Dick Lynch grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He has lived in Colorado (where he worked in the ski industry), the Alaskan wilderness (where he served in the U.S. Army Airborne Infantry, worked in truck driving, and worked as a fishing deck hand), and moved to Sedona following a year-long bicycling trip and decided to stay to become a river guide. Dick has worked as a commercial river guide on many rivers across the western U.S. and has guided a variety of other activities in the Verde Valley, including for Pink Jeep Tours and Spirit Trails Expeditions and his own wine tours. In 2007, Dick established Sedona Adventure Tours (renamed in 2014 to Verde Adventures), the first company to operate and commercial guide anywhere on the Verde River. Dick has extensive experience on and guiding others along the Verde River and surrounding areas.