We met briefly in early 2014 through a mutual friend in Bend, Oregon, and then went our separate ways for nearly a year. We reconnected again that winter, and made plans to go splitboarding in the hills above Bend. We got to know each other on long marches through snow covered slopes above Bend, spiked with powdery turns and magical tasty treats handmade by Paul. Paul had a pretty good idea that Amy was something special. It was easy to just hang out and chat about what we enjoy, our various adventures, and the things in life we feel are important. Amy got to see what a wonderful human Paul is- silly, playful, hard-working, honest, and a fantastic companion in the mountains. It took months of backcountry adventures, hand-tossed fresh pizza doughs, Chinese acrobats, and dinner and drinks at local restaurants for Paul to finally woo Amy into a first kiss. By then, Raleigh (Amy’s Wonder Mutt) had already fallen in love with Paul over long hikes through the woods, and Amy followed suit shortly after.

We dated in Bend for about a year and a half, during which time Paul bought a small house in Bend, and Amy decided to move forward with her plan to go to grad school. In 2016, Amy moved to Spokane for 2 years to get a degree in Occupational Therapy while Paul stayed in Bend to work on his house and continue cheffing. Long distance relationships are never easy, but we managed to skid into the finish line when Amy finished up school in late 2018. By the time Amy had wrapped up grad school, Paul had been offered a position as a chef at a new restaurant opening in Carbondale, Colorado. It was the right move for Paul, and Amy figured she’d be starting anew wherever she went, so why not give Colorado a try. Colorado has been good to us. We’re living in downtown Glenwood Springs, where we can walk, bike, or skip to all sorts of delights. Paul’s restaurant business continues to thrive and expand, and Amy has found ways to put her OT degree to good use. The mountains, trails, and rivers here offer up an endless playground of big and small epic adventures, and we've only just begun exploring them.

After about 7 years together, we figured we’d try on something neither of us has done before. Since we want our adventure team, The SnotRockets, to be together forever anyway, Paul got on a knee and proposed marriage, Amy said “sure”, and we’re charging forth. We hope you can come and celebrate with us, as part of our extended family of friends and fellow adventurers.