Not all travels in life are easy or comfortable. They can be unexpected and abrupt, but it is necessary and can be meaningful and honorable, if difficult. Have you ever had to make such a journey?

For me, it’s now been several years, but I still remember that early morning call. I dropped everything and got the earliest flight I could manage out to Washington DC. It was a trick getting through traffic, but I did and made it down to the hospital.

Now, two days later, it was about 1:30 and 200 ish in the morning when I got another call in the hotel room. It woke me out of a fitful sleep. Who can really sleep in such circumstances? Clancy had rebounded on Sunday and I spent some time talking with him and holding his hand, but now things were rapidly deteriorating. I got the call to head to the hospital. I was up and ready to go in about 10 minutes and with little traffic at that hour it was not too long and I was back in the hospital parking lot. Once again, I did not know whether he was still alive or not. Something spoke to my heart and mind that he was going to die, but that it was going to be okay.

I remember walking through the ICC door and making my way to his room on the other side. I looked over to see if he were still alive and sure enough he was conscious and moving. He was raising one arm as he tried to speak. He was a fighter and was fighting it. I prayed as I walked in and went right up to him and prayed a little over him and then took his hand and held it. I did not move from that place until it was all over. I spoke words of comfort to him.

A lot transpired over those last few hours. I won’t write it all here.

I remember wishing it were me instead of him on that bed. He had friends and buddies. Many came later to pay respects. Somehow I had made it to that very short list of best friends in his life. It was a title of sorts he had bestowed on me. The others who had made that list over time were men he had served with or who had served in the military. They were less than you could count on one hand. I was not sure how I made that list or why, but I did everything in my power to live up to such an blessed and honorable place of friendship.

We awaited the arrival of a chaplain. Family said their goodbyes. Briefly I had to let go of his hand to help the nurse. It was then he reached out his hand to hold mine for those last few minutes. I put my other hand on his shoulder. I did not speak any more. I knew he knew gesture meant more than any words. I watched him take his last breath and at 4:35 am Clancy was pronounced dead. We lost a great man. I lost the best friend I had ever known.

Several weeks later I heard a story–one which he had not told me. It was the story of the death of his father. He had gotten the call and got a flight to be with his dad. He had gotten there a few days before his death and had held his hand. I had done the same. I had done without knowing it. It was though things had come full circle in a way. He had taken my hand to hold it for some time as we talked the day before. Now it all made perfect sense.

Clancy had told me I would get a call if something happened to him. I got that call. I came. I am glad I did.

WWII Airborne Veteran of the 101st Airborne Division, Clancy.

Teamwork. You might be looking at this photo and wondering two things. 1) What does this have to do with teamwork? 2) What does this have to do with travel?

Well, you are very lucky because it just so happens I am going to explain these two very things.

This photo was taken a few seconds before the person in the picture would crash their bike and alter the course of their next few months of existence. When I saw the person go down and not get up right away, I rode on down the hill on a less steep trail to get to him.

It took a few minutes, but he got up. As he got up I walked along side him asking him questions. By this time the group leader and some others had come over. We were all helping him out in some way. Teamwork. The man used his bike to help himself walk along to his vehicle, saying he didn’t really need help. Then, that he’d take himself over to the hospital.

As we got to the car and he let go of the bike, he seemed to short circuit and stutter mid-sentence. I saw his eyes change and he started falling. I caught him on one side. Our group leader, Rich, caught him on the other. Teamwork. He had fainted. We prevented him from falling directly down on his face. By the time he was sitting down he had regained consciousness.

He definitely was not driving himself to the ER. I asked for his car keys. I took off the man’s back pack. He told me the pocket his keys were in. I and another began to load the bike. Teamwork.

By this time the man had gotten into his car. I planned to drive him over in his car, but I would need a ride back to mine. Rich knew where the ER was and said he would lead us over and drive me back. We were thinking the same way. We had the same plan in mind. Teamwork

I played “follow the leader” to the ER, but couldn’t drive very fast because any shift in the car was now proving painful to the injured man. He would groan with each turn — the adrenaline was wearing off. Rich kept a close eye on us in case we had to pull over. Teamwork.

We checked him in with a collar bone break and concussion. Teamwork. Rich drove me back to my car. Teamwork.

We exchanged stories about such times we had been part of over the years–several of them had been in situations when we were traveling. I’ve helped with broken wrists, altitude sickness, dehydration, over exertion, dislocated shoulder, claustrophobic induced panic, lost folks, food poisoning, low blood sugar, when on group activities away from home, for example.

It’s interesting what you learn about folks in emergency situations. Some folks panic. Some get hostile and selfish. Others remove themselves from the situation–they run away. Others step up to help. Others take charge. Bottom line — to get the man to proper care, it took Teamwork.

We weren’t far from home, but traveling was involved. Whether traveling or not, when in a group, be sure to have a team mindset. It means some give and take, sometimes a little sacrifice, but the end result is worth it. I hope that answered both of the questions for you.

What experiences have you been part of in travel that required teamwork?

This is a shot I took of one recurring theme in Berchtesgaden. It was ever an architectural feature. I even saw pretzel doorhandles!

I enjoy trying local foods especially items a place or region is known for. While in Bavaria, I was treated not only to good pretzels, but to 2 days of touring with WWII historian and author, Geoff Walden, who had graciously helped me solve my way to several unmarked photo locations of airborne veterans I had known. He gave me a great tour of Berchtesgaden and Hitler’s mountain fortress. We hiked paths to lesser known sites and he provided back stories to it all. I provided dinner to digest not just food, but our experiences and what I learned, and the Inn keeper provided us free local beer.

It’s amazing the folks you meet traveling and the kindness and hospitality of folks towards travelers. I’ve met several authors and historians in their element and have been the recipient of their gracious generosity — a natural outflow of their enthusiasm of what they love.

Everyone of us is a traveler. By our very existence as we move through life, or across lands as we move from one place to another, we all have some vestige of that being that moves, by compulsion, desire, or necessity.

Wanderlust it’s called for those who feel it in the bones to explore and search out new places on a regular rythemic tide — a pulse that emenates from the heart and soul of those who bear innately a certain urge to wander.

It is in this wonder or curiosity that we learn more of the world around us, and, as importantly, of ourselves.

Travel is exciting, stimulating, engaging. In a word travel is…

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton