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new family: Looking forward in the Grand Canyon.
Photo Kennley MontRoSe
Dustin
&
Katie urban
reAL eStAte deveLoperS, proFeSSionAL FreeStYLe kAYAkerS
BuENA ViSTA, COLORADO
Competitive freestyle kayakers dustin and katie urban have travelled and
paddled in South America, Canada and across the u.S. together, they
work to develop and market South main, an eco-conscious, outdoor lifestyle
oriented real estate development that katie co-founded in their home of
Buena vista, Colorado. Yet the pair says their greatest accomplishment as a
couple has been the birth of their five-month-old son, heron.
Falling in Love: Some romances Romantic Ideal: “i think marriage
are like the approach to a big is a great declaration of love,” says
drop: sensed at a distance yet still
Katie, “it’s a family of our own that
creeping up with surprising speed
we’re creating.” An important part
and intensity. Such was the courtship
of the couple’s relationship is getting
of Katie Selby, 32, and Dustin heron
outside and sharing adventures. So
urban, 24. The pair first met at the
what would be the perfect romantic
World Freestyle Championships in
getaway? “if i came home from work
2001 when Dustin was just 17, but
and Katie had the truck packed and
the sparks didn’t fly until four years
ready to go paddling on one of our
favourite creeks, that would be the
later at the Teva mountain Games
most romantic thing ever,” Dustin says.
in Vail, Colorado. Katie, who is eight
years Dustin’s senior, remembers Secret to Success: “i know a lot
being surprised at the youthful of couples have friction on the river
kayaker’s persistence. “i didn’t even
but we love paddling together,”
realize he was hitting on me in
says Katie. Sharing this passion
the beginning,” she recalls. “i was
and supporting each other at a
settled and working in Colorado
competition or above a tricky line
and Dustin was still in college
is one of the most important parts
out east. i almost didn’t give it a
of their relationship she explains.
chance.” Nevertheless, the pair had
Juggling the demands of work,
undeniable chemistry and spent
starting a family and training
for another season of freestyle
the next week falling in love. “my
competition, the biggest challenge
nomadic kayaking lifestyle ended
for this ambitious couple is finding a
romances before,” says Dustin, “but
balance. “We’re both so different,”
with Katie it was different.” Within
says Katie, “i’m always throwing
a couple weeks of returning home
crazy ideas out there. Dustin
to maine, he was on a flight back
balances me out—he’s calm, patient
west. “i convinced her to leave work
and he keeps me grounded.”
for most of the summer and come
travelling with me!” he remembers.
What’s Next: “We want to keep
Six months later they were engaged.
paddling every day in summer,” says
Dustin. “We bought a raft for family
float trips out our backdoor on the
Arkansas River and i’m hoping to
make the u.S. freestyle team again
Forget awkward dinners and average movies.
this year.” —V.m.
Score an awesome
play-date with these matchmaking sites and trips for adventurous singles:
Adventur
ous
Fitness-singles.com: Search by interest—
outdoor events and trips across north
including thousands of profiles in the canoe/
America for its 80,000-strong membership of
kayaker

kayak and whitewater kayaking categories—
adventurous singles.
seeks
in the international personal ads database,
river runners: take an Adventure date
or post your own profile for free.
paddling
whitewater rafting day trip with this Buena
Singleandactive.com: worldwide
vista, Colorado-based company. includes
soul mate.
members rate their favourite outdoor
admission to mt. princeton hot Springs
activities and fib about their hard bodies.
resort for an après paddle soak in case
the sparks fly while you’re pushing rubber.
meetmarketadventures.com: online
whitewater.net/adventuredates.html
community and outdoors club organizes
2 Rapid early summer 2009
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