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Field Trip Romance...Gus Orozco and Britny Coker-Moen

By John Grossi


Gus and Britny were enrolled in the same Environmental Science and Policy class at at Long Beach State in 2017, but sat on opposite sides of the room. That semester, they scarcely talked to one another! Luckily, the class also included a field trip to Death Valley National Park. That’s where the two connected, and even began to flirt a bit … all the while learning about land management, of course.

“On the bus ride home, we talked about music, art, books, and all the cool things people talk about when they meet someone new,” said Gus. “As we pulled into the CSULB parking lot and began to unload the bus, I asked her if she’d be interested in grabbing a drink nearby. She declined.”


“A couple months later, after all our field trips were completed, she messaged me saying she was now available for that drink. In her own words, so her intentions wouldn’t be mistaken, she clarified she was asking me out on a date.”


The First Date

They decided to meet at Iguana Kelly’s bar on Anaheim (now Port City Tavern). Gus rode his skateboard there and arrived early. “I took up a stool at the bar, opened a tab with the bartender, and waited. I remember seeing her walk in, pulling up a stool next to me, and ordering her first drink. Nothing else mattered. I couldn’t tell what sports games were on, or how busy the bar was that night; I only remember looking in the reflection of the mirror across the bar and seeing us two,” said Gus about their first date.


The Rest is History...

In June of 2020, Gus and Britny eloped at the highest public point of Long Beach: Long View Point at Willow Springs Park. The only attendees at their ceremony: their good friend who officiated the wedding, and the CSULB professor whose class field trip started the whole thing. That night, they drove to Death Valley National Park to spend 3 days backpacking for their honeymoon.


Date Ideas from Gus and Britny

• Walk through Willow Springs Park and enjoy nature and natural beauty in the heart of Long Beach.

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