Episode 215 – The Ride of a Lifetime with Peter Goettler

Peter Goettler is a student at the University of Colorado, a graduate of Jackson Hole High School, a member of the Pi Kappa fraternity and a part of the Journey of Hope crew. 

In this episode, Peter shares his inspiring cross-country bicycle trek with Journey of Hope to spread awareness, and celebrate the abilities of all people. Stephan and Peter also talk about making an impact, learning from others and how personal connections are more important than followers. 

Find out more about Journey of Hope at AbilityExperience.org

This week’s episode is supported in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling reminding you to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost. Avoid single-use products whenever possible, and remember to bring your reusable bags with you while shopping. More at RoadtoZeroWasteJH.org or at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH on Instagram

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Marketplace. The Deli at Jackson Hole Marketplace offers ready-made soups, sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and hot lunch specials. More at JHMarketplace.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at connect@thejacksonholeconnection.com. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Transcript
Stephan Abrams:

You are tuned into the Jackson hole, connection, sharing, fascinating stories of people connected to Jackson Hole.

Stephan Abrams:

I am truly grateful for each of you for tuning in today and support for this podcast comes from:

Stephan Abrams:

You've heard me say.

Stephan Abrams:

For many episodes now how reading allows me to learn from others and I've recently pulled a book off the shelf, Red dusted it, and I'm gonna share this quote with you today, a hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be.

Stephan Abrams:

Because I was important in the life of a child.

Stephan Abrams:

That's an excerpt from a book called The Dash.

Stephan Abrams:

That's by Linda Ellis and Mack Anderson.

Stephan Abrams:

The dash started off as a poem and then was turned into the form of a book.

Stephan Abrams:

You can find it at any local book store while you can find also, uh, just the poem itself, by searching the internet, using that googly.

Stephan Abrams:

so search it out by the book.

Stephan Abrams:

I think you will find some great peace in reading it.

Stephan Abrams:

And folks, you are listening to episode number 215.

Stephan Abrams:

My guest today is Peter Getler.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter is a, not so long ago graduate of Jackson Hole High School, go Bronx, who moved to Jackson at the age of 12.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter is currently a student in college.

Stephan Abrams:

He's in Boulder, Colorado, who has.

Stephan Abrams:

Experience that he's gonna share with you today and reflecting back where Peter is at his age and where I was at my age, I really could not have imagined signing up for an adventure like Peter did for the summer of 2022 Calling this adventure, a life changing experience for sure.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter has a story to share with you, so please don't compare yourself to what Peter and his fraternity brothers accomplished this summer, but be inspired.

Stephan Abrams:

Be inspired to find how you can make a difference in other people's lives, just like Peter and all of his fraternity brothers.

Stephan Abrams:

The true sense of giving is to give yourself to others.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter, welcome to the Jackson Hole connection.

Stephan Abrams:

It is an honor to be able to have some of your time, and sit down and have you share an important journey in your life.

Stephan Abrams:

So thanks for connecting with me today.

Stephan Abrams:

Yes, sir.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams:

Can't

Peter Goettler:

wait to, Yeah, I'm excited.

Stephan Abrams:

Yes, sir.

Stephan Abrams:

Here.

Stephan Abrams:

Well, Peter, we start every episode with our guests sharing their history and background.

Stephan Abrams:

So first, why don't you tell people listening in how old.

Peter Goettler:

Cool.

Peter Goettler:

So yeah, so I'm 21 years old.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

And, what is your connection to Jackson Hole?

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, I'm a JHS alum.

Peter Goettler:

Graduated in 2020.

Peter Goettler:

Go Bronx.

Peter Goettler:

Go Bronx baby.

Peter Goettler:

Go Bronx.

Peter Goettler:

but so I sadly wasn't born in Jackson.

Peter Goettler:

I was born in Columbus, Ohio, and then when I was 12 years old, so in 2014, my family and I moved out to Jackson.

Peter Goettler:

so that was sixth grade for myself, and then I was there ever since.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

And Peter, I'm really curious to know, do you recall when you were in sixth grade, what.

Stephan Abrams:

You had friends.

Stephan Abrams:

You were 14 you said, Is that right?

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

? No, no, 12.

Stephan Abrams:

Sorry.

Stephan Abrams:

12.

Stephan Abrams:

Okay.

Stephan Abrams:

12 years old.

Stephan Abrams:

And you're moving, your parents are saying, Hey, we're moving.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

, all your friends that you've grown up with, you could still be friends with 'em, but you're not gonna be in the same town.

Stephan Abrams:

You gotta go meet new friends.

Stephan Abrams:

What was that like for you, man?

Peter Goettler:

That's a great question.

Peter Goettler:

It was tough.

Peter Goettler:

I definitely had it the easiest of my siblings cuz I was, so, I was the youngest, I had two older siblings and my brother was a junior in high school.

Peter Goettler:

So as you can probably assume, tough transition for him.

Peter Goettler:

but I was probably the most shocked about it.

Peter Goettler:

I think immediately I was launched into tears when they first told us, and I was like, No, I don't wanna leave, you know, as in 12 year old would.

Peter Goettler:

but it, the really, the biggest part about it is, My family's like born and raised Midwest.

Peter Goettler:

It was like both grandparents were within like 10 miles from where I was born.

Peter Goettler:

Like cousins, aunts, uncles.

Peter Goettler:

We had like Sunday night dinners every week.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, we were like a really closeknit crew.

Peter Goettler:

So when my parents were finally like, Hey, we're gonna go, you know, do our own thing out in way in Wyoming, it like totally struck and like in a little small Midwest town.

Peter Goettler:

but it was definitely hard at first.

Peter Goettler:

But everyone here in Jackson was so great right off the.

Peter Goettler:

I felt so welcomed and I think within like, I mean, I was most worried about like lunch, and the first lunch was completely fine.

Peter Goettler:

People brought me to the table and they, they were my friends ever since.

Peter Goettler:

You know, It was, Yeah, it was, it was like that.

Peter Goettler:

That's cool.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

and in high school, What occupied your time?

Stephan Abrams:

Were you on the football team?

Peter Goettler:

I was on a football team, yeah, so I kind of was all, all over the board.

Peter Goettler:

I played basketball until sophomore year and then I quit.

Peter Goettler:

I was on the golf team sophomore year because I was played football freshman year and then quit sophomore year, and then I came back junior, senior year, and then I played lacrosse all four years.

Peter Goettler:

And on top of that, sorry, I, I was the student body president of the high school as well as like the treasurer for our key club.

Peter Goettler:

so yeah, I definitely kept myself quite busy.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

You did?

Stephan Abrams:

Now I went to a football game once.

Stephan Abrams:

It's like one of the few that I've been to here, and there was somebody by the last name of Getler that caught a kickoff and ran it for a touchdown,

Stephan Abrams:

Was that

Peter Goettler:

you?

Peter Goettler:

That's great.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, that was me.

Peter Goettler:

That's probably the peak of my high school career right there.

Peter Goettler:

Thanks.

Peter Goettler:

Thanks.

Peter Goettler:

I appreciate bringing that up.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So that was, against Cody junior year, number one team coming in and return the opening kickoff.

Peter Goettler:

That was a great game.

Stephan Abrams:

That was phenomenal.

Stephan Abrams:

I was like, what a better, I can't imagine going to a better

Peter Goettler:

game.

Peter Goettler:

I know.

Peter Goettler:

It was great.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, yeah, that definitely was a heck of a game.

Peter Goettler:

That's so funny.

Peter Goettler:

Bring.

Stephan Abrams:

I mean, there's little things that we remember, right?

Peter Goettler:

Heck yeah.

Peter Goettler:

No, I mean, tell the people, Come on.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, share it.

Peter Goettler:

Share it.

Peter Goettler:

I love it.

Peter Goettler:

. Stephan Abrams: And so now what, you're going to the University of what?

Peter Goettler:

University of Colorado.

Peter Goettler:

Okay.

Peter Goettler:

Boulder,

Stephan Abrams:

Colorado.

Stephan Abrams:

Boulder Or Colorado?

Stephan Abrams:

Colorado

Peter Goettler:

Or Colorado?

Peter Goettler:

Am I saying it word Colorado?

Peter Goettler:

I don't know.

Peter Goettler:

Okay.

Peter Goettler:

I don't know.

Peter Goettler:

Shoot.

Peter Goettler:

Either or I guess

Stephan Abrams:

it's tomato.

Stephan Abrams:

Tomato.

Stephan Abrams:

yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

All right, so you are a junior, is that right?

Stephan Abrams:

Is

Peter Goettler:

it?

Peter Goettler:

Yes, sir.

Peter Goettler:

Yep.

Peter Goettler:

So I'm a, yeah, I'm a junior.

Peter Goettler:

studying economics with a little, with a business minor.

Peter Goettler:

Mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

. Stephan Abrams: Nice.

Peter Goettler:

Well, I wish you all the best there in, in college, but also to make sure you have fun and, you're gonna do something pretty cool next year.

Peter Goettler:

Is that,

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So I'm going abroad in the spring, Uhhuh.

Peter Goettler:

so I am going to a place called Val PSO Chile.

Peter Goettler:

If, you know, we're like chili geography, it's Santiago, and if you go straight to the coast, that's where Evaso is.

Peter Goettler:

It's a port city.

Peter Goettler:

absolutely beautiful, but I'm, so, yeah, I'm doing, a home stay there.

Peter Goettler:

So I'm gonna try to like, dive in as hard as I can into the like full immersion and into the community.

Peter Goettler:

I'm really excited about the program I'm doing specifically because I'm going a month before the actual semester classes start and it's, I'm just gonna be a part of a month long intensive Spanish program to like really kickstart, my Spanish learning and hopefully, you know, become as efficient in conversation as I can, as fast as I can.

Stephan Abrams:

All right.

Stephan Abrams:

Good for you.

Stephan Abrams:

That's awesome.

Stephan Abrams:

I didn't ever take advantage of going abroad to school.

Stephan Abrams:

I had some friends that went to Israel.

Stephan Abrams:

Nice.

Stephan Abrams:

Whoa.

Peter Goettler:

Um, Was it like the birthright trip or did they go No,

Stephan Abrams:

it wasn't Birthright did it.

Stephan Abrams:

They did a semester abroad.

Stephan Abrams:

Whoa.

Stephan Abrams:

Good for that.

Stephan Abrams:

They went to.

Peter Goettler:

That's super fun.

Peter Goettler:

I actually, a good friend of mine here just did their birth threat trip over the summer, and so Oh, excellent.

Peter Goettler:

Just nothing but good things,

Stephan Abrams:

so yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

That's awesome.

Stephan Abrams:

I've, I've heard it as a phenomenal trip.

Stephan Abrams:

Someday I will go, but good, good for you.

Stephan Abrams:

I, I will encourage my kids in 10 years when they're in college.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, you should.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, that's honestly, my dad, he went abroad, but he did it in the summer and it was basically instilled in me when I was, you know, 10 years old that you're gonna go abroad when you were studying.

Peter Goettler:

It, they, it basically made it happen, which I'm thankful for, for sure.

Peter Goettler:

But Nice.

Stephan Abrams:

Now the reason I invited you on here is because you did something absolutely remarkable this summer.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams:

And when your dad was telling me about it, I, I'm in Rotary with your dad and we see each other at the gym in the mornings and just around, around the town, small town.

Stephan Abrams:

And I was just blown away.

Stephan Abrams:

just absolutely.

Stephan Abrams:

inspired by what you did, and I thought having you here today would be a great way to share with just such a broad community of what you did and, how it impacted, mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

So let's start off with what it is that you did Cool.

Stephan Abrams:

And what program it.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So, first off, thank you.

Peter Goettler:

That was an unreal introduction.

Peter Goettler:

I appreciate that a lot.

Peter Goettler:

so what I did was called the Journey of Hope.

Peter Goettler:

And so essentially what it is is, here at school, I'm part of a fraternity called Pi Cap Phi.

Peter Goettler:

And so, and it's the only like fraternity that owns and operates its own philanthropy.

Peter Goettler:

And so within that, the organization that like kind of runs the journey, hope is called the Ability Experience.

Peter Goettler:

And so essentially it's a cross country cycling.

Peter Goettler:

And typically there's three routes.

Peter Goettler:

this year is only two because Covid took a hit as we couldn't, you know, really operate.

Peter Goettler:

but more specifically, I was on the Trans American route, which started in Seattle.

Peter Goettler:

And then we go through like northern Washington, western side of Montana, down through Jackson, which was really special and then clear through to Washington DC But so along the way, Our like mission, our like goal is to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities.

Peter Goettler:

So all the while that you're biking, you would go to certain towns really like wherever you stop.

Peter Goettler:

And we had I think 32 friendship visits is what we call 'em.

Peter Goettler:

And essentially, so that's, we take two hours and we go and visit an organization.

Peter Goettler:

It can be any kind of organization.

Peter Goettler:

It can be.

Peter Goettler:

Like, helping people get employed and teaching employment skills to a child's daycare camp.

Peter Goettler:

so just all across the board, you never really know what you're gonna get, but all of 'em are meaningful in their own way.

Peter Goettler:

and so yeah, we did have to do some fundraising like just before the summer started.

Peter Goettler:

I, as a cyclist, had to raise $6,500 minimum to just help fund ourselves with, you know, with, cuz we had, support vans, so we'd four support vans with us, so for gasoline food that we weren't like, provided.

Peter Goettler:

and all, all sorts of things like that.

Stephan Abrams:

Wow.

Stephan Abrams:

Seattle to DC Yes.

Stephan Abrams:

tell.

Stephan Abrams:

How many students nationally, cuz PII is a national fraternity.

Stephan Abrams:

How many students.

Stephan Abrams:

Participate in this each year.

Peter Goettler:

So on my route alone, and remember there's so two routes, but on my route alone, there's 23 of us in total, and I think there was 24 to start, and then they had some trouble.

Peter Goettler:

So then 23 on the other route.

Peter Goettler:

So in total, what?

Peter Goettler:

46?

Peter Goettler:

Okay.

Peter Goettler:

Out of a lot of people, obviously in the fraternity, I could not give you a number, but.

Stephan Abrams:

And do you have to apply and be accepted to do this, or will they take anybody that wants to do it?

Peter Goettler:

more recently since, so as I kind of mentioned, Covid kind of really hit it.

Peter Goettler:

And there used to be, they used to fill three routes of, I think 30 people every year.

Peter Goettler:

and so they were able to be more selective in the past.

Peter Goettler:

And while I still went like, definitely a interview process and like sent out my resume and then I had a few different phone calls in which I discussed like, why I wanna do this, what's gonna motivate me, what, all sorts of things like that.

Peter Goettler:

they definitely have, they aren't able to be as selective now.

Peter Goettler:

thankfully it is growing and we're getting more and more numbers, but.

Stephan Abrams:

And, and so share with people, how many miles did you

Peter Goettler:

ride?

Peter Goettler:

So we rode in total, I think it was 4,370 miles.

Peter Goettler:

and so you gotta keep in mind, so we looked it up towards the end of the week or the end of the trip, and you can get across if you're driving in 2,800 miles.

Peter Goettler:

And so we, because of the whole friendship thing, like we, like in the state of Washington, we go to like to Southern Washington and then head back up into like Spokane.

Peter Goettler:

So we're definitely not taking the most direct route, but that being like we have to, you know, go see organizations that have been good to us in the past and, you know, we wanna continue to support them and things like that.

Peter Goettler:

So definitely not the most direct, but yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

understood.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams:

And so let's talk about your experience.

Stephan Abrams:

Rain or shine?

Stephan Abrams:

Snow.

Stephan Abrams:

Heat.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

Uh, Rain or shine.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

And we got, yeah, we got, we got all of it.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, starting in Washington or day two is like our iconic, like day two you're going from a Nucla, Washington to Yakima, and through that you go through Mount Rainier National Park.

Peter Goettler:

And so basically it's, you know, you're climbing Rainier.

Peter Goettler:

realistically you're only going about 8,000 miles in Rainier, I believe is a fourteener.

Peter Goettler:

And so on that day, we went from rain down the valley in the rainforest, you know, not in the rainforest, but you know, on the western side of Mount Rainier.

Peter Goettler:

And then we hit the top where there was snow banks above our heads.

Peter Goettler:

and it was quite cold.

Peter Goettler:

And then rained on us again.

Peter Goettler:

And then we came out into like a desert, into Yakima.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, so Randon is hard for the first, like two weeks, like wa Washington was tough.

Peter Goettler:

Montana, we had a lot of rain.

Peter Goettler:

And so their rule is like if it's, if, if you, if there's lightning and thunder, then you have to wait until 30 minutes after the most recent thunder strike, but rain's a go, heat is a go.

Peter Goettler:

I think the rule was like it's 120 heat index is when they, they will take you off the bikes and it sure felt like we hit that in like Missouri.

Peter Goettler:

We were in like 105 degree weather.

Peter Goettler:

80 or 90% humidity.

Peter Goettler:

And coming from Jackson, Wyoming, I am not used to that kind of heat, so I was getting broken down.

Peter Goettler:

But yeah, rain or shine?

Peter Goettler:

Heat,

Stephan Abrams:

all of it.

Stephan Abrams:

And did your bike ever break?

Peter Goettler:

I actually, I had some problems like with gear shifting, just like wearing down and things like that.

Peter Goettler:

some guys did have more problems, but my bike, personally, I never even popped a flat tire, which I don't know how that worked, but yeah, some guys had 30 flat tires and I didn't have any, yeah, crazy.

Peter Goettler:

but so like if your bikes did break, then you would like hit like a, a bike shop.

Peter Goettler:

So every.

Peter Goettler:

Every time you would go into a town, there was the four vans, so four squads is what we called it.

Peter Goettler:

And each van had a responsibility, like basically as soon as you get there.

Peter Goettler:

and one of 'em was like errands and almost always errands was going to the bike shop, getting some, bike grease or bike cleaning or, you know, going to get repairs and things like that.

Peter Goettler:

And the other would be, Going to get more water and ice.

Peter Goettler:

And then another would be, you'd clean the lodge as we leave in the next morning, oh, and the other one would be scouting.

Peter Goettler:

So you go and scout the next 20 miles of the day and like you paint the turn.

Peter Goettler:

So things like that as you go.

Peter Goettler:

Cool.

Stephan Abrams:

Did you ever think or feel, Why am I doing this in the middle of it or some.

Peter Goettler:

not the overarching, like, Why am I doing the whole summer?

Peter Goettler:

Never really occurred to me.

Peter Goettler:

Definitely certain acts within the, within the, mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

summer, like, you know, our loop de loops that we did with 4,300 miles was definitely like, what are we doing?

Peter Goettler:

Like, we spent Montana, we basically traveled south for like a week and a half.

Peter Goettler:

and while we gained, I think overall like 105 miles after biking, like 600, it was kind of like, All right guys, come on, let's start heading east here.

Peter Goettler:

Never was I, like during the summer, like, what am I doing here?

Peter Goettler:

I always kind of had that like,

Stephan Abrams:

understood.

Stephan Abrams:

But in Montana, let's go to that.

Stephan Abrams:

So, but you're stopping and, and doing things, correct?

Stephan Abrams:

Yes.

Stephan Abrams:

And meeting with other organizations.

Stephan Abrams:

And so this is about bringing awareness and raising money for people with disabilities.

Stephan Abrams:

So what are some of the stops that you experienced?

Peter Goettler:

So, Every time we hit, we'd actually always have a sponsored dinner, like almost every single night.

Peter Goettler:

So that would not, is not the friendship visit part, but that's just people that hear about what we're doing or guys that have done it in the past and things like that.

Peter Goettler:

And they would provide us dinner, which was always incredibly special.

Peter Goettler:

But so to the friendship visits, it was basically, We were on a historic route, I think it was our 15th year that we had done the specific route that we were on.

Peter Goettler:

And so you make these connections with these like, organizations and then you'd go back there.

Peter Goettler:

And like I said, they totally varied.

Peter Goettler:

like some of 'em would be like if we had an off day, like we had an off day in, Missoula and we went in into a park when it was raining and we ate like breakfast burritos and hung out and Did puzzles with this organization, for like two hours and something like that.

Peter Goettler:

So that was great.

Peter Goettler:

And we were in Missouri and we went to a kids camp, like I said, and they were on like tricycles and we like cleaned their tricycles and like helped them go through like a car wash kind of thing and all of it.

Peter Goettler:

That was really about, one aspect that was tough for me is, there're these people and they would treat you like the people that you meet would treat you like you were absolute superstars and you're total heroes when you came in and they were unbelievably excited to see you.

Peter Goettler:

And the, the, the analogy that we would often hear is people treat it like it's their Christmas so they'd be so happy to see you.

Peter Goettler:

And it was very tough for us because we would only, we would jump into their lives for two hours and then we're out and then we're moving.

Peter Goettler:

And I'll probably be in these towns, but I'd probably never meet them or see them again.

Peter Goettler:

And that was a really tough part.

Peter Goettler:

For like a lot of us to deal with.

Peter Goettler:

And one thing that I kind of realized towards the end of it is a lot of people in their lives like and say, you have a disability, a lot of people in your life, are there because they're required to be there.

Peter Goettler:

It's your family or it's the people that you hire to take care of you or things like that.

Peter Goettler:

And so, Our kind of role, I would say in in the summer is we were choosing to be there and we were putting ourselves through trouble to like sh you know, like be in like support and unison with them.

Peter Goettler:

And then we would like, yeah, we wanted to be there with them and I think that was really what rose up and made it so special for them.

Stephan Abrams:

so you mentioned children with tricycles and you met with a group.

Stephan Abrams:

Were those children with a dis.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, it was actually a mix.

Peter Goettler:

That specific one was, some of it, was kids with Down syndrome and autism.

Peter Goettler:

Mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

that particular one was not even with a physical disability, so it wasn't any children in wheelchairs.

Peter Goettler:

but it was more mental disabilities and that also was integrated with other kids that didn't have disabilities.

Peter Goettler:

And it was all about just like, Treating them the same.

Peter Goettler:

You know, having the, like, providing them the same opportunities as children to make these bonds with other students and, you know, really spread awareness to even the kids that they're with, that they're the same and that, Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

how did the reaction of those kids make you and your fellow writers feel when you came there?

Stephan Abrams:

And then knowing that you had to leave two hours later, how did that make you feel?

Peter Goettler:

the reaction was always, I guess I'd say so usually when you tell people about new something my summer, and it'd be like, Yeah, I biked 120 miles, and then I got off and within 30 minutes I had to put on real shoes and walk in and go attend a dance party for the next two hours where I have to be very high energy after doing something extremely grueling.

Peter Goettler:

And people would always be in react and be like, Oh my gosh.

Peter Goettler:

Like that sounds so brutal, sounds terrible.

Peter Goettler:

And the reality of it is, is that they give you all the energy like that, that initial reaction that you receive just lightens.

Peter Goettler:

You just brightens your whole day and you're just so excited and you just like, you have no other choice but to match their energy.

Peter Goettler:

And it's, it's, it's the easiest part I would say.

Peter Goettler:

Cuz then you show up.

Peter Goettler:

The initial reaction, you're so welcomed and everyone wants to come talk to you, and everyone's like, Oh my gosh.

Peter Goettler:

Like how are you?

Peter Goettler:

How's your son?

Peter Goettler:

You know?

Peter Goettler:

and then you make these bonds and you try to gather as much information and spread as much, you know, love that you can kind of with these people, and just have like the most fun with them you can.

Peter Goettler:

And then the two hour times up and someone's like, Hey, alright guys, like we gotta go.

Peter Goettler:

It's definitely not a great feeling because now you're like, shoot, you know, I have this connection.

Peter Goettler:

Like, I really enjoyed this time and now I have to leave and I'm leaving town tomorrow.

Peter Goettler:

You know?

Peter Goettler:

so it was definitely very difficult to deal with.

Peter Goettler:

And oftentimes, like the other riders I was with after friendship visits, we would, we like sit down and like, debrief and be like, Whoa, like, shoot, you know, just like realizing that we're out, we're probably never gonna see these guys again.

Peter Goettler:

Mm

Stephan Abrams:

But I bet you, you will be in their memory.

Stephan Abrams:

totally.

Stephan Abrams:

And they'll

Peter Goettler:

be in yours.

Peter Goettler:

Absolutely.

Peter Goettler:

Are you kidding me?

Peter Goettler:

The impact they had on me was probably more profound, the impact I had on them.

Peter Goettler:

What

Stephan Abrams:

did you learn

Peter Goettler:

from that?

Peter Goettler:

Whoa.

Peter Goettler:

wow, a ton.

Peter Goettler:

So you, one of the questions in your survey was, uh, do you have any life changing moments recently?

Peter Goettler:

Mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

, I was like, Heck yeah.

Peter Goettler:

I had about 45 over the summer it was almost like every other town you'd meet somebody, you'd just be like, Oh my you, like, you're just an amazing individual.

Peter Goettler:

and it'd be the people that are like the clients or it'd be someone there just to help out.

Peter Goettler:

And, what did I learn?

Peter Goettler:

Ah, that's hard to, I, I apologize.

Peter Goettler:

That's hard to put a film on.

Peter Goettler:

there was one, there was one experience we had in Olatha, Kansas that was probably one of the more profound of the summers.

Peter Goettler:

Mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

. And so in Olathe we met this guy named Mark Cameron.

Peter Goettler:

And so Mark Cameron, he was, non-disabled all until he was about 34, I believe is when it happened.

Peter Goettler:

And he dove off a dock not knowing it was shallow.

Peter Goettler:

Broke his, like C4 vertebrae, which, led him to be a quadriplegic.

Peter Goettler:

So now he's unable to move from the armpits down.

Peter Goettler:

we had a day off in Olathe.

Peter Goettler:

We had like a 40 mile ride in so quick for us at that point.

Peter Goettler:

and we had like a whole weekend plan, like, I mean, Two friendship visits, I think three friendship visits in two days.

Peter Goettler:

We went bowling, we went to Texas Roadhouse.

Peter Goettler:

We went hung out with like, like wheelchair, rugby.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, we, it was a totally packed weekend and Mark Cameron, who was, who was a quadriplegic, set up the entire weekend for us.

Peter Goettler:

like he made all the calls.

Peter Goettler:

He had everyone like provide the meals or meet.

Peter Goettler:

We met with wheelchair rugby, the whole nine, but the most profound.

Peter Goettler:

Part of that weekend was Mark invited us to his home and he brought the whole team into his bedroom and he just sat there behind his desk and basically just talked to us for two hours.

Peter Goettler:

And it was just like, Hey, I'm an open book.

Peter Goettler:

Ask me whatever.

Peter Goettler:

So, I mean, we even asked him how we like, you know, would go to the restroom, you know, things like that.

Peter Goettler:

And then as much as, as far as I even asked him, What do he considers the meaning of life to be?

Peter Goettler:

Things like that.

Peter Goettler:

Like it was just in completely incredibly profound.

Peter Goettler:

Like we, like half of us were almost in tears by the time we were leaving and he was just like such an inspiration.

Peter Goettler:

And the best part is like he, cuz he knew, he was just like, no one wants to hear, sit and have me sit here and mop all day.

Peter Goettler:

Its like, yeah, I'll share what you guys want to hear, but I'm here to share, you know, funny stories and hear these incredible anecdotes and yeah, there's an incredible experience.

Stephan Abrams:

That's beautiful.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank, Thank you, Peter.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, I, I do have some more questions for you about, meeting with, with Mark.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

but we're gonna take a quick break to get a word from one of our sponsors and then we're gonna be right back.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter.

Stephan Abrams:

Welcome back.

Stephan Abrams:

you were just telling us a story about Olatha Kansas.

Stephan Abrams:

and you went into the home of Mark Cameron, who's a quadriplegic, and what was his meaning of life?

Stephan Abrams:

You asked him, do you remember?

Peter Goettler:

What?

Peter Goettler:

Absolutely.

Peter Goettler:

Are you kidding me?

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

so it's, it's a tough question to ask, you know, and especially for a man who's like sitting there in a wheelchair in front of you.

Peter Goettler:

so I honestly, like, it took me a while to even get up the courage to ask the man, like what the meaning of life is to be.

Peter Goettler:

And he even sat there after I asked him the question and he was like, Wow, okay.

Peter Goettler:

And then basically his.

Peter Goettler:

Initial reaction was, I think it is helping others was his immediate like, and then he went on to tell this anecdote, that he shared with, So before he was, physically disabled, he worked for a construction company and he wasn't actually like a construction worker.

Peter Goettler:

I think he was on a management.

Peter Goettler:

and there was this woman who lives on his street.

Peter Goettler:

And the woman was getting older and was having trouble getting up their first three steps, into her home.

Peter Goettler:

And so she approached Mark, or maybe Mark approached him, I can't remember exactly, and basically was like, Hey, is there any chance that I could hire you guys to install a handrail for me to get up these first few steps?

Peter Goettler:

And Mark said, Absolutely.

Peter Goettler:

So then he went to, to his company and found the guy who could actually pull off the job and make the handrail.

Peter Goettler:

And they, you know, in the next few days, put together a handrail and installed it.

Peter Goettler:

And the woman was like, Oh my gosh.

Peter Goettler:

Thank you so much.

Peter Goettler:

This is.

Peter Goettler:

How can I pay you and mark me?

Peter Goettler:

And the great guy is, was, No, don't worry about it.

Peter Goettler:

Don't worry about payment them.

Peter Goettler:

And then so she was instead was like, All right, I won't give you, I won't give you physical cash, but how about this?

Peter Goettler:

And hands them two jars of.

Peter Goettler:

And so Mark was like, you know, obviously thank you so much.

Peter Goettler:

And then he went back to the office the next day and he left the jar of jam on the desk of the man who was actually put together the handrail.

Peter Goettler:

And then once Mark was at his desk and the guy came up who made the handrail with the jar of jam, And, like was in tears and was like, Is this, is this from the woman?

Peter Goettler:

You know?

Peter Goettler:

And Mark was like, Yes.

Peter Goettler:

And he was like, I like this.

Peter Goettler:

Just like he was just like almost at a loss for words over just a jar of jam just for doing like one nice thing like that.

Peter Goettler:

And then another anecdote he kind of brought up, Was Mark, has people come and help him because, you know, he needs a lot of help from, you know, going to the restroom to all, all sorts of things.

Peter Goettler:

and so he profusely, you know, is grateful to these people and says, Thank you and this is so great.

Peter Goettler:

And one guy after being there all day and it helped for a few weeks was like, Mark, I don't think you understand.

Peter Goettler:

I think.

Peter Goettler:

I get more out of this than you get out of this.

Peter Goettler:

He's like, I go back to my wife and kids and I'm just beaming and I'm a better father and I'm a better husband, and this just makes my entire week, entire month just helping you.

Peter Goettler:

And he was like, I think that that is really the meaning.

Peter Goettler:

Beautiful.

Stephan Abrams:

Of course I have another question for you.

Stephan Abrams:

Please.

Stephan Abrams:

being someone of your age, What was it like to see an adult individual, open themselves up to all of you younger adults?

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

to all of you.

Stephan Abrams:

Rising next generation of who's gonna lead.

Stephan Abrams:

Our society.

Stephan Abrams:

What was, what it was that like for you and and your friends?

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

It was, it was amazing.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, like I said before, like all of us were almost left in tears afterwards, after meeting them.

Peter Goettler:

It was for me, like, almost like after experiencing that, I just had so many other questions and not just to mark, to like.

Peter Goettler:

Everybody else.

Peter Goettler:

And like I, I almost was just like, why can't I ask?

Peter Goettler:

What's the meaning of life to everyone?

Peter Goettler:

Why can't I go sit my grandma down and be like, Hey, tell me everything.

Peter Goettler:

Tell me your regrets.

Peter Goettler:

Tell me your, you know, greatest, you know, achievements.

Peter Goettler:

I don't know, like, tell me like what's the meaning of life?

Peter Goettler:

And I don't know.

Peter Goettler:

I think it really opened my eyes because.

Peter Goettler:

Being, you know, the ignorant younger generation side, you're not implying that I'm sorry to, but like No, the not at all.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, yeah.

Peter Goettler:

No, no, I know.

Peter Goettler:

No, no, no.

Peter Goettler:

I, Sorry, I, I meant to say you're not implying that at all.

Peter Goettler:

I'm just saying like, being the gen younger generation, you know, you're usually, so many people are caught up in me and what am I gonna do with my life and what's, you know, what's my next step?

Peter Goettler:

And no one really stops to really like ask those kind of questions.

Peter Goettler:

I mean, I've definitely had some phenomenal conversations with people in the older generations, like teachers, parents, even grandparents.

Peter Goettler:

but I think it's definitely like a rare occasion to have those kind of tough conversations about, I don't know, like as, but yeah.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Do you think we as people allow ourselves to actually have those conversations?

Stephan Abrams:

Personally,

Peter Goettler:

what's your opinion personally?

Peter Goettler:

No, I don't think so at all.

Peter Goettler:

I don't think so at all.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah,

Stephan Abrams:

you can make a difference.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams:

do you see yourself now that you're back in school for this semester, that you're having a different type of conversation with some of your friends?

Stephan Abrams:

Absolutely.

Peter Goettler:

It's been actually very fascinating to go through these last few months cuz I obviously, I had like a life changing experience over the summer and it was completely amazing.

Peter Goettler:

And I came back and I wanted to accomplish some different things.

Peter Goettler:

I wanted to change the way in which I lived.

Peter Goettler:

Like, it was like I wanted to be a different human and all my friends were great and they totally accepted that.

Peter Goettler:

And, things like that.

Peter Goettler:

And now it's been very fascinating because now it's been a few months and It's been amazing to see, like I've had a lot of friends who I haven't really had these conversations with are now approaching me and they're like, Hey man, do you just wanna just like go on a walk?

Peter Goettler:

Like I really need to like get some things off my chest.

Peter Goettler:

And now like I feel like I'm at a point cuz I've opened myself up to friends and been like, Yes, I wanna have these conversations.

Peter Goettler:

You know, I can, I'll share whatever.

Peter Goettler:

I can be vulnerable.

Peter Goettler:

Like, why, you know, why aren't we all that A lot more of my friends that I weren't, I wasn't having conversations about like, like these conversations with in the past.

Peter Goettler:

I now am and like, It's, Yeah, it's been very fascinating just having that and just being like, once I, you know, kind of go off and show that, like, I'll be vulnerable, let's have these conversations, but I've been, it's been reciprocated and people will like, will come back and do the same

Stephan Abrams:

curious question for you.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

, what does it mean to you to be vulnerable?

Peter Goettler:

I think everyone obviously like, has a wall up to some, to some degree.

Peter Goettler:

To me, it's just, I mean, you don't have to share everything and it's not about like, it's not about like just spilling onto somebody and just like telling them your darkest fears and things like that.

Peter Goettler:

I think.

Peter Goettler:

I think it's a mutual kind of, if that makes any sense at all.

Peter Goettler:

Like obviously yes, you share some, like get, get some weight off your chest.

Peter Goettler:

What's on, what's been on your mind?

Peter Goettler:

like share something, but I also think it's being vulnerable with someone else, like being able to be there and to also be able to listen and like just let them be vulnerable.

Stephan Abrams:

do you feel that, that's a possibility when you're in high?

Peter Goettler:

I do, to a certain degree, I think like definitely you have some things in high school that you can discuss, but I definitely think like being the younger person you are, it's definitely harder to, And it's like you're learning so much about yourself to begin with.

Peter Goettler:

Mm-hmm.

Peter Goettler:

that like, and everyone is having different experiences, I definitely think it'd be tough, but I definitely think the older I'm getting, the better conversations I'm having.

Peter Goettler:

Okay.

Stephan Abrams:

I don't think you have the answers.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm just curious from your opinion.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

because I'm, I'm appreciating this conversation.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, me too.

Stephan Abrams:

A lot that I'm, I'm just wondering if, you know, that high school level you're learning and figuring so much out about yourself and who your friends are and what's going on in the rest of the world, if more people of that age.

Stephan Abrams:

No matter what generation they're from, if they could figure out how being vulnerable could actually help them grow and figure out where their direction in life is going or what they want to do right then in that moment.

Stephan Abrams:

Not that they have to have all the answers, but Totally just my opinion is when you're vulnerable, when you allow yourself to be vulnerable, there's there's nothing hiding.

Stephan Abrams:

And, and you can be genuine, but unfortunately there's too much blow back at times that can come back and you gotta put up barriers for that.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

. Absolutely.

Stephan Abrams:

now when we were talking before the show and we were talking about social media mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

, I think you're one of the few people, no matter what age that's not on social media.

Stephan Abrams:

or if you are, you don't use it much.

Stephan Abrams:

Why?

Stephan Abrams:

Why?

Peter Goettler:

So I always have not been a huge fan of social media.

Peter Goettler:

Yes.

Peter Goettler:

I can't really tell you exactly why, but for some reason I've just never really been really into it.

Peter Goettler:

like I definitely, I definitely had social media and now I've like completely, like I, I've deleted accounts, I've deleted my Instagram accounts and Snapchat accounts, and I still have Facebook because Facebook marketplace is so rad.

Peter Goettler:

Obviously being in Jackson, you know, there's some great stuff you can find on there for great prices.

Peter Goettler:

so yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So there's pros and cons.

Peter Goettler:

But I don't know.

Peter Goettler:

To me, the way I've kind of put it to friends in the past like, to me, if like, if you're not willing to like call me and like have a conversation and see how I'm doing or even just shoot me a text or something like that, why do I need to be following you and seeing what kind of, you know, vacation you just went on.

Peter Goettler:

And I also, I was always able to like, acknowledge the fact of the highlight reel.

Peter Goettler:

You know?

Peter Goettler:

Have you, have you heard this like metaphor?

Peter Goettler:

So basically the highlight reel is only people only post on social media.

Peter Goettler:

What great things they're doing in their life.

Peter Goettler:

You know, it's like, I just went on this great vacation.

Peter Goettler:

I just went on this great backpack.

Peter Goettler:

I just went and had the greatest time in Cabo.

Peter Goettler:

You know, things like that.

Peter Goettler:

No one posts on social media when they're laying in the bed on Sunday afternoon, you know, feeling like crap, like watching tv.

Peter Goettler:

You know, like that's not like, it's not very real.

Peter Goettler:

It's just.

Peter Goettler:

It's, it's like, and that's tough to see, like constantly, just like how well people are doing all the time, which I don't really like, love and I don't know.

Peter Goettler:

I have a lot of, Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

Sorry.

Peter Goettler:

Go ahead.

Stephan Abrams:

No, it's, it's all good.

Stephan Abrams:

Peter, I, I have great respect for you for, seeing that there's greater value.

Stephan Abrams:

In other ways of connecting with people through social media.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

And yeah, to me it's just like, it's, yeah, it's a way of staying in touch with the way I put it, like second and like third tier friends, and it's kind of like people.

Peter Goettler:

I remember when I did have social media, I was following people that weren't even my close friends who were from Ohio.

Peter Goettler:

And I like, I haven't seen them or spoken to them in five years, but I'm still seeing that.

Peter Goettler:

They're like, they went to, you know, Aruba, or I don't, you know, I don't know, whatever.

Peter Goettler:

and it's just like, what kind of role is that playing for me in my life and what kind of role am I playing in their life?

Peter Goettler:

Like why?

Peter Goettler:

And then also now have you, there's the Netflix documentary, the Social Dilemma.

Peter Goettler:

Have you seen that?

Peter Goettler:

I haven't seen it.

Peter Goettler:

I've heard about.

Peter Goettler:

It basically is just some guy, some people who used to work in the social media industry and they basically were telling everybody like how, like they won't even let their own children have social media because they know what it does.

Peter Goettler:

And now it's like the whole, the endless scrolling, like you can scroll for days.

Peter Goettler:

And so basically these, these companies make money on how much time you spend on it.

Peter Goettler:

And so they're programming to try to force you to like spend as much time as you can on social media, which just freaks me out.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, it's, it's kind of wild there.

Stephan Abrams:

Wow.

Stephan Abrams:

. I mean, my kids only get to watch TV two days.

Stephan Abrams:

That's a week.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

That's good.

Stephan Abrams:

I make regular trips to the library.

Stephan Abrams:

Good.

Stephan Abrams:

Heck yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

So the final leg of your trip mm-hmm.

Stephan Abrams:

, you rode into Washington dc Mm.

Stephan Abrams:

Frame that up for us.

Stephan Abrams:

Describe that to everybody that's listening who didn't get to.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So, do you wanna hear about like the, the arrival itself?

Peter Goettler:

Do you wanna be here about like, the last few weeks,

Stephan Abrams:

you tell me it's your story.

Stephan Abrams:

Cool.

Peter Goettler:

Great.

Peter Goettler:

So, yeah, so obviously the Rockies are a huge obstacle and it was great getting up and over them.

Peter Goettler:

And the planes I actually enjoyed a lot.

Peter Goettler:

Like Kansas was one of my favorite states.

Peter Goettler:

Mark Cameron was in Kansas, so that definitely helped.

Peter Goettler:

But it was just fun to see the planes.

Peter Goettler:

And then the Appalachians are the second big obstacle.

Peter Goettler:

And so that happened in the last like two weeks.

Peter Goettler:

and they was, I absolutely love the Appalachians.

Peter Goettler:

Totally, totally stunning.

Peter Goettler:

we'll, we'll, we'll do this.

Peter Goettler:

So the second to last day I was telling you about the fir, The second day we went over Mount Rainier, and that was a big, huge day.

Peter Goettler:

And the second to last day, we go through Shenandoah National Park.

Peter Goettler:

Hmm.

Peter Goettler:

and that was, yeah, so spectacular day.

Peter Goettler:

It's 10,000 feet of 110 miles, like big day, but spectacular day.

Peter Goettler:

And we spent all day on what's called like the Skyline Trail.

Peter Goettler:

So we basically were on a ridge of the Appalachians and at the end of that day, This is probably like another one of the most, like more profound moments of the trip, I'd say.

Peter Goettler:

And at the end of that day, we had about 10 miles left, but we were coming up on our last descent and we, so we came out to this overlook and right after the overlook we go down for like five, 10 miles and then we're done with the Appalachians.

Peter Goettler:

So then we, like me and the group I was with sat there at this overlook, like speechless for like 30 minutes just looking.

Peter Goettler:

We couldn't see the water yet.

Peter Goettler:

It was just like looking into.

Peter Goettler:

Planes again.

Peter Goettler:

And we were like, Oh my gosh, this is it.

Peter Goettler:

Like our last obstacle is finally complete, like one more 70 mile day and we're arriving into dc.

Peter Goettler:

So that was, that was an incredible experience.

Peter Goettler:

But then, so DC the night before, we get within 10 miles of DC yeah.

Peter Goettler:

So then we wake up next morning and we ride.

Peter Goettler:

10 miles to like a park near the capital building.

Peter Goettler:

And our main, the whole, celebration.

Peter Goettler:

The arrival celebration is gonna be on the capital lawn.

Peter Goettler:

and so we get it within 10 miles.

Peter Goettler:

I know my parents are there.

Peter Goettler:

I know like my sister's there.

Peter Goettler:

Everyone's there.

Peter Goettler:

Everyone's super excited.

Peter Goettler:

but we haven't seen them yet.

Peter Goettler:

And then, so we get ready, we hop on a bike and it was really special.

Peter Goettler:

It was the 35, 30 fifth anniversary of the Journey of Hope.

Peter Goettler:

So the first one for the first team who did it 35 years ago, obviously.

Peter Goettler:

and so there was like 80 guys who already done it before and years prior.

Peter Goettler:

And so they joined and they did like a three ride strip or three.

Peter Goettler:

Ride.

Peter Goettler:

and then they were gonna ride with us into dc and so the guys who'd done the cross country trip were in the front, and then like 80 cyclists were behind us.

Peter Goettler:

So it was this whole like, I mean, traffic stopping procession.

Peter Goettler:

and so we ride in and we round a corner and yeah, and there's like 300 plus people there, all like welcoming us and cheering with signs.

Peter Goettler:

and it was amazing.

Peter Goettler:

But to be honest with you, I was expecting to like be brought to tears on the capital on and like totally be like totally, like taken back and lo outta loss for words and I couldn't, I can.

Peter Goettler:

Put like a finger on it, but I don't really know what happened.

Peter Goettler:

But I wasn't like, I, I didn't have this like totally overcoming of emotion on the capital on, It was amazing to see my parents and things like that, but like I, it wasn't quite what I expected.

Peter Goettler:

It was amazing.

Peter Goettler:

Like, I'm not taking back from it at all, but I, for some reason it just didn't quite hit.

Peter Goettler:

but we had like this great, celebration and there, there's some speeches given and yeah, it was, it was a wonderful weekend.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm, I'm so thrilled that you have those memories to share with that group of people.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you.

Stephan Abrams:

when you guys started, did they encourage you or did you keep a journal?

Stephan Abrams:

Absolutely.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, So a whole, a whole nother aspect of this I haven't even brought up is, so my grandfather, my mother's father, three years before I was born, he sadly passed two years before I was born, biked across the country as well.

Peter Goettler:

And he also started in Seattle.

Peter Goettler:

he did it through the American Lung Association.

Peter Goettler:

So he did it like 50 days and a much more direct route.

Peter Goettler:

So on that my nana sent me his journal that he kept.

Peter Goettler:

so yeah, so, which was a whole spectacular other side of this.

Peter Goettler:

and so as I was able to go along, I was reading his journal and his thoughts and like the stops that he was going on.

Peter Goettler:

So from there and right away I was like, absolutely, I need to keep a journal.

Peter Goettler:

and it got tough at times because we were so busy when it came to the friendship visits and biking and all this, that and the other.

Peter Goettler:

So some of my journal entries aren't very long in all paragraph, but I definitely kept a journal and

Stephan Abrams:

yeah, I got the chills when you said that, Peter.

Stephan Abrams:

And what a beautiful, beautiful, you know, Connection with somebody that you never met that's in your family, and how special that you were able to, read his, his thoughts while he did something that was so similar.

Peter Goettler:

Of course.

Peter Goettler:

And it was so amazing too because, Obviously like back then it wasn't really like cameras.

Peter Goettler:

And I've seen videos of course, but I'd never heard his voice before, if that makes any sense.

Peter Goettler:

And I was able to hear it through like, through the journal and reading like his thoughts.

Peter Goettler:

And it was like, again, in Kansas I keep bring up Kansas, when we both on the same day or like, not the same day, but I read the same day when we crossed over at essential time.

Peter Goettler:

and just reading like his thoughts and like about that was when it really hit, it was like, oh my gosh, like.

Peter Goettler:

it's, it's crazy.

Peter Goettler:

I like, I have so many jumble thoughts about it.

Peter Goettler:

It's hard to put much, much like words to it.

Peter Goettler:

but yeah, it was a spectacular and amazing experience to be able to like re along and I feel so much closer to him and I feel so much, so much closer to my nana afterwards as well.

Stephan Abrams:

That's beautiful.

Stephan Abrams:

I love it.

Stephan Abrams:

What a, what an amazing way to, to wrap up this, this episode.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

And Peter, I.

Stephan Abrams:

Extremely, extremely grateful and have an immense amount of, respect and, gratitude for you to share this experience, but for you to get out there and do something that is so challenging and impactful in other people's lives, and I, I'm sure you will continue doing that over the many, many years that you have ahead.

Peter Goettler:

Thank you.

Peter Goettler:

I appreciate it a lot.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah, it's been great to share.

Peter Goettler:

Like it's, it's, I always love talking about it and my friends probably getting sick of me talking about it all the time, but it's definitely, it was an amazing experience for sure.

Peter Goettler:

I appreciate having me on and yeah, allowing me to,

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, you're welcome.

Stephan Abrams:

I bet your friends are not sick of it,

Stephan Abrams:

. Peter Goettler: Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

No they aren't.

Stephan Abrams:

But you know, it's you, you don't wanna shove something too far down people's throats, you know?

Stephan Abrams:

But yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Well Peter, I'm gonna let you get back to your day cuz you are a student.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm sure you have plenty to do.

Stephan Abrams:

I do.

Stephan Abrams:

And looks like it's a nice sunny day there in Boulder, Colorado.

Stephan Abrams:

so enjoy your day and when you get back here for the holidays, let's meet up and go for a walk.

Stephan Abrams:

Get a cup of coffee or something if you'd like.

Peter Goettler:

I would love to do that.

Peter Goettler:

Absolutely.

Peter Goettler:

Okay.

Peter Goettler:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Awesome.

Stephan Abrams:

Let's do it.

Stephan Abrams:

Well, Peter, enjoy your time there in school and we'll see you around soon.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you so

Peter Goettler:

much.

Peter Goettler:

It's been an absolute pleasure.

Peter Goettler:

Appreciate it.

Peter Goettler:

Take care.

Stephan Abrams:

To learn more about Peter and his fraternity's adventure.

Stephan Abrams:

Visit the Jackson Hole connection.com, episode number 215.

Stephan Abrams:

Please get out there and share this podcast on the Instagram, texting, emailing Facebooky, however you choose to share.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you to my lovely wife, Laura, and my boys, Lewis and William, for all the support you give to me every single day.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you, Michael for editing this podcast and doing the marketing.

Stephan Abrams:

You've done this since day one.

Stephan Abrams:

And folks, if you wanna create a podcast, reach out to Michael Mory.

Stephan Abrams:

You can find his information in the show notes.

Stephan Abrams:

I really appreciate you sharing your time with me today.

Posted by, Michael Moeri

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