NEDERLAND — Popular opinion notwithstanding, politicians deserve love too, so this Valentine’s Day The Mountain-Ear offers a unique insight into the personal lives of two Nederland politicians and their significant others. 

Kristopher and Lindsey 

Photo courtesy of Kristopher Larsen and Lindsey Danforth

Kristopher Larsen—former Nederland Mayor, current Trustee, and current candidate for a seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents—recalls the many late winter nights when running for Congress, returning home too late and too exhausted to light a fire, only to wake up in a frigid bedroom the following morning. 

Now, a fire is kept warm at home for him by Lindsey Danforth, who herself has provided Nederland with her services as a Commissioner, a Trustee, and an expert Geographic Information System developer.

“One thing we do a lot is, one of us will say ‘teamwork…’ and the other goes ‘…makes the dream work.’ And then we high five,” Lindsey told The Mountain-Ear while sitting at the site of their first date, Ned General—though it had a different name back in 2018.

Photo courtesy of Kristopher Larsen and Lindsey Danforth

“I moved up here in 2017. I had bought my first house and was trying to find my community, and my neighbor, Linda Glasser, took me under her wing and convinced me to join the Planning Commission with her,” Lindsey explained. “A full year in and I realized that I had never met our mayor.” 

Despite both being on government boards for their town, and despite both being avid mountain bikers and cycle enthusiasts, the two kept missing each other at big town events, like Frozen Dead Guy Days, and joint sessions of their respective boards, where one of them would be absent for one reason or another. 

But eventually these two ships in the night matched on the dating app Bumble, which resulted in Lindsey connecting the dots, as Kristopher’s online dating bio highlighted that he was the mayor of Nederland.

Lindsey and Kristopher’s first date was at Salto and it lasted for five hours. The warm weather turned cold, and coffee out in the sun turned to lunch inside by the fireplace. Eventually, Kristopher remembered that he was keeping Joe Neguse waiting for a meeting, and he reluctantly ended the date at 3 p.m.

“We were trying to say goodbye, and we’re standing out by the traffic circle, and it starts to snow. I look up at him, thinking ‘kiss me, kiss me,’ and he goes ‘OK, see you later’ and he gives me a hug.” 

Kristopher obviously realized his mistake, as he quickly tried to invite Lindsey over for a home-cooked meal once his meeting with Neguse had ended. But, after receiving some advice from her friend and neighbor Linda, Lindsey declined Kristopher’s invitation and left him on the hook for a little while. 

“Two days after we met we had a board meeting, and she and Linda showed up and sat in the back row,” Kristopher said.

“And I was texting him, trying to distract him with messages like, ‘Who’s that handsome man up there,’” Lindsey laughed.  

The couple’s immediate comfort, attraction, and ease with being around each other made it hard for the two to spend any time apart, so they found ways to be in each other’s lives, even if it meant getting creative with work-related traveling responsibilities.

“I had planned an around-the-world trip, which I arranged around some traveling for work. I was going to fly first to Japan, then to Mongolia, then  Norway, then Iceland, then home,” Kristopher explained, “and I convinced Lindsey to come meet me in Norway, and it was only about eight weeks after we met. She flew into Oslo from the west, I flew in from the east, and then we camped across Norway for a week.” 

The two have gone biking on broken rental bikes through lead mining tunnels in Slovenia, and have enjoyed top shelf whisky and jazz in Japanese cafes.  

Kristopher proposed to Lindsey when they were in Belize, just 12 hours before Lindsey was secretly set to propose before a scuba diving expedition. Then, after a “low-key” wedding in Allenspark, where the bride and groom and their closest friends danced to the swinging sounds of The Pluckin’ Grassholes, the newlyweds spent a month hiking and exploring southern Utah. 

As for Valentine’s Day: “It’s kinda our thing,” Lindsey confessed. 

“We always cook something over the top, one of those things where you have to start the sauce three days in advance,” Kristopher detailed.   

“And every year I do water color valentines for him that are based on something that happened in the year. This year I’m working on two,” Lindsey said. “One year he took a photo a day, secretly, and then put them in a book for me; and another year he wrote a haiku a day for me.”

“I’m doing another big project for this year, Kristopher teased, “but I can’t say anything because it’s still a secret.” 

Billy and Zoe 

Photo courtesy of Kristopher Larsen and Lindsey Danforth

Billy Giblin has served as Nederland’s mayor for two terms, and volunteered for the town for several years prior to his mayoral run. He also works as coach of the Nederland Middle School Nordic Ski Team, while his partner of 19 years, Zoe Lewis, moonlights as a Nordic ski instructor at Eldora Mountain Resort. 

Like her husband, Zoe also serves the Nederland community, but in a much different context than as a public servant, as she helps others to manage their stress as a mental health therapist.  

Together, they’ve lived in the Peak to Peak area for almost an entire decade, residing now in Old Town with their 12-year-old son, Finley, seven-year-old daughter, Una, and one-year-old family dog, where they continue to enjoy date nights and outdoor adventures.  

“His irreverent sense of humor, and the way he adores our kids,” Zoe said to The Mountain-Ear when asked what about Billy makes her smile. “He’s also very cute when he’s running; and he is very happy and carefree when he’s skiing.”

“He’s very easy to talk to about big ideas. He’s a natural leader and he’s also very handy. Thank God it’s not just me trying to fix things in our house when they break,” Zoe continued to describe Billy’s intelligence, openness, youthfulness, and humor when talking about what she loved about him.

“Her smile!” Billy excitedly answered when asked what about Zoe made him smile. “Her excitement when she talks about big picture things. The way Zoe loves our kids. And her sense of humor. She is just such a very creative, loving, adventurous, deep, and caring woman—and an amazing Mom!” 

They’ve experienced so much in their lives together, from snapshot memories of river trips and traveling, to milestone moments like their engagement, their wedding, and the birth of their children.

“We initially met in January, 2007, at the East Grand School District office in Granby,” Billy started to tell their story. 

“I’ll admit, there was some mild flirting,” Zoe joked.

“We were both applying to be substitute teachers. Zoe had returned to Grand County after two years in the Peace Corps in Mozambique, and I had returned to Grand County after two years in Asheville working on the startup team of a new Wilderness Therapy program,” Billy said.

“A couple weeks later, we met again as I was moving into the upstairs apartment above Billy,” Zoe said. 

“We went to eat sushi in Winter Park without clarifying that we were going on a date, so Zoe dressed casually just in case, and I wore this fancy button-up shirt…”

“…Which is how I realized we were on a date,” Zoe laughed. 

They’ve also survived many challenges throughout their relationship, some light, some heavy. 

“Having a highly extroverted husband is sometimes challenging since it forces me into all kinds of uncomfortable social situations where I have to make small talk with people I don't know, which is introvert hell,” Zoe confessed.

“I haven’t had to deal with any real challenges in this relationship because Zoe is 100% perfect,” Billy smiles sheepishly. 

Billy and Zoe admit that parenting two kids also brings “endless rewards and challenges,” sharing the experience of a difficult childbirth which resulted in emergency surgery and a physically and emotionally complicated recovery. 

Photo courtesy of Billy Giblin and Zoe Lewis

The couple endures the hard times through communicating, leaning on one another, and forgiving each other when necessary; they support each other by partnering together, or dividing-and-conquering when needed, in whatever capacity is best for their kids. 

“Don’t be afraid to communicate more about difficult subjects,” Billy said, giving advice on how to boost a relationship’s longevity.

“It’s not a competition to be the boss,” Zoe added. 

As for what the couple has planned for Valentine’s Day, they begin the last-minute scramble to make plans, “panic-texting” to find a babysitter, albeit a tad earlier than usual thanks to The Mountain-Ear’s inquiries.

“Generally, we forget that Valentine’s Day is a day we’re supposed to celebrate by doing something romantic until the day before,” Billy noted. “Your question just reminded us that the day is almost here.”