There are some couples that you meet and you just know that they live a life filled with fun and adventure. Adam and Jennifer Roda are one of those couples. From the moment they met, on a whitewater rafting trip in California, to their engagement in France, and now navigating the thrills of parenthood and careers, they’ve tackled everything together and look forward to so much more!
Jennifer and Adam’s story begins in a remote part of Northern California. Adam made his way up there with a group of old high school friends and Jennifer went with her roommate, a sister of one of Adam’s friends. Adam reminisces, “There were no rules on this trip, we were given the boats without guides, atypical but we knew the folks running the company. The two of us ended up being the captains of an armada of people intent on partying, not navigating the river. Seeing Jen get bounced out of our raft while leading the charge through the whitewater was good enough for me. “Jen From the River” and I got together as soon as we both made it back to the city.” Before their wedding in 2014, Jen and Adam solidified their ability to face adversity and challenges together by backpacking all around the world.
In 2017 the couple and their daughter Bailey (5 years old), moved back to the same home in Danville that Jennifer grew up in. This house has been in the family since the 1960’s and saw not only baby Jen come home from the hospital, but a generation later saw her son, Harlan, now 3 years old, arrive as well. Along with adding new family members, the Rodas have also done plenty of work on their home, renovating it and completing an addition to give the kids and 7-year-old labrador, Hank, plenty of space to run around.
Hank is described as “everyone’s best friend” – he is a happy-go-lucky guy and a skilled escape artist, “Recently, he spent the afternoon at an engineering firm downtown after the staff there were kind enough to take him in while they looked for his owners.” One of Hank’s favorite pastimes is pheasant hunting. “He is very enthusiastic about having a job that contributes to the family, and stands by proudly on the nights that we prepare pheasant for dinner.”
Renovating their current home wasn’t the first home project they took on together. They took Jennifer’s eye for design and Adam’s “jack of all trades” mindset and flipped a couple houses together early in their marriage! Their other hobbies include just about anything that the Tahoe region has to offer – skiing, mountain biking, snowmobiling, boating, and more. Adam grew up in Mt. Shasta, CA, where he skied competitively, and passed that love onto Bailey and Harlan, who can both hit the slopes at their young ages. Based on how they drive their snowmobiles and four wheelers, competition might be in their future too. “Bailey is known for building jumps, and Harlan is of the opinion that speed limits are more of a suggestion than the rule,” adds Jennifer.
Back in the East Bay, the Rodas love to take walks on the Iron Horse Trail, hike through the amazing surrounding hills, and of course make multiple pit stops at the Yogurt Shack. The kids also take piano lessons at Danville Music. Last year the whole family piled into an RV and drove it through the Southwest. These trips and activities and love for the great outdoors all feed into the Roda family motto, “Be curious.”
That curiosity extends well into adulthood: the desire for personal growth and higher learning is shown everyday as dad, Adam, works on his MBA at UC Davis. He is currently a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry here in the Bay Area. Jennifer went to the University of Oregon and decided to make wine her career. She works for Napa Valley winery Trinchero Family Estates.
As a family of go-getters, it’s no surprise that mom and dad are “extremely proud of the adventurous spirit we see in our kids and try to foster their confidence as much as possible.” With Bailey heading into kindergarten in the fall and Harlan growing more independent everyday, it will be fun to watch what new adventures they take their parents on next!
By Alexandra Sullivan, Resident since 2017
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at asullivan@bestversionmedia.com.