12/14/2022
Our next graduation shoutout is for Sam Winegardner!
Over the past four and a half years, no one has demonstrated a level of commitment to ORGT more than Sam Winegardner. You know this already. Kai and I don’t need to regale you the story of his humble origins as a participant on Tech Treks Alaska 2018, or how he became part of the brave and bold, “not yet official” sport of Bikepacking during his time in CORE 7.0. It’s just all stuff of legend at this point. In 2020, the manager of the Wilderness Outpost, the ORGTeer of the Year, and the first official VP of Bikepacking—yes that’s all Sam, all at the same time—progressed to Bikepacking Trip Leader and successfully proposed the adventure of a lifetime for August 2020: the “Newbikeland™ Expedition,” a bikepacking adventure across the Canadian island of Newfoundland.
Sam played a critical role in ORGT’s successful reopening post-covid, and achieved a dream that had been put on hold for two years. He successfully re-proposed the “Newbikeland™ Expedition,” and in August 2022, Sam led a team of eight, now lifelong friends, over three hundred miles along the Newfoundland T'Railway. We’ll never forget playing phone tag with Air Canada to track down our bikes (yes, they forgot to put the bikes on the plane), making a new route extemporaneously when we heard news of once-in-a-generation wildfires in central Newfoundland, swimming in the frigid waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, eating tonnes of Timbits on our rest day while waiting for our *second* overnight ferry (yes, there were boats involved), and all of the adventures in between. Over the last four and a half years, Sam has pedaled some incredible miles on his iconic red bike decked out with donut handlebar tape.
Leading as many as ten trips in a semester, Sam finds joy in creating meaningful and memorable experiences for others (and in trying every buffet up and down I-75). On weekends Sam isn’t leading a biking trip, he can be found enjoying coastal trips as an IiT in Sea Kayaking, throwing mud as a de facto Caving IiT, or dominating the competition in the latest edition of the “Watermelon Game” as part of Tech Treks Southeast. More seriously, Sam is an excellent mentor and expert facilitator. Many can attest that Sam’s unique approach to facilitation has led them to some new understanding or brought remarkable clarity to a previously muddy situation. The ORGT biking communities have a rich culture of mentorship—inspired and motivated by Sam. As a Senior Trip Leader, Sam has guided four TLs and seven Instructors in their progression. We know the next generations of ORGTeers will continue to benefit from the deep relationships he has fostered.
But Sam is more than his accomplishments as an ORGTeer. Sam never misses an opportunity to sneak a “… but I hardly know her” joke into a conversation. Sam is the paragon of Indiana Pacers superfan. Sam enjoys eating smooth crémeux peanut butter and pepperoni tortillas and singing a variety of 2000s pop, including fan-favorites: Justin Bieber’s “Baby”, Katy Perry’s “California Gurls”, and Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb.” Kai will miss improvising songs on drives with Sam, while participants sleep in the backseat, blissfully unaware of the lyrical geniuses in their midst—and of course otherwise making nonsensical rhythms and noise around ORGT together. As for me, I will miss cheering on the Jackets, making homemade pizza, and long walks back to NAV together. Most importantly, we and the rest of ORGT will miss Sam's infectious energy and natural leadership.
Following his graduation with his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Sam will work as a Consultant in Bain & Company’s new Denver office. SWANK as HECK! Congratulations Sam!
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Written by
Elliot Hodge and corrected by Kai McKeever (as usual) 😉
