Kelly and Rich defying danger as they stand near the "Danger of Dead" point at Volcan Arenal in Costa Rica.  

Kelly and Rich Willis.

Rich was born 24 September 1967 while Kelly was born roughly one month later on 28 October 1967.  At the commencement of the Trip, each of Kelly and Rich are 31 years of age. 

Kelly was born in Detroit, Michigan, growing up principally in Bloomfield Hills and Rochester Hills Michigan.  She went to college at Michigan State University, graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing.  

Rich was born in Baguio, Philippines, and soon thereafter moved with his mother and father to the United States.  He grew up in Northern Virginia, in a place called Reston, and moved with his family in 1984 to Saline, Michigan, a small town outside of Ann Arbor.  Rich, like Kelly, went to college at Michigan State University, graduating in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Philosophy.  

Kelly and Rich met over 10 years ago while students at Michigan State University, just before they each were about to graduate.  At the time they met each of them was, coincidentally, on their way to law school.  He at the University of Michigan, and she at Wayne State University.

Upon graduating from law school in 1992, Kelly and Rich decided to head south, deciding on Atlanta as the place to begin their new lives and to start their careers.  Two years later, at 29 October 1994, they were married. 

Kelly and Rich have always enjoyed travel and challenges, often combining the two.  Together, and prior to the Trip, they have traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.  Among other things, during their varied travels they have:bungy jumped, together in tandem style, from the Kawarau Suspension Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand; successfully summitted Mount Rainier which, at 14,410 feet, is the highest glaciated peak in the Lower 48; and completed 5 marathons, consisting of the New York Marathon in ’93, ’95, and ’97,  the Chicago Marathon in ’98, and the Walt Disney Marathon in ’99.

At the time they each decided to take the Trip, each of Kelly and Rich were pursuing very successful legal careers; she as an Assistant District Attorney in Gwinnett County Georgia and he as a corporate lawyer with the prospect of soon making partner at Long Aldridge & Norman (see their web-site at www.lanlaw.com), one of the largest firms in Atlanta.