People Of 2024: Bobby Wintle

 In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

Bobby Wintle (back to camera) and Rhett Shull playing guitar the night after Mid-South was done.

Mid-South was a highlight of 2024 for me for many reasons, but maybe the "cherry on top" was seeing Bobby Wintle and being able to hang out with him for a bit the day after Mid-South was over. 

This might seem silly to some of you out there, but I often feel like the outsider in groups and when it comes to other people's events I often feel like I really am more of a bother than a "guest". Never mind that maybe some see me as a "big deal" in the gravel community. I just often feel like a third wheel and that I don't fit in. So, when I was drug along with the Northfield Crew to this rented house in Stillwater to witness those Northfield guys cook up a special supper for Bobby, his close crew members, and special guests, I was left sitting and wondering what the heck was I even doing there. 

Now I will add that Bobby had made it plain that he was "so glad I was there", and he said so several times. But being me, that did not register at the time. Anyway, when Bobby had shown up at this special gathering, he took a bit of time to drag me away. We walked a few blocks over to his house, and Bobby showed me around. We chatted a bit, mostly small talk, and then we returned to the party. 

Well, that finally registered with me. I don't know exactly why Bobby did that for me, but I knew that meant a lot to him, and he wasn't kidding around when he said he was stoked to have me there. 

And that really made the trip super special for me. Not that it wouldn't have been so without this experience, but yeah.... It was one of those small things I'll remember for a long time that made me feel really good. Definitely a highlight of 2024 for me. 

Shout out to Rhett Shull here as well. I had a chance to speak with him, he of the guitar You Tube community, and seeing a guy I've watched online for a long time that is a stellar guitar player was fun. Definitely another highlight of 2024.