I had just landed back in Colorado after a year spent ‘round the world. It wasn't long after I returned to Boulder, that I downloaded Tinder to see what was new… I saw a cute blonde guy with giant smile, a white puppy, and a photo of dangling house keys. (I thought, DANG does this guy have a house?) By the looks of his photos, he seemed to frequent the outdoors. I swiped right. I swiftly laid down the best pick-up line I could think of: “What’s your dog’s middle name?!” He replied “Gary. Her name is Lola Gary.” I knew right there we needed to meet. A day or so later, on June 28th, 2018, I biked to the Rayback cafe, trying not to sweat too much before the date. Across the way, was the blondie from the internet. (He was even cuter in real life) I grabbed a coffee from the bar and sauntered over to introduce myself. He was so charming and silly, I certainly couldn't concentrate on the design work I said I was there to do. We cackled together for what simultaneously felt like five hours and five minutes before we had to go. He was boisterous, present, extremely goofy, and wearing a green shirt that matched his eyes. Two of his pals showed up, Blaire and John, and we got along really well too (Shout out to first-date-wingmen! Love you!!). I told him about my upcoming river weekend with my friends, and he offered me his chicken costume that he conveniently had out in his car. I don’t know how to explain why and how this worked on me, but it did. At the end of the date we couldn’t stop nervously hugging, once, twice.... a third time?!!? I couldn’t wait to see him again. We spent the next 3 years falling head over heels for one another. Making homemade pasta, rock climbing, writing songs, camping, swing dancing, watching sun rises, performing, canyoneering, learning, camping, breaking bones, traveling, creating art, and cackling. I’ve known since the very very beginning that this sunshine creature, Steve, is my human. My human with a chicken costume.

By the summer of 2018 I was near my wits end with the Boulder dating scene. But to my luck a cunning blonde was returning to town after a year abroad and hadn’t heard much of the recent trend in dating apps :) A match. “Whats your dog’s middle name?” she asked. A rather odd opener, “It's Gary” and apparently that sealed the deal. Without much more small talk we decided to meet. “How about tomorrow?” Great! I remember bounding into The Rayback. I stopped at the bar to grab a drink and scout for the babe. And there she was, poised in a ray of sunshine. Long blonde hair framed gentle cheeks and a furrowed brow, eyes passionately fixed on her computer screen. Even more beautiful than the pictures I’d say. sweet. I made a b-line for the table and when her eyes caught mine I was pulled in like a tractor beam. A huge brilliantly blue-eyed tractor beam...durrrrrrr We hugged and I sensed something familiar. We sat and smiled. After that it was just like old friends. It was supposed to be a work date but that didn’t happen. I was enthralled with her trip and had to know everything. The next hour was a google earth tour; every small fishing town, the hardest part of her ride and where she heard Dan Reeder for the first time. Back and forth we went “I’ve been to Grindelwald too! Yes! I dive but never in the Galapagos?!? You nut!”. Later we were joined by my / now our dear friends, The Speakers. They had planned to work as well but couldn’t. They were just as tickled as I was. It felt like a double date we had been on a million times before. Except for this charming young lady who kept smiling at me. When it came time to leave and free Lola Gary from the walls of my (now our) home back in Golden we strolled out of The Rayback still dreamy and deep in conversation. We promptly planned another meeting (the following day) and when there were no more excuses we hugged –for a considerably long time–and upon retracting I asked, like an idiot… “Do you wanna hug again?”