We continued onward and upward to the Paradise Park Loop Trail, which entailed a series of switchbacks and a steady incline. I was fine the entire hike until this point, not sure if it was the heat, my inability to carry a backpack or what, but I was crawling along. Eventually we made it, to a spot nestled between a creek and the overbearing views of Mt. Hood. I now understood why this was such a coveted location, you had running water, the mountain and a flat surface to set up shop.
This hike was a little more emotional than our previous ones, I think it had to do with the fact that Mike proposed....I think? And while I'm not one to air my life out there on the "interwebs", I was beyond surprised and ecstatic. We hiked up to a bluff after dinner to watch the sunset, Mike was brushing his teeth...which I don't know, I thought his breath was really terrible so I did not question this. I was snapping pictures away at the sunset (they were quite spectacular). After about 10 minutes of taking the same picture over and over again, Mike asked that I stop. Feeling somewhat annoyed, "Why should I stop, this is so beautiful!" I quipped, to him emphatically saying, "No Tory, seriously, stop taking pictures for a second." I then turned around to him getting down on one knee, "knee"dless to say I had no idea what was happening. I thought he was pulling a Jim & Pam move on me from The Office...ya know when they are walking down the street and Jim gets down on one knee and Pam starts freaking out and then he starts tying his shoelace...I immediately went there. But it turns out Mike wasn't tying his shoe, I'd like to give you more details but I pretty much blacked out after that. Here is all I can surmise what happened afterwards: I think Mike proposed and I think I said yes. Enjoy the photos. Cheers.
