Chris says, “Amanda tells this story much better than I do, so I’ll just get out of the way and let her tell it.”

Our story starts on September 30th, 2013 in Sardinia, the island off the west coast of Italy. We met by chance as two singles on a Mediterranean cycling tour. We got to know each over this week and a half of cycling over the mountainous landscape of Sardinia and Corsica. We parted ways as friends and returned to our separate homes; mine in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles and his in Mountain View, Santa Clara (Bay Area). We reconnected over my Christmas holiday in the Bay Area. Thank you Lauren Friedly for not showing up to our group dinner, which allowed Chris and I to have our first unofficial date.

After that Christmas dinner, Chris had several good excuses, I mean “reasons”, to come visit Los Angeles. This included seeing the Endeavor space shuttle and a Cirque de Soliel show in Santa Monica. After these visits and weekly gifts that Chris would send to my work, we decided to throw caution to the wind and started dating. Luckily Chris’ job allowed him to visit for a week at a time, which helped with the pains of a long distance relationship.

During our dating we were able to introduce each other to our respective river places. I grew up on the desert beaches of the Colorado River with the Oram Family:

Chris on the picturesque shores of Round Island on the Saint Lawrence River with the Hoehn Family:

Luckily we both passed each other’s “river test”. Over the remaining portion of 2014 we went on our first ski trip to Tahoe, attended a 25 year high school reunion, and traveled half way around the world to the Maldives Islands.

We also had a competition of who came from a smaller town. Middlebury, CT vs. Leona Valley, CA. I won; probably the only award Leona Valley will ever win, but I love my home.

Then on Monday, September 22nd, Chris proposed to me on my balcony over looking the Pacific Ocean at sunset with champagne. It was perfect, thoughtful, and sincere. On December 1st I moved my job and life to join Chris in Mountain View, CA. It is such a pleasure to finally be living in the same zip code. We are staying busy putting the house together, planning our wedding and the honeymoon, which will include a cycling tour through Sicily, Italy with the same cycling company we originally met on.

We are very excited for 2015 to unfold, and it would be our pleasure to share our special day with you.