Dez Bartelt is the founder of Best of Both Women's Adventures. She is considered one of America's leading alpinists and has spent more than 20 years conquering some of the world's most challenging mountains and cliffs as a professional climber. She is skilled in a wide range of outdoor sports including white water rafting, sea kayaking, ice climbing, skiing and is trained in and teaches wilderness survival. Dez has worked and trained with rescue units all over the US, as well as fire departments and policy departments. She has worked with the department of BLM to developed environmental plans to help preserve our public lands. She worked and developed outdoor programs for the physically disabled. Another claim to fame is that she developed the world's largest freestanding climbing wall which she co-designed and built in cooperation with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks.

Dez's mission has always been and will continue to be to explore, study, and preserve while enjoying the natural beauty of the outdoors. She has been carrying around 75 pound back packs for 20 years and when she decided to start Best of Both Women's Adventures her goal was to show women you don't have to be extreme to take an adventure. You can have an adventure with out the heavy back pack. Dez has given up the 75 pound back pack for a much lighter one, and now after long days hiking or climbing she comes back to amazing spas and gourmet food. If you ask her, she'll tell you how pleased she is with the life she created for herself and for others. "I've worked long and hard to live where I want to live, and have a job I am passionate about and I wanted to give all women the same opportunity."

As an experienced entrepreneur and business operator, Dez has used her expertise to develop and implement programs such as the Rincon Surf and Board Guesthouse Rincon Surf School and Boca's Surf School to found the Best of Both Women's Adventures Company

Shannon Lyons She recently graduated teacher training in May 2009 from a registered yoga school named Red Sun Yoga in Orlando, Fl. She has experience teaching all ability levels and focused on the beginner during her 200 hours of training. She practiced the integral style of Hatha yoga, meaning the focus on asana (comfortable steady pose) Pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation are equal in practice. All three aspects of the yoga discipline are balanced through out her 90 minute classes.

After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in psychology and women’s studies in May 2009, she decided to make a change of drastic proportions. Her interests in school lead to many opportunities volunteering through out the community on women’s issues and found the women’s adventure retreat as if it were meant to be. Combining yoga, surfing, and a positive atmosphere for women seemed like a great opportunity to find inspiration as well as help others in the quest for happiness.

Her interests include traveling, writing, learning, coffee, diving, biking & hiking, water sports, and of course yoga. Combining surfing with yoga is an interesting challenge that she can’t wait to bring onto the mat. You can read about Shannon and James’ adventure to Rincon, Puerto Rico in her blog: www.shanjamespr.blogspot.com and also find more about her yoga practice on www.yogatag.com/Shannon.