Great Island Trail on a Segway ….A Personal Triumph
August 24, 2011
In all the 6+ years since I met my wife, yearly vacations on Cape Cod — a tradition to which she has been faithful since college — have been mandatory (little did I know how much was riding on whether I liked the Cape or not that first trip). But the climax of each trip — the 4.5 mile hike on the Great Island trail just outside Wellfleet — was something I simply couldn’t manage. The most I’d ever been able to do is the first ¾ mile. And afterwards, due to MS fatigue, I was toast.
I never thought I would ever get to see what all the excitement was about. But this summer I was able to make it with the new addition to our family, my Segway equipped with an after-market seat called a SegSaddle. This magnificent machine has changed my life!
We started out along the perimeter of a scruffy bay. Then the trail wound up into a 1+ mile section of woods which crested at a breathtaking view of the marsh before descending to the edge of the marsh, curling around and over dunes to a closing stretch of beach. The height of summer on crowded Cape Cod, yet our little group of 4 were the only people there for miles until the very end of the trail.
The Segway isn’t perfect and it isn’t for everyone. In the forested stretch, there are numerous roots that caused me to fall twice. Showed me why a helmet is vital! And, while to my surprise I was able to make it over the sand with no problem (Segway tells users it can’t handle loose sand), I did need to get off and walk it over the dunes at each end. So, you need to be able to handle a little walking, and I wouldn’t attempt the sand until I felt really comfortable handling the Segway.
But I did it! And now I know exactly what all the fuss was about. Just about the best birthday gift for my wife that I could give her….and even more rewarding for me.
by Jim Seaton
Five Travel-Friendly Destinations for People With Disabilities
August 15, 2011
There is no limit to what you can do, regardless of whether you have a disability or not. And in an ever-changing, evolving society, more and more disabled people are realizing that they can do just about anything that anyone else can. Following are some of the most travel-friendly cities within the United States for those with disabilities.
Minneapolis
The city of Minneapolis is very travel-friendly to those with disabilities, providing appropriate aides and services, including sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other methods of communication to those who have speech, hearing or visual impairments. From golf to wheelchair archery, biking, horseback riding, water sports, wheelchair dancing. Disabled guests may also visit the Mall of America, St. Anthony Falls, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and more. A great deal of information is available at http://localmarket.mobility-advisor.com/Wheelchair_Sports_Organizations_Minneapolis_MN-p1550850-Minneapolis_MN.html.
Orlando
If you’ve ever been to Orlando, then you already know how easy it is for those with mobility issues to get around. The Disney World franchise takes great measures to ensure that all disabled persons have a good time. Besides mass transit in the form of monorails to and from various hotels as well as scooter and wheelchair services that come directly to you, this is a fantastic place to stay.
New York City
New York City is a very travel-friendly destination for those with disabilities, offering an endless amount of activities for disabled persons such as the Verbal Description and Touch Tour, where guests are invited to listen to detailed descriptions of various works of art as well as be able to touch objects such as sculptures, art materials and more. There are also adaptive athletic competitions. For more information, visit http://www.nyc.gov/html/mopd/html/home/home.shtml. You can also find transit information in NYC at http://mta.info/mta/ada/index.html.
Seattle
Despite the rainy weather, Seattle is a fairly accessible city for those with disabilities or who need wheelchair access. Whether you’re visiting the Space Needle, famous graves or the original Starbucks, those with disabilities will have no problem enjoying all of the attractions.
Reno
Reno, has a great nightlife; and luckily, it is a super friendly place to visit for those who are handicapped and/or disabled. Thanks to the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County (RTC), a bus system provides busing as well as an on-demand shuttle service for disabled persons to various areas of the city.
Janelle is an avid travel enthusiast and blog manager for one of the leading car shipping companies in the United States, National Transport, LLC. For information about their services, visit http://www.nationaltransportllc.com or contact National Transport, LLC at 1.800.665.5022
