Rose White: Search for a King (A Bachelorette Challenge) #12 Meet Darien

I work and live in San Myshuno.  I was born and raised here in this city.  I have never known anything different.  The smells, sounds, and sights are the same every day  .. concrete .. glass .. asphalt .. cars .. people.

Many say it is so beautiful and yes, I do suppose I can see why they would say so.  But for me .. I long for fresh air .. birds chirping .. green grass .. DARKness at night .. quiet .. yes, peace and quiet!

When I was approved to meet the princess and take her on a date I thought this is a great opportunity to live out a little bit of my dream.  Oh yes, I do know she IS a princess and probably I should be taking her to the theater or any one of our 5-star restaurants.  But I thought most everyone will do that and maybe she is tired of the same old thing too!  I eagerly began my research and made a plan for an outdoor travel adventure!

I eagerly began my research and made a plan for an outdoor travel adventure!

I let Officer Theis review my plan.  He approved it (I do think I detected a slight snicker while he was reading it).  I am confident it will be an adventure to remember!

I made rental arrangements at a beautiful campground in Granite Falls, rented a red Jeep (I might have been a bit too excited about this.  Here in San Myshuno we use transit trains.  Private vehicles are not practical and quite expensive) and was all packed up ready to go pick up Princess Rose White in Windenburg!

We needed supplies and gear.  Our first stop was DruTru’s Outdoor Pro Shop.

Shopping for gear was a bit overwhelming but I had my list that I got from the internet!

THANK YOU Google!

With the gear purchased and packed up, we were off.  Next stop was Granite Falls!

(I was excited but I was not sure about Rose).

Arriving at the campsite, we were both left speechless at the sight of its beauty.   The brochures and internet tour had done it no justice.

The soft sound of water lapping on the lake stones, the warm sun shining in the bright blue sky, and the sweet fragrance that hung in the air was a balm for my soul!

Add to all of this the incredible beauty who walked next to me .. I was overwhelmed!  This was all that I had longed for.

Thought we would try our hand at some fishing before dinner.

MMM fresh fish sounded amazing!

Fishing is harder than it looks and as it turns out neither of us is good at it.

So glad we had purchased some food before we left Windenburg.  Rose whipped us up an absolutely wonderful grilled chicken dinner!

A fast game of horseshoes was a perfect way to work off a bit of that meal!

(I was stuffed .. she is an amazing cook).

(Sadly she is also an amazing horseshoes player .. she beat me quite badly).

Ranger Stanley told us about the local hot spot the we “just needed to visit” while we were here, Ranger Stanley’s Hot Tubs run by none other than .. Ranger Stanley himself.

Both of us were up for a little night action so we got cleaned up and grabbed our suits …

(UH, roasting marshmallows was not what I thought of when he said hot spot.  But If she is happy … )

(AHHH this was more like it!  HOT SPOT indeed!)

When the Dj walked in … well .. she is not exactly like anything I have seen in the clubs I have ever been to.

I was seriously apprehensive,  she was OLD enough to be Ranger Stanley’s mother (actually it turns out that it WAS his mother .. it is a family business .. I guess).

BUT not to worry,  Grandma had skillz .. she had the place bumpin’ all night!

Ranger Stanley’s son, Junior, made Rose a drink he dubbed “The Princess Rose Special.”

I think she liked it!

In fact, I think she liked it a lot .. she had four!

“YEP!  I think it is time to get you back to camp little lady!”

“Holey Moley!   What are you doing?  You are going to kill yourself!”  I did not mean to shout but she scared me to death.

“Let’s just walk home Princess!  The stars are beautiful and I think you need the fresh air.”

(Plus I did not want her throwing up in the jeep).

I got her safely back to camp and tucked her in for the night.  “Good night Princess.”

We were scheduled to take a 6-hour train tour through Granite Falls that next am.  Despite Rose’s obvious “morning after” headache, we arrived before the train arrived.

It was quite an impressive sight as it pulled into the station “hovering over” the canyon below and belching smoke.  A massive thundering beast on thin lanky stilts that would carry us off on our next adventure.

Mountains, lakes, rivers and tree hurried past as we enjoyed the trains well-appointed cars.  As Rose declared, “This is definitely not roughing it in Granite Falls.”

Her eyes, brighter now, told me that her earlier discomfort had passed.

Just in time too!  I could smell the wonderful brunch being prepared in the dining car.  Good thing .. I was starving!

(A little hair of the dog that bit you, dear Rose.)

Arriving back at the station we began the decent into the canyon.  The hike took us over rocks and through tall weeds .. a precarious adventure for sure.

(I am so glad we did not get ticks .. I was praying the whole way down … NO ticks .. please no ticks.)

Ranger Stanley had his “people” set up a primitive camp for our use that night.

(I sure hope his “people” did not mean his mom.)

I would sneak a peek over at Rose every so often .. she seemed to be enjoying herself.

(UNLESS of course you don’t count her marshmallow roasting difficulties.  She might be a gourmet cook but she stinks at roasting marshmallows.  Fell off every time.  I just gave her mine.  I am not all that keen on marshmallows anyway.)

We clambered up out of the canyon bright and early.  There was still so much to pack into our last day in Granite Falls.

Up on the river bank we met one of Roses friends .. well actually a relative of her sister’s finance.  (I did not care much for him … he was a surly sort.)

“Hey you two, did you sleep well?’  Ranger Stanley approached flashing a bright smile.  We assured him we did.

“I brought you these trail maps.  Don’t want you getting lost!”  (He might as well have said “you city slickers”  because it was all there in his tone and demeanor.)

On our hike we wandered into this odd looking cave … dark and dank .. all covered with brambles.

(I know I said earlier that I wanted darkness but this is ridiculous.)

Rose wanted to rush forward and enter.  I could not let her go in first.  What if it was unsafe?

I eased in slowly … the smell of wet dirt and stone hit my nose .. what on earth was I doing?

Rose was beside me in an instant.  She showed no sign of trepidation at all!

(I confess I was a tad bit embarrassed by my own thankfully UNEXPRESSED concerns.)

We wandered around in there for a while.  Meet some wild woman named Bella.  She was looking for her friend who she said might have been eaten by cougars?

(You are welcome Zelly fans ** scroll to the end for more from this.)

While we assured her we had not seen any cougars (unless you count Ranger Stanley Mom in the bar last night), the conversation did little to alleviate my anxiety.

We found an opening and I quickly exited the cave.  Not a second too soon for me .. I am certain that I heard a low growl behind us.

Rose captured a new pet for her little brother Aster.  She thinks “he is just adorable” and she named him Clem.  I think he is a bug .. a really big bug!

(What else would be drawn to a princess but a DRAGON fly.)

The day was waning and the trip drawing close to its end.

Neither of us had caught a fish yet.   I so wanted that experience for the both of us!

We decided to give it another try.

I was first .. but I am not sure what kind of fish that it was so I tossed it back???

Finally .. finally Rose pulled in a beauty!   OHHH yes there would be grilled fish for dinner tonight!

“Come on sleeping beauty .. it is time to head for home.”

With a heavy heart, I drove her back to Windenburg and then I returned to my old city life.

Before we took off, Ranger Stanley gave us some snaps that he had taken of Rose and me.

“To remember your time here,” he said.

Like I could ever forget!  A beautiful girl in a beautiful place .. these memories will warm the corners of my mind for a very long time!

<< previous Rose White: Search for a King (A Bachelorette Challenge) #11 Meet Pace and Junior / next Rose White: Search for a King (A Bachelorette Challenge) #13 Meet Prince and Jesse>>

Rose White: Search for a King (A Bachelorette Challenge) (current) Table of Contents

TY Shari Algar for your fine gentleman Darien:

TY to the FAB builders who always make my stories shine!

Red Jeep poses 🙂 (the camping poses are from Sandy-sims as well)

Road trip pose pack by Sandy-sims

** Zelly’s sweet story

https://thedunsims.tumblr.com/post/161211986410/the-brambles