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