Bria and Michael first met on a camping trip in Moab in the fall of 2016. Through the next four years, biking/camping trips in various places (mostly Moab) were their common denominator, and they remained friends while pursuing separate goals. Mike bought and remodeled a home, and Bria started graduate school to become a nurse practitioner.
During the summer of 2020 when outdoor activity was about the only social interaction allowed, Mike and Bria went on bike rides about once a week.
For Bria, these rides were a decompression from all the stressors of working in the ICU during the early days of the pandemic, the social unrest, and the final months of her graduate program. She treasured Mike's lightheartedness, his understanding, and his listening ear. She'd be lying if she told you she didn't develop a crush over the summer.
For Mike, these rides were the highlight of his week. He enjoyed getting to know Bria better, and it was nice to have a weekly ride with someone that consistently showed up. Bria was on a new bike, and the level of stoke she had was something Mike had never before seen from her. Looking back on it, the outcome was inevitable, although he was oblivious at the time.
Finally, when summer was winding to a close, so, too, was Bria and Mike's relationship as just friends. They were planning a trip to Moab and Durango to mountain bike (what else?), and Mike decided it was time to make his intentions known. At the top of Chimney Gulch before starting the descent, Mike asked Bria out on a date...
And she said yes, of course! They had ice cream from Sweet Cow (yes, to begin!), pizza from Kaos, followed by beers and bingo at Grandma's House, all walkable from Bria's house in Platt Park. The conversation was easy and the sparks were flying. Three days later, they took off for an eight day trip together to really test the waters.
Spoiler alert: they never got sick of each other. In fact, they really, really liked each other.
After two years of being nearly inseparable while playing in the mountains, Mike decided it was time to seal the deal. In true Mike fashion, he got down on one knee before descending one of their favorite mountain bike trails. And Bria said YES, OF COURSE.
Thank you for being a part of our story! We are so excited to celebrate with you!