September 25: Perfect Pit Crew
This past summer’s trip to Iceland and 21 other European countries was by far the most logistically challenging of any adventure yet. It took months to buy a new bike, modify it to fit my small stature, accessorize it for travel abroad, and ship it thousands of miles to Iceland. From there, as I traveled over 11,000 miles from country to country, switching languages and currencies and dealing with a variety of unforeseen circumstances, I was especially grateful to have what I like to think of as my “pit crew” back home. Grant Myers, Kathy Nesper, and Allen Nay provided around the clock advice, encouragement, and support at the times I needed it most.
During the packing process for this summer’s trip, I made it a point to include back-ups for the most crucial items to cover me in case of loss, theft, or damage. Few accessories were more essential to the trip than my prescription goggles as they are specially manufactured to include prisms for my double vision.
Imagine my dismay when one of my two pairs were stolen the first night in Iceland! I called Kathy, rather distraught at my carelessness and feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect of being down to one pair so early in the summer. She talked some sense into me, reminding me that all things are possible with God. I had already overcome so many obstacles to get to Iceland and if He wanted me to continue I would. Sure enough, the next morning the manager of the youth hostel told me they had found my goggles on top of a trashcan. Kathy continued to be a source of encouragement throughout the rest of the trip and provided occasional technical support as well.
Later in the trip, I was near the border of Poland and realized that my phone mount was broken. The screw that held my mount, vibration dampener, wireless charger, and custom phone case was coming loose but would not separate from the phone case. Because of the faulty mechanism, I could not remove my phone case from the bike, let alone fix the mount. A phone call to Grant quickly resolved the problem, as he figured out how I could rotate the phone clockwise while pushing down on the phone, tightening the device enough to remove the case and get to the screw with an Allen wrench. Grant also saved the day in Switzerland, finding me help nearby when I encountered mechanical issues on the road.
All three of these dear friends maintained different schedules, making it possible to reach one of them around the clock. By the time Kathy turned in for the night in California, Allen was just getting up in Missouri. It seemed that no matter how early it was in Kansas City, Allen was always ready to hear about my day, cheer me on, and pray for my safety. This year’s summer trip was particularly harrowing on several occasions. Oftentimes I would call Allen to tell him about a close call only to find out that he had been praying for me all along.
Although I have traveled over 100,000 miles on my own since 2020, I am so grateful to be able to say that I have never been alone. With God by my side, friends from all over cheering me on, and the world’s best crew at home I have never been in better hands.
