In the fall of 2018, Rachel had just moved to Denver after college and Tyler had already been living in Colorado for a year. A mutual friend invited the two out climbing in Clear Creek Canyon one weekend, but it wasn’t love at first sight. Luckily fate had other plans.

A few months later, they were reunited on a bouldering trip to Hueco Tanks outside of El Paso, Texas. Between long days of climbing, cookouts under the stars, and dancing under the moonlight, something clicked. Bonding over their love of climbing and a shared desire for an unconventional, adventure-filled life, they quickly realized they had found something special together.

Six months later, they moved in together, and soon after made their way to Boulder, Colorado. Tyler spent his days building camper vans, while Rachel worked at her favorite brewery, Mountain Sun Pub. Life was good—but not adventurous enough. So naturally, they applied for work and holiday visas with a bold five-year plan to live and travel through Australia, New Zealand, and even Antarctica. Sadly, COVID had other plans for them.

When international travel plans fell apart, Rachel and Tyler pivoted and took their dreams on the road instead. They bought a van—lovingly named Baloo (it truly was the bare necessities)—and spent the next year and a half roaming the country in search of the perfect place to call home. In 2021, a visit to friends in Flagstaff, Arizona sealed the deal. By spring of 2022, they officially put down roots in Flag, later purchasing a five-acre homestead outside of town.

Today, Tyler is a firefighter with the Pinewood Fire Department, Rachel is a full-time painter, and their home is happily filled with two dogs (Spudley and Charlie), two cats (Cora and Leeloo), and five chickens. In May of 2024, Tyler popped the question in their garden—and now they’re ready to say “I do” in Kentucky, at the house where Rachel grew up, surrounded by their favorite people.