Kristen Finds a Ring in a Clifftop Geocache

Let me introduce you to TJ Habel.

His family and my family have been friends for around 20+ years.  He’s an all-in kinda guy. Here’s one illustration: picture him bungee jumping in New Zealand and — instead of slowly falling off the bridge platform — jumping as high as he can, so that his body literally goes head first (up to his waist) into the river rapids below. If there is an extreme sport out there he has dabbled in it. So when TJ told me his proposal plan and asked if I would document it, I knew it would be a good one.

We met up before and hiked out to the Conservancy River Bluffs in La Crosse and he showed me the cliff where he had created a geocache a week prior. This was also a memorable spot for him and Kristen from years ago. He then hiked back down while I waited, and hoped the rain that was forecasted would stay away. While I was waiting, the rain came up over the other side of the river valley and drenched half of La Crosse but miraculously veered south and missed the spot — where TJ would propose — completely.

To add a TJ element to the story… during that scouting trip, after he reached the cache, the top of the box caught wind and dropped part way down the 200ft cliff so he had to climb down to get it (rope not included).  I really wish I would have moved to the best angle to illustrate the height, but I was way too concerned that he would need a hand (and I really didn’t want him to die, an hour before he was planning to propose).

So long story short:

He didn’t die!
He asked her to marry him.
She said yes!
They planted two oak trees (beside each other, so they can train them to intertwine as they grow).
And then, the next day, they went to Mali, Africa.

Congrats, guys!

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Engagement