5 proven tips for awesome wheelchair travel

Posted on Friday, March 22nd, 2019

By Wheel the World

a group of people on a mountain top in wheelchairs while the sun sets behind them
Besides using BluePath for finding accessible places, this article gives you tips for taking your first big trip as a  wheelchair user. We want you to know that fun, safe, even adventurous wheelchair travel is possible and that exploring the world without limits is a realistic possibility for you!We have the expertise – after all, our team explored Machu Picchu in a wheelchair! – to suggest a few things that can make your trip easier. Let’s go!
1) Check your hotel’s accessibility’s by calling ahead
Nowadays the Internet makes things super easy for us. Booking hotels online is great, but accessibility-wise, not everything is what it seems. In our experience, we’ve found that several accommodations claim to be wheelchair accessible or to have accessible bathrooms for wheelchairs online when in reality, it’s not the case. Several countries don’t have a regulation entity such as the ADA in the US that can confirm accessibility claims, so what we recommend is to call ahead and ask direct questions regarding the installations:
How wide are the doors? Are there steps, elevators, is the room on the first floor? Do you have roll in showers? That way you’ll get a better, more realistic picture of what your money is buying. We’ve had great experiences finding wheelchair-friendly accomodations in several destinations this way, also asking for detailed pictures by email!
2) Consider the intricacies of the in-flight experience
If you’re planning your first airplane trip, please be aware that all airlines are required to provide an inflight special wheelchair designed to through the narrow aisles. If you need to use the lavatories, let a crew member know so they can assist you. It is a good idea to call the airline ahead to ask whether their particular models have accessible lavatories as per required by regulations in certain countries.
3) Plan ahead for the care of your power wheelchair
If you’re a power wheelchair user, it’s important to be aware that it might be damaged in the transportation process. However, there are ways to avoid this. You can include handling instructions taped to the packaging of your electric wheelchair with clear instructions such as “NOT LAY ON ITS SIDE”. There are statistics for airlines in America that were recently released indicating that there are several companies that treat this delicate cargo with care and respect. Review the power wheelchair mishandling statistics here.
4) Research new technical adapted equipment
As they say, knowledge is power, and innovation is strong these days. Search the internet for innovative equipment that can help you make the most out of your capabilities. The Joelette is one of our favorites – an all-terrain wheelchair that’s perfect for trekking and hiking! Want to try biking? No problem. There are handbikes, trikes, tandem bikes, that can accommodate different kinds of disabilities, including visual disabilities. For water sports lovers, there are adapted kayaks, sailboats, amphibius
 wheelchairs, all designed to help you have the time of your life. Do your research to discover what could be the best fit for your abilities and needs. Also, you can contact us and we can help you find out.
5) Consider professional services with disability packages
Our company, Wheel the World, was founded in order to empower people with disabilities to explore the world without limits. We know we’re not the only ones to offer tourist packages to gorgeous destinations where you’ll get everything you need to have the experience of a lifetime tailored right to your requests: the equipment, the assistance, the expertise. Consider hiring a provider to take you to your dream destination and to guide you diving, trekking, hiking and biking through remote landscapes. We really know our stuff.
Consider these tips for your next trip, whether it is the first one or if you’re already a seasoned traveler. We’ve taken hundreds of travelers with disabilities to challenging destinations with amazing results, and the experiences have always been incredibly rewarding. Always be careful to call ahead and gather as much information as you can, and be cautious enough to put yourself in the hands of professionals when necessary. That way, the experience will turn out amazing, just how it is supposed to be.

Wheel the World
2150 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA  94704-1345



New Trails Solve Accessibility

Posted on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018

Trails are springing up all over the country that feature accessibility for people with mobility issues.

One such trail, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, has jaw dropping views from the scenic overlooks that are a major attraction, however for more than 80 years this authentic Appalachian forest experience and rugged terrain that made the area famous also restricted access, even to the nearby South Lookout. It was just 100 yards from the parking area, but the steep grade was a challenge for visitors with limited mobility or even those with young children.

They know that first hand viewing of wildlife is the first step in conservation. But even a short walk with a steep grade limits many from seeing it. Individuals with disabilities are either left at home or they sit alone to wait in the Visitor Center.

 After two years of planning, they created the accessible Silhouette Trail which leads to the look out. The Sanctuary credits the success of the final product to its planning team including a partnership with the CIL in their area. These partners evaluated plans, tested accessibility during construction and before opening it to the public.

The new trail was built with a slope that averages eight percent. The smooth but natural pathway is 900 feet long and six feet wide – enough for two wheelchairs to pass by one another and meanders in a wide, graceful arc through the forest.

Other enhancements include benches for rest every 100 feet, accessible trail side restrooms and improvements to the viewing platform. The benches were designed with a handrail in the middle so people can easily slide on and off and use the rail to pull. The accessible trail was the first phase of a larger project that will stretch more than half a mile in length and link all the major visitor facilities, including the outdoor center, amphitheater, native plant garden and visitor center.

Making a trail accessible will make a difference in visitation. Hawk Mountain for instance, during a typical autumn would welcome only a handful of individuals who used wheelchairs or walkers. Now they welcome someone who uses a wheelchair or walker nearly every day. Other benefits are families with strollers. They even received an outdoor Quantum Power Chair and ultra-light wheelchair to help increase access even further.

Communities across the nation are working to create accessible recreation out of doors. Blanchard Springs Caverns and the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas have accessible trails and tours available for people with disabilities. Bruneau Dunes Overlook created an upgraded circular observation overlook with easy access from the level parking lot, safety fencing and accessible vault toilet. Paved pathways, elevators and funiculars, handrails, wooden walkways have all been installed to make all the activities available to all. It’s hard to made the updates because information on accessible outdoor spaces are hard to find.

CIL’s are a good resource for any Parks and Recreation area to start with for making their trails more accessible. DAC NW was successful working with the City of Coeur d’Alene to make the Tubbs Hill Trail accessible. The restroom at Elsie Lake in Shoshone County was made fully accessible in 2017 by simply removing large boulders placed there to prevent vandalism but were too close together for a wheelchair to pass through. The City Beach in Coeur d’Alene has installed a rollup accessible sidewalk through the sand to access the water, it even includes lights for nighttime safety.

Sustainable Trails For All has hosted workshops on Trail Accessibility Guidelines in New Hampshire. These in-depth, field oriented workshops help officials understand the Federal accessibility guidelines for outdoor recreation sites. It also provides an overview of the techniques and hands on skills needed to build sustainable hiking trails that provide enjoyment for all. You can learn about new products that help with accessibility like Zeager Wood Carpet. This eco-friendly solution provides access in a natural setting. Wood fibers are bonded together to form a firm, pervious surface that eliminates eroding trails and muddy paths. You can call Deb DeCicco for more information at 603-547-1475.

If you are interested in getting outside you can find wheelchair accessible trails in Idaho at www.traillink.com.

For more info visit  NWADACENTR.ORG/IDAHO

dana-gover

Spokane dedicates new ballfield for kids at Mission Park

Posted on Thursday, October 27th, 2016
Screen Shot 2016-10-27 at 11.16.42 AM

By Thomas Clouse tomc@spokesman.com(509) 459-5495

A dream to honor the late father of Major League great Cal Ripken Jr. converged Wednesday with the legacy of Otto Zehm as Spokane officials gathered in the rain to dedicate a new baseball field at Mission Park for kids with disabilities.

Spokane Mayor David Condon and Spokane City Councilwoman Amber Waldref joined park staff members who worked with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, secured state grants and persuaded local donors to raise a total of about $560,000 to fund the Mission Park Ability Field. The field is adjacent to the only playground structure in the city that provides access to kids with mobility issues or other special needs.

“This is the park Otto Zehm played in as a child,” Condon said, referring to a mentally ill man who died after a violent encounter with Spokane police. “This has become somewhat of a local destination for children with disabilities. (The ball field) will have a synthetic surface. With the dugouts and digital scoreboard … it will make the kids feel like they are playing in the majors.”

Spokane Parks and Recreation officials had dedicated the playground equipment years before the city settled a civil suit brought by Zehm’s family. As part of that settlement, the city agreed to a request by Zehm’s mother to place a plaque honoring Zehm in a gazebo at the park. The new ballfield was not a part of that settlement.

Zehm’s “mom wanted (the memorial) here because he came here all the time to play,” Waldref said. “He loved it here. It’s come full circle.”

Waldref said the ballfield only came about because city staff sought grants, contacted the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and worked with neighborhood groups who have successfully completed other projects, like providing exercise equipment for senior citizens at Mission Park.

The ballpark’s second phase, expected to be completed by this next summer, will add restrooms that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, new paths and additional parking to make it easier for kids in wheelchairs to get to the new ballfield. Combined, the new projects will cost more than $800,000 to build.

The projects will “make it a regional destination for all kinds of families and people with disabilities,” Waldref said.

Bill Tsoukalas, speaking on behalf of the Ripken foundation, explained that Cal Ripken Jr. and his family created the nonprofit in 2007 to honor their father, who died in 1999. The foundation provides seed money for ballfields to serve disadvantaged youths.

The foundation’s initial goal was to build 50 ballfields across the country. The Spokane project becomes field number 66. It’s the 16th field designed specifically for kids with disabilities, Tsoukalas said.

“These are designed to deal with at-risk kids,” he said. “Whether its two working parents … or a kid with disabilities, this is a way the foundation can help you help your kids do the right thing.”

The foundation contributed the first $50,000. The city then won a grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office for about $230,000 and local donations made the up the rest. The Kalispel Tribe of Indians donated the money for the scoreboard.

Larry Gorton, 69, attended the ceremony. He works with the local organization called Access 4 All Spokane, which visits dozens of venues in the city to rate them for how they accommodate people with special needs.

“We are not the ADA police, but we are here to promote accessibility,” said Gorton, who is deaf and spoke through an interpreter. “I grew up here (in Mission Park), too. It’s been a very slow process to change things. That’s why we are here is to encourage people to adapt to people with disabilities.”

He applauded the city staff’s work to reach out to the Ripken foundation, and the three-and-a-half year effort to secure grants and donations needed to make the ballfield happen.

“It’s more than a park,” Gorton said. “It shows the city is trying.”