, yet here she was.

Gia — The 12 mile adventure turned into a 14-mile one from some side trips down other paths to other scenic spots. It ended up getting well into the 90s that day and I was MISERABLE by the end of the trek, totally hot and uncomfortable. My feet were aching and swollen in my hiking boots. I was trekking slower and slower so told Chloe that she could feel free to finish the last few miles on her own. I made it back to the cabin, completely expecting her there. Alas, she was nowhere to be found. I changed into sandals (bliss!), and quickly ran over to Mather Lodge, sure she’d be in that location. She wasn’t. At that point, I was getting more than a little panicked. We’d split up over an hour before and though each of us had taken plenty of water and both had maps, I knew she had to be getting low on water by that point in the hot and muggy day. I texted Joey that I couldn’t find her and started talking to the park workers at the Lodge. Joey immediately responded he was just a few minutes out and on his way. Right when one of the park workers was calling the rangers to alert them to a possibly missing hiker, a red, hot, sweaty Chloe came running in the front doors of the lodge, saying, “I’m here! I’m here! I knew you had to be freaking out! I’m sorry! I took a wrong turn out of the trail.” Whew! Crisis averted! She made her way back to the cabin to change into her swimsuit (both of us still needed to cool off, badly) and I waited at the lodge for Joey on some couches. I saw him before he saw me when he walked in the wide double doors, so I had a chance to take a few deep breaths and quell that initial burst of excitement at seeing him. He was even cuter in person, his tattoo peeking out from under the sleeve of his shirt and his eyes so gentle, his smile so kind. I was instantly smitten. He made his way over to me, we did the side-hug thing, and he joined me on the couch. I wanted that moment, laughing and chatting on the couch, to last forever. I told him his tattoo was bitchin’ (ha), he told me about getting hot in his leathers. We walked back to the cabin so I could change into my swimsuit. We detoured by his adventure bike on the way to the pool. Nope. Seeing his bike and hearing him talk about his day didn’t add to my smitten state at all. Ha. We chatted for a few more minutes by the pool, and he headed out. Chloe, watching us, said as soon as he left, “Is that the guy you’ve been talking to? He’s so cute.” Ha. I agreed and said, “He’s also the nicest and most interesting. He came as soon as I told him I couldn’t find you and he’s been riding his motorcycle all day.” Both of us were impressed.

A week or so later, I made my way up to northwest Arkansas where we had our first official date. She planned for us to go out to Hobbs State Park and do a short hike together, then afterwards dinner. The next day we went out to Crystal Bridges where she walked and showed me the mountain biking trails. It was a great first date together. It was during this time where I realized we were as compatible as Kim had thought. We were into the same things. We loved the outdoors, cared about family and our relationship with God. We thought often about eating healthy and taking care of our bodies. We loved the same things and really got along great.

Gia — To say I was excited when Joey asked me on a date would have been an understatement. I think my entire apartment complex heard my “YES!” when I saw that text from him. I planned some adventures to appeal to his outdoorsy, gear-headed nature, with a hike at Hobbs and then an excursion to Duluth Trading Company before supper. The time passed way too quickly and before I knew it, he was giving me a tour of Little Girl, his FJ, before he hopped in and headed home. I loved seeing his passion for how he had outfitted her. I could tell this was a man with vision and drive. I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time we were together, and conversation just flowed. He was also a person you could be silent with, and the silences weren’t awkward at all. That’s an important feature to find in an adventure buddy– that you can be quiet together and soak in the moments. It was such a relief to know that we were who we said we were, and we were just as compatible regardless of the medium of communication. The person that we were in person was the same person we were in text, and the connection we had was just as strong. We thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company– hanging out in my apartment, hiking, driving, waiting for our name to be called at the restaurant– every moment was memorable. I was ready for our next adventure.

From there, the ball had started rolling. She came down to central Arkansas and we went out for the first time in the FJ. My co-worker (and relationship Coach), Mrs. Campbell had told me, “Slayton. You better find you some girl that’ll pee in the woods.” I just laughed and went on. This day it was pouring down rain. It was just gloom and doom outside, but we decided to make the best of it. We headed west towards the Ouachita National Forest to explore and do some off-roading.

It started disappointing as the clouds set in and you could not see anything. I admired how she made the best of it and kept saying how the clouds were so beautiful how they were nestled among the trees. She was so positive and just showed me how she enjoyed nature, no matter the weather. It was not long until she looked at me and said, “My coffee has taken me to my limit. The next place you find to pull off, I have to pee.” But it is pouring down rain! She did not care. Away she went, coming back in a few minutes just as happy as she could be. This was different. This was unexpectedly different in a good way. It just makes for a good day when you are with someone who sees the good in everything and wants to be there in the outdoors. It makes a difference when little things do not bother them and they can roll with whatever is going on.

Gia — I made my first trip to Central Arkansas knowing it was going to pour and not caring a bit. I knew Joey and I were the kind of people that could make something interesting and enjoyable regardless of weather. We can find the opportunity for joy in almost anything. (Except lines. Joey doesn’t find joy standing in lines.) I think that’s an important part of adventuring– you don’t need a ton to be comfortable, and you can turn anything into a party because so many adventures you make from the grab-bag life hands you. Things don’t have to be perfect to still be really, really good. I was so excited to spend the day exploring in the FJ. I love a good drive– sometimes I’ll de-stress by driving a little too fast on backroads with the radio blaring and then all is right again in my world. I loved that day– seeing what brought Joey joy and experiencing his passion for exploring. He showed me his favorite hidden lakes and campsites, little-known, out-of-the way spots tucked into the Ouachitas. We couldn’t see any far-off views but the immediate forest around us was enchanting–the evergreens were dripping as the mist rolled through them. I impressed him by peeing in the rainy woods without making a big deal about it. We stopped for lunch in a little town and he had to use his emergency check for lunch because the small restaurant didn’t take cards. What a prepared adventurer– a check for emergencies! I think dating an adventurer also means dating someone who is able to be fully present in the moment because that’s part of adventuring– making the most of each moment and getting everything out of what life has to give. And, it’s a treat to be with someone who is fully present with you. Joey was. I think that being fully in the moment is also the secret to contentment. Joey also has the knack for making anything fun. He’s hysterical and his dry, colorful commentary kept me in stitches. Color me contented– I loved that day exploring with Joey.

During that soggy day, I asked the question, “What are you planning to do over Thanksgiving?” Both of us work at schools and have the same schedules. I knew she would be off that entire week and did not know if she had traditions or whatever to do that week. I have traditions that I have to adhere to, but only on Thanksgiving Day and the Saturday afterwards. The beginning of the week, I have five days to kill and had planned to go somewhere off. It is not often we get several days off in a row, so when that comes I like to take that time and plan an extended adventure. I had planned to go to Santa Fe, NM. I had been through that area a few years ago, and really thought it was an amazing place. I wanted to go back there and spend some time just seeing what there was to do around there. I mentioned that to her and she was in. She wanted to go. She wanted to take the chance and go with me on this adventure. I think I want to take that same chance as well and ask her to come along. I think it will be a fun trip, but it would be a much more fun trip to go with someone and have someone to share that time with. It was on. We were going. I started researching all the places and planning the days. She could not be more excited. I was the same way. Her excitement is contagious. To date someone who loves adventure as much as you do is like getting a boost of energy. It lifts you up. It makes it where you want what you already wanted that much more. I could not wait to head out on this trip with her.

Gia — It didn’t feel like it was too early to start planning a trip together. Though we’d only been together in person a total of one brief meet at Petit Jean and two longer weekends, we communicated copiously, texting each other multiple times throughout the day, chatting at night. I usually spent a few hours curled up on the couch every evening, talking with Joey while he worked as a police officer, doing patrol at the hospital or at other locations around town. Our phone conversations included discussions about what we wanted to do in Santa Fe and sending each other links for each other to look at while we were chatting. We were receptive and open to each other’s ideas. It was obvious in our planning that we were pretty like-minded and each of us wanted to see and do as much in Santa Fe and the surrounding areas as possible without making ourselves miserable from exhaustion. Plus, I was excited about the possibility of camping with him in the FJ. I’d camped TONS but never in a roof top tent with basically a full kitchen in his FJ, and I was champing at the bit for that experience. In between the time we decided to head to Santa Fe together and the time we actually went, we enjoyed many more adventures in person together on the weekends, hitting up state parks and getting in loads of scenic miles hiking. I was losing my heart to this man and couldn’t wait to spend more time with him.

The Santa Fe trip was amazing. We had such a great time. It did not matter whether we were having a picnic at the FJ in the parking lot of a National Park, hiking a trail, visiting a New Mexico Grocery Store or being reverent inside one of the Cathedrals, Churches or places of worship we visited. It did not matter whether we were eating a nice meal or heading off down a trail in the Carson National Forest, wheeling in 15 inches of snow. It did not matter whether we were looking at food in the isles of Trader Joes, or sitting in our cabin reading a book. We were content no matter where we were.

Sharing this time, experience and memories with someone who has the same likes and hobbies as you makes it that much more special. Being with someone as adventurous as you makes the trip easier, more relaxing and more enjoyable. I really do not think we could have had a better time while we were there. Although we were not Overlanding or Camping, we were staying in a camping cabin which was about as close to it as possible. We had to hike about 100 yards to the bathroom, and she did it multiple times a night in the freezing cold and never complained. It was a good test, letting me know how she would do on future trips (where we camped in the FJ with no amenities whatsoever).

Gia — Joey was afraid that the low, low temperatures at night might be a bit much for my first time camping in the FJ, so he booked us a little cabin at a KOA. Most nights we’d return from our adventures, peel off our outer layers, change into cozy shoes, make supper if we hadn’t already eaten (he had so many neat stoves to show and use), chat about the day (laughing about everything), and share pictures. After supper, we’d head to the shower house to clean up and then usually finish the evening reading before a relatively early bedtime. IT WAS BLISS. We explored in town and out of town. We ate at interesting places. We hiked so much and took every opportunity to see as much as we could at each National Park we visited. We took his FJ, Little Girl, to play in the snow in the Carson National Forest, spending a memorable day overlanding. We were active and gathered no moss as we rolled through Santa Fe, hitting the hay pretty early and then waking early. We were in Little Girl, ready to roll, usually by eight am each morning. I have traveled with people before who had a completely different travel philosophy, and it is an exercise in frustration. I remember a trip in college with girlfriends to Europe. They wanted to stay up late and sleep late. By the time they rolled out of bed each day, most of the sights we wanted to visit were only open a few more hours. It was so frustrating to travel all that way and miss so many opportunities to explore. By sharing the same philosophy of making the most of the opportunity in Santa Fe, Joey and I were able to better coordinate our expectations and schedules. And, Joey looked for every opportunity to show me he cared about me– little things like always carrying the water and the daypack, pointing out interesting views, making coffee for me each morning, finding yummy snacks for me to try and sharing all his food, reaching across the FJ to hold my hand, capturing photos of me to share with me later, constantly finding ways to make me laugh. I was falling head over heels with this man because everything was so easy and fun. I truly had that feeling when you are just “getting” each other and when you really “feel felt”, knowing that you are seen, understood, and appreciated. This trip gave us more of a chance to see, understand, and appreciate each other as adventurers and see just how similar our hearts and spirits were. He was learning my heart like the back of his hand.

From there we spent Christmas together with family and then headed down to South Texas to enjoy several days (including New Year’s) at Big Bend National Park. This was our first time camping out of the FJ Cruiser. I had not made reservations anywhere and we were about to just fly by the seat of our pants. We left at 3 a.m. and drove 14 hours arriving just outside of Big Bend in Study Butte, TX at 5 p.m. We pulled in to Coyote Crossing (a place I had found on HipCamp) and set the tent up. Gia was just as happy as she could be. She had been looking forward to staying in the FJ and learning the whole Overlanding/Car Camping thing and the time had finally come. We stayed for 5 days, moving from here to there, staying in Hip Camp places and in the park down on the River Road on the border. We hiked many hikes and saw many sites. No matter what we did, she was happy and excited to be there. We showered outside and paid $5 to shower at an RV park. We never ate out. We had picnics inside the FJ for lunch and I cooked dinner at the FJ each night. We did not eat out one single time until we stopped at Popeye’s for some chicken on the way home. She is now hooked. This hiker, adventurous outdoors lady has now discovered this amazing Overlanding lifestyle and cannot wait to go the next time. It does not matter where. It just matters that it is with me and it matters that we go. That is amazing to me. Finding someone, dating someone who absolutely loves what you do, and your lifestyle is life changing. It makes life much more enjoyable and fun. It makes it where you look even more forward to that next trip, that next adventure.

Gia — We said “I love you” to each other for the first time on a long walk on a cool day in December shortly after we returned from Santa Fe. We had already made plans to head to Big Bend National Park just after Christmas. (I tried to talk him into Michigan but he balked at the cold. Ha.) We spent the weekends prior to Christmas break exploring our areas together, getting in lots of hiking, and meeting each other’s families. We celebrated Christmas with each other’s families on different days and then headed south early on the 27th. Joey is hand’s down the very, very best driver I know. He is so adept behind the wheel which makes not just Overlanding so fun but also makes highway trips more enjoyable. The man has skills. He had gifted me decks of cards with questions on them for Christmas, and we passed the time by taking turns answering random, fun questions. We arrived at a spot he’d stayed in before that he’d found on the HipCamp website, and I enjoyed my very first evening camping out of the FJ. Joey took such good care of me. He was so patient as I figured out this new kind of camping. He set up the tent, taught me how to put together the chair he packed for me, made a quick meal of breakfast for dinner, and then hiked with me up the short rise to watch the sunset together. After sunset, we sat for a few moments, relishing the silence, reading our Kindles, and looking at the stars. The long travel day soon caught up with us, and we headed for bed in the rooftop tent. I LOVED sleeping in the tent. It was so fun and made me feel like a kid in the most comfortable clubhouse imaginable. I have found that the less you need to be comfortable, the better off you’ll be when traveling and adventuring. That’s what adventuring is so many times– figuring out how to have fun when you don’t have everything you are used to at home. I’ve found that Joey is an expert in making do with what he has and getting joy from anything. I find his approach to life so attractive and refreshing and one that I share. It wasn’t a hardship for me that the bathroom was a pit toilet and a short trek away. It didn’t bother me that showers weren’t readily accessible. Joey did so much to make those inconveniences negligible. Wet Ones will do for a few days. Ha. Plus, Joey had a spiffy little shower that we used one evening and another time we paid $5 to use a shower at an RV park. As far as more typical adventures– We off roaded in Big Bend. We hiked almost every day. We drove through all the little nearby towns and explored. He made me tacos almost every night. (Tacos are my love language, and THE MAN CAN COOK.) We picnicked during the day as we traveled from one adventure to the next. It was like our time in Big Bend was a sponge, and together Joey and I wrung out every drop. Joey was so excited to show me everything he loved about that area, and I was eager to experience it with him. Yes, we were sharing adventures. But, as we did that, we were sharing our hearts.

Now we have been dating several months. We plan every weekend we can together. We go hiking. We drive around exploring in the FJ. We have backpacking trips we are planning, along with float trips and other outdoor adventures. This is the life. This is living the dream. This is love. This is dating someone who shares the same passions, loves, dreams and goals that you do. It makes life that much more enjoyable. Yes, I go to the outdoors to get away from people and enjoy the peace and quiet, but I also know that life is so much better when shared with someone. When that someone is someone you love and want to be around and be with, then the experience you receive when you are living that dream of life makes it where it is almost too good to put into words.

Here’s to a life full of adventures here there and everywhere. Here’s to dating an Adventurer.

You can follow Joey (the BROFESSOR) mainly on Instagram at

BROfessor Adventures and Gia on IG at @hopefullyeverafter