Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

I’ve always been fascinated by how closely connected we all seem to be—Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon if you will (a play on “Six Degrees of Separation“).

Last night I had a wonderful evening with Scott and Jill of 12 Legs Travel and a mutual acquaintance, Laura McMurchie. I have never met these three people before, however we’re all connected…in this case, six degrees of Cindy Winkelman. Follow me here:

  • In the late 90s I worked for a dot.com called, “NeoPlanet.” I put together a large travel promotion in conjunction with the Scottsdale CVB, where I met Cindy Winkelman (Cindy later moved to the Phoenix CVB).
  • Laura McMurchie works for the Scottsdale CVB and did so during Cindy’s tenure.
  • Scott Dunn works for the Phoenix CVB and took over Cindy’s position.
  • Jill Richards used to be a photographer with the Arizona Republic, a former employer of mine.
  • Laura met Scott through work and subsequently met Jill when she and Scott began dating.
  • Earlier this year Scott and Jill got married and decided to take a year off and travel the country with their two dogs…they document this journey on their 12 Legs Travel blog.
  • Earlier this year I sold everything, packed up the truck and began Mike’s Road Trip.
  • I’m Facebook friends with Cindy Winkleman, she became a “fan” of Mike’s Road Trip.
  • Cindy told her friends about “Mike’s Road Trip.”
  • Laura McMurchie became a Mike’s Road Trip fan, soon a Facebook friend.
  • Through Laura I learned of 12 Legs Travel, a similar concept to Mike’s Road Trip.
  • Scott, Jill and the other eight legs were planning a trip to Seattle, where their friend Laura would meet them.
  • With the timing just right (me just on the western side of the Pudget Sound), we planned a get-together.
  • Laura, Scott and Jill graciously hosted me for dinner and drinks in their posh condo just below the Pike Place Market.
  • As I was on the ferry heading back across the pond, I was reading my Facebook feed and discovered that, who else but Cindy Winkleman just happened to be in town.

So, that’s Six Degrees of Cindy Winkleman. 🙂

A special thanks to all of the folks mentioned in this post, especially Laura, Jill and Scott for the amazing evening full of decadent fresh foods, laughter, shop talk and passionate discussion.  Safe travels and I hope our paths cross again soon. Cheers!

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions…the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure.
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