Sean Hamann practices rolling in a kayak with the help of Renaissance Adventure Guide instructor Jenn Mulick at Golden Community Center Aug. 8. Brothers Mike and Max Young started the guide company in 1999.August 22,Mike and Max Young know blood is thicker than water, but the water does help their brotherly bond as they paddle the rivers and lakes of Colorado as the owners of Renaissance Adventure Guides.

It started with simple conversations. The pair grew up in Golden, and Max was already a whitewater rafting and kayak guide. Mike had been in the Navy for 11 years, traveling the world and perfecting his own skills at sea kayaking.

The pair had always contemplated beginning their own guide company, but in 1999, those musings turned into reality for the family.

"That's probably the main reason I started the company with Max," Mike Young said. "So we could be doing something together."