Petoskey

Petoskey will always hold a special place in my heart. I’ve been going there for as long as I can remember, and it’s where some of my most cherished memories with my Grandma Sue took place.

My Grandma was quite the adventurer herself, having travelled all over Europe and the Middle East, until at the ripe old age of 67 (in 1989, the year of my birth) she decided to move Up North to the middle of nowhere. Many of my best childhood memories are from Grandma’s cabin, including the traditional shopping trips to Petoskey, a mere hour drive away.

As a kid, my favorite part of Petoskey was the many toy stores (obviously), but as I’ve grown I have come to appreciate Petoskey even more for its gorgeous scenery, nestled on Little Traverse Bay, and its fantastic restaurants.

It seemed all too perfect that Petoskey be the place for me to propose to the love of my life, Leeann. My happiest memories are from there and the surrounds, so why not add another?

Sadly, Grandma Sue passed away in 2004, but I know that she would have absolutely adored Leeann. The image I forever hold on to of my Grandma is that of a strong, adventurous, independent woman, and I know that she would be proud of me for finding an equally strong woman in Leeann.

The Proposal

For anyone that knows Leeann, you’ll instantly recall how planned and regimented everything about her life is. For those of you that know me well, you will remember just how opposite I am in that respect. Keeping that in mind, I decided to embark on a Michigan road trip with Leeann. Although the trip was planned out, and I knew I would propose on it, I did not know when or where. I decided to leave it for the “perfect moment” (sorry for the cliché).

The proposal in Petoskey, Michigan

I had but one requirement for the proposal, and that was capturing it on camera. I probably should have thought ahead for this part and planned to have a photographer, but fate played a perfect hand.

The idea was to sit by the bay and eat some delicious cheese and crackers. The moment felt perfect, so I went back to the car to “grab some socks.” A group of older people was walking by, and I didn’t trust them with operating the camera. The next option was a young father and his two young children. I ran up to him with a camera and quietly said “I’m going to go propose to her, can you take pictures.”

Quite a gamble in hindsight, but as you can see above, I couldn’t have planned for a better photographer.

The Couples Travel Basecamp

I could say a million and one things about Petoskey. The bay, the restaurants, the adventures with Grandma. But now I can add one more special memory to my long list, and I’m glad I started out Leeann’s Petoskey memories on a high note.

The ring

No matter where our adventures take us, traveling the world, hiking the Inca Trail, or road tripping Africa, I will always default back to Petoskey as a safe “home” in my memories.

~Max

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