*Paparazzi paparazzi* *Flash flash flash* 

Me: No, please, no pictures.  

Random Stranger: Cale, Cale! Can you please tell us how you came up with all these ideas. 

Me: No questions please, I’m a very busy man.

Another Random Stranger: Wait, please, do you have any other fun date ideas that you could share with us?

Me: Hmmmmm, well, actually I do…

You best buttress your britches, secure your sandals, and clasp your caps because your one and only friendly neighborhood love doctor is back at it again with THREE, you heard me right, THREE new and improved date ideas from least to most expensive that will leave you absolutely gobsmacked. 

Picnic and Kites!

So one day I was going on my daily outdoor jaunt and happened across a kite, a picnic basket, and a blanket. And I thought to myself: “By golly, I’ve got a splendid idea!” 

So here’s what you do: Call up a friend or 3 and schedule a day that has a safe amount of wind. BUT NOT TOO MUCH! Then, you bring a kite or 2 and pack a picnic. Find a field and enjoy a fun, relaxing day of eating food and lazily watching a piece of fabric glide through the sky. It’s actually surprisingly mesmerizing and would be even more fun with someone your age to share the experience with. 

Make sure you pack some card games and party snacks too. If the kite gets boring—which it shouldn’t!—it’s always good to be safe.

This activity only costs as much as you are willing to spend on kites. Unless you already have some, then what are you waiting for!? Steal some food from your parents’ pantry (respectfully) and go on a date!

Sidewalk Chalk!

Okay, hot take… Sidewalk chalk is underrated. When’s the last time you drew something on concrete legally? Huh? Huh? Yeah that’s what I thought. It’s probably been a while. Well, let Cale Montoya, the mastermind of all masterminds, nudge you in the right direction. 

Here’s what you need to do: First, calculate the amount of steps it takes to walk 3.2 miles per hour to a structure an “x” number of miles away (your nearest dollar store) and then pursue the journey. –That’s just a fancy way to say: “go buy sidewalk chalk.” 

Then, set the scene. Normal sidewalk chalk sessions can be kind of bland and boring without certain items. You definitely need music on a decent sized speaker playing something relaxing and maybe something you can sing to. Then, you need chips and dip… or just chips. Chips never fail. Finally, set up a spike ball, trampoline, or cornhole in case it starts to feel like it’s going in one direction. (Which is also a safe band to play on a chalk date — I’d recommend: “Everybody wants to steal my chalk” or “That’s what makes your chalk art beautiful.”)

Together, with chalk, chips, yard games, and a date, a sunny day of friendly competition and glorious Van Gogh-like chalk art will challenge even the most expensive date… Which, you should be able to tell by now, this is not. 

Momentum Indoor Climbing!

Alrighty, moving on to a slightly more expensive date: Momentum Indoor Rock Climbing. If you have not been here, YOU MUST GO!!

Momentum has always been good to me. If you are a fan of rock climbing or bouldering, Momentum is the place to go. You can rope climb with harnesses and up to 70 feet in the air, or you can boulder, which is freestyle climbing about 10 feet off the ground and with padded flooring.

Here’s the catch… At Momentum you gotta have one person climbing and one person holding the rope/repelling you down (we call this “belaying”). I sense a perfect number here. It takes two to tango, two to rope climb, and most importantly, two to go on a date! 

I’ve also been on a double date here. It’s fun to race against a friend while the other two are keeping you safe. In fact, this has “group date” written all over it. 

Something to note is that it is fairly expensive… if you are not climbing certified, they do require you to take a quick 1 hour class on safety and climbing responsibly. Then after that you can set aside a time to go for two hours of climbing. 

Price ranges vary between $20 per person for a climbing day pass (plus $5 for rentals), or $9 for a day pass with special deals. Some deals can be made based on emailed coupons and the time of day that you go. Make sure you do your research! (https://www.momentumclimbing.com/sandy/)

Oh and, word of the wise, don’t go too crazy on your first couple of climbs. Take it slow, because two hours of climbing is a long time and there is a high possibility that you will get tired quickly if you overdo it. I’ve learned from experience and paid the price when I couldn’t even squeeze a ketchup bottle the day after!

Momentum is definitely on the list of guaranteed top 10 dates to enjoy. Mind the price and the location (the one in Sandy is my favorite). Go have fun, and if you meet a friend that can climb better than you can, marry them on the spot! –Jokes of course 😉 

*Paparazzi paparazzi* *Flash flash flash* 

Me: Thank you everyone. Thank you.

Well, here’s where I say goodbye. Your friendly neighborhood love doctor must retire. I hope you enjoyed all of the fun dating articles this year and can put them to good use in the future. It’s time to leave it on the shelf. See ya out in the dating world! 🙂

Cale Montoya