Raising Awareness for CP | Every Kid Health Week

Every Kid Health Week (April 22 – 26) is not just a week of awareness for children’s’ health, but an international movement of kids with special needs and their parents. The annual week is inspired by a vision of physical education and social opportunities for both children and adults

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Around the world, 17 million people have cerebral palsy. The most common childhood physical disability, CP affects movement and its effects can vary widely from person to person. Some people may have weakness in one hand while others may struggle with an overall lack of controlled, voluntary movement. And while 50 percent of children with CP also have intellectual disabilities, many people with CP have no cognitive impairment and work as doctors, lawyers and other professionals.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage, usually before, during or immediately after birth, while a child's brain is still growing and developing.

One of the best-known causes of CP is birth trauma or injuries during birth. There are a number of factors that can lead to brain injuries before birth or during labor and delivery, including medical malpractice and doctor errors as well as accidents or domestic abuse.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

Different people have different types of CP, and each one has different symptoms and characteristics. These common types of CP include:

• Spastic cerebral palsy: The most common type of the disorder, it involves abnormal movements, stiff muscles and difficulties moving the body.

• Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Also known as athletoid or dystonic CP, it is the second most common type of CP. It involves slow, writhing movements or repetitive twisting motions as well as an awkward posture.

• Ataxic cerebral palsy: The least common form of CP, it involves tremors, shaking and poor balance.

• Mixed cerebral palsy: This involves a combination of symptoms that reflect a combination of more than one type of CP.

Challenges for People with Cerebral Palsy

When people have cerebral palsy, their ability to control their muscles is limited. Some muscles may contract too forcefully and others too little. People's limbs may be forced into awkward positions, sometimes causing pain. Others may have involuntary muscle contractions that make their limbs shake or tremble. Some people may have difficulty carrying out everyday actions that require motor skills and muscle coordination, including walking, tying shoes or writing.

In almost all cases, CP itself is not life-threatening and people with CP live long, adult lives thanks to modern medical treatments. However, while therapies can help to mitigate the effects of the condition on the body, no cure has yet been developed.

Treatments for Cerebral Palsy

There are several types of treatments that can help people with CP to live fuller, more comfortable lives. Medications can be used to control seizures or spastic movements as well as to reduce pain. Some children with CP may have surgery to improve their orthopedic functions and repair dislocated joints. In addition, physical, occupational and other forms of therapy can help provide physical, social and mental benefits to children and adults with CP.

Again, millions of people with CP live in communities around the world. Their lives can only be improved by greater inclusion, awareness and advocacy. During Every Kid Healthy Week, people can share information to spread knowledge, support and celebration for kids with CP everywhere.

The web is full of great information about developmental disability, including cerebral palsy (CP). Some great information for CP and surrounding topics is available at cerebralpalsyguidance.com. Check out their blog and connect with their authors at https://www.cerebralpalsyguidance.com/our-blog/. Also, check out what’s going on for Every Kid Health Week at http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/events/event/601

.

Fun Activities to Stay Fit

Guest writer Joe Flemming

The “cans” and “cannots” are a distinct reality for people with disabilities - where mobility issues or physical impairment inhibit even simple tasks and day to day functioning. Wheelchairs have no limitation on fun, however, and this list of activities that help you stay physically and mentally fit are just the ticket:

Chair Yoga: The restorative and healing benefits of yoga can still be attained when seated. Chair yoga involves the deep breathing, gentle movements and meditation of yoga, but with practicing the poses sitting down. Proven to help alleviate back pain, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress levels, chair yoga is a fun and challenging way to sync up your parasympathetic nervous system, calm your brain, and stay fit.

Biking: Handcycling transforms bicycling into an adaptive activity where someone with a strong upper body who might have a disability can pedal with their hands. In the same vein, tandem bicycles, where you are connected to another person who is cycling, and body powered trikes, where swaying from side to side moves your vehicle, are fun options as well. Find adaptive bicycles online for purchasing or contact your local recreation center to see if they have any available.

Coloring: You heard that right, coloring. Keeping the mind fit, despite disability, is key to staying sharp and preventing cognitive decline and memory loss. Coloring is one of those enjoyable activities that requires fine motor skills, focus, and creativity - all great exercise for the brain. Find free printable coloring sheets online or coloring books for purchase in a convenience or grocery store near you.

Bowling: If a wheelchair is the only thing limiting your movement, bowling is a great adaptable activity worth trying! Incorporating a little heart-pumping competition, concentration, and upper body exercise from lifting and rolling bowling balls, bowling can add up to hours of fun that helps you stay in shape. Contact a local bowling alley to see what adaptive resources they have for people with disabilities.

Chair Cardio & Aerobics: Working your non-limited muscles and limbs can actually be done quite successfully from your wheelchair. Find inspiration and instruction for a sweat-breaking chair cardio workout on Youtube, or hit up your local gym to see what aerobic machines, free weights, and instruments (like resistance pulleys) they have available for people with disabilities.

Practical Accessories for Staying Active

Need a little assistance staying active and getting around? These practical solutions can help:

• Reach grabber tool: This nifty, often inexpensive assistive device acts simply as extension of your arm with a rubber or suction-cup claw on the end, great for picking up small items like your keys and phone as you head out the door to the gym. How do you find the best reacher grabber for you? Look online or at your local pharmacy for lightweight, collapsible, and durable ones that will be easy to take with you on the go.
  
• Virtual assistant: Want to play some meditative music while you practice yoga? Or add a reminder for tomorrow’s bowling competition to your calendar? A virtual assistant, like Siri for iPhone, or the freestanding Amazon Echo with Alexa, can respond to simple voice commands and help you with tons of tasks.
  
• Hydration backpack: If you plan on exercising more and staying active, hydration will be key to keeping you going and preventing you from overdoing it. Hydration backpacks are lightweight, durable ‘bladders’ filled with water that sit in a pack and have a hose with bite valve coming out of it. Without having to worry about toting around or refilling a water bottle, a hydration backpack could be your answer to staying hydrated while you exercise.

When looking to step (or roll) out of your comfort zone and approach fun, new activities that help you stay fit, remember what Vincent Van Gogh wrote, “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

How to Run A Business While Traveling For Six Months Every Year

We have been encouraging people with disabilities to travel for almost 15 years now, and many of our readers work from the road. We recently had this submission which was appropriate for us to share, from Startbloggingonline.com about how to run a business while traveling - something we still, after that long, are perfecting.

There are challenges that every business traveler has to deal with - how to stay ahead of the inbox, keep track of tasks, maintain a healthy relationship with family, keep things running smoothly back at headquarters, bookkeeping and receipt tracking, and not to mention all the details of the travel experience.  We often find we go into "yay we're traveling mode" and forget that business needs to go on as usual.

If you're new to traveling with a disability, pan through our archive for posts about how to do this easily - to manage your needs, to find access, to leverage your resources, to travel cheaper, etc.

But if you're a pro at traveling, and you want to start a blog about it, check out this infographic on running a business while traveling to show that it is possible to travel while running a business and hit the road Jack!

​

You can do more than being productive with your business by documenting how you do your business through a blog. Through this, you can share your success story with others and serve as an inspiration. Learn to blog from scratch with some guidance from our friends at Startbloggingonline.com. 

TRAVELING WITH A DISABILITY: SEE THE WORLD, PROVE WHAT’S POSSIBLE

Recently, our Craig was interviewed by PRISCILLA LIGUORI, and this article and interview were
posted to The Culturist this week:

While worrying about accessibility can be daunting, there are many ways to make traveling possible
and enjoyable for people with disabilities. Craig Kennedy co-founded an online travel resource for
people with disabilities called Access Anything after he realized a lot of inaccurate information
circulates within the disability community.

“Giving people freedom and independence to do what they need and want to do is key,” said Kennedy,
who lives in Colorado and travels the world while using a wheelchair.


READ MORE HERE

The GADA Belt proves itself on climbing wall at No Barriers USA

This year we traveled down to Copper, CO for the annual No Barriers Summit and while visiting with our friends Mark and Wes at No Limits Tahoe's climbing wall, we joked around that perhaps we should strap the wheelchair in with the famous GADA Belt to test its staying power while Craig climbed the giant wall. Proving itself for the first true time in 10 years of this product (we've had many life-saving kind of testimonials, but none directly from Craig himself!).  Here are the images to prove it!

Learn more about the GADA belt at http://www.accessanything.net/gada-belt.html

5 Steps Any Business Can Implement to Create a More Inclusive Workplace for Employees with Disabilities

Leading Disability Organization releases step-by-step guide to making businesses more inclusive amid nomination period for Ruderman Best in Business Award

Boston, MA — Did you know that over 70% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are unemployed? For a community that represents 20% of the entire American population, people with disabilities are far underrepresented in the workplace and is a reflection of one of the biggest problems we face in today’s society.

The Ruderman Family Foundation, a national leader in disability inclusion, is currently accepting nominations for its annual Ruderman Best in Business Award, recognizing businesses that have demonstrated a history of employing people with disabilities, training and supporting them and developing innovative approaches to maximizing employee’s abilities.

But inclusion is something everyone can contribute to, and the Foundation has provided 5 simple steps that any business can implement to increase inclusion:

1.     Use Technology: People with disabilities may need reasonable accommodations to do their jobs. Technology offers reasonably priced accommodations for a number of disabilities, such as speech-to-text software for a visually impaired employee or captioning screens for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

2.     Partner with a Job-Training Agency: Find the non-profit agencies in your community that are providing job coaching training for people with disabilities and partner with them to bring the supports that employees may need right to the job.

3.     Include Disability Awareness Through your Company: Inclusion happens when everyone in your company understands the value of hiring a diverse workforce. Include regular trainings focusing on disability awareness and inclusion.

4.     Accessible Environment: Make sure that your office or facility includes restrooms, hallways and storage space that are accessible for people of all heights and mobility.

5.     Online Accessibility: Inclusion extends to your online presence. You can make your web site more accessible with simple steps like using alt tags that that translate visual images and captioning on videos.

Last year marked the inaugural year of the award, which is in partnership with the Jewish Week Media Group, highlighting businesses selected through a national nomination and review process by judges from the business and disability communities, including Richard E. Marriott, Chairman of Host Hotels & Resorts and the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities and John Hockenberry, NPR journalist and four-time Emmy award winner. This year, 18 businesses from the United States and Canada will be awarded.

For more information about the Ruderman Best in Business Awards and to nominate a business, please visit http://www.thejewishweek.com/ruderman-best-in-business-2016. Nominations will be accepted through May 25, 2016.

About the Ruderman Family Foundation

The Ruderman Family Foundation is an internationally recognized organization, which advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society. The Foundation supports effective programs, innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout America.

The Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community and imposes these values within its leadership and funding. For more information, please visit www.rudermanfoundation.org 

5 of the Easiest Ways that Holiday Accommodation Providers Can Cater to Wheelchair Users

Guest post by Andrew Atkinson 

Providers of accommodation for holidays and adventure breaks don’t always think of wheelchair users. There are laws, rules and regulations in place, yet many accommodation providers think that it’s difficult to meet those requirements. Actually, there are some very simple things that can be done to make a big improvement. Here are five of the easiest, quickest and most affordable adaptations:

Solid Floors

Adaptations indoors might include replacing carpet with hard flooring. Outside, smooth paths are infinitely better than gravel paths (or no paths at all!). It doesn’t take much to add tiles/laminate to rooms and to create paths that are suitable for wheelchairs, yet these changes to a building will make a dramatic difference to the experience of a wheelchair user.

Elevators

Ensure that someone has access to all levels of accommodation by installing at least one elevator. These can be standard elevators, or ones specifically for wheelchair users that are usually simple moving platforms with full manual control. Dedicated elevators for wheelchair users can be moved up and down manually, and have doors that can be pulled open and manually closed, so that users don’t find themselves racing against automatic doors.

Automatic Doors

On the subject of automatic doors, these quick and easy adaptations in other parts of a property can really help a wheelchair user. It can be hard, sometimes impossible, to push open a door whilst also wheeling through it. An automatic door, perhaps with push button access, will open hands-free.

Accessible Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Providing accessible sleeping accommodation will open accommodation providers to a wider range of potential visitors. People look specifically for wheelchair friendly accommodation – the more accessible the better. Extra wide doors are a starting point, but additions such as grab rails, hoists, motorised beds and wetroom showers are even better.

Staff Support

The physical features of the accommodation are important, but they’re not the only important things. A wheelchair user benefits just as much, perhaps even more, from friendly and helpful on-site staff who can provide extra support when it’s needed. Staff should listen to the specific needs and requirements of their guests, as those needs will vary from person to person. Even if a specific adaptation isn’t in place, guests and staff members can work together to come up with an alternative or temporary solution.

Making adaptations might seem stressful, difficult and expensive, but accommodation providers can really benefit from broadening their potential pool of guests. Good customer service will lead to positive word of mouth marketing, which is the best form of marketing available. If providers can offer accommodation for wheelchair users, then word is likely to spread throughout the community and will lead to increased bookings.

Of course, as wonderful as the financial benefits and increased room bookings are, the best bit is simply the fact that an accommodation provider can know that they’re providing equal opportunities and excellent facilities for all of their guests.

Mobility Smart is an online provider of products for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. Products available to buy online include adaptations, pain relief, supports, cushions and daily living aids.

Partner with Access Anything to gain exposure

Access Anything Partner Opportunities 2015

Thank you for your interest in placing your information on the Access Anything Resource site. We have spent a decade building this resource in the hope that it provides an inspiration to people with disabilities around the world. Please view our About Us and Bio pages to learn more about the company’s history.

Because of our extensive work in the industry, our following is impressive and growing. As of August 2015, our website boasts 450-500 page views per month, our Twitter following is 155,000, our You Tube channel has 155 subscribers with over 105,000 total views, our blog has over 48,000 views, and our Facebook following is 1370 friends. For these reasons we feel our network is worthy of these 2015 updates. That said because our industry is still growing and we value our network and connections greatly, we have chosen to keep our fees low to encourage businesses to still participate in the Access Anything resource.

Resource Page Listings:  http://www.accessanything.net/resources.html

Intention
It is the intention of this resource page to be easy to read and navigate for all abilities. Therefore we only place Company Name with web link and short description if needed. No other information will be placed so please make sure your link and website are sufficient to help people.

Cost and Reciprocation
Because the company is no longer in daily operation and the website is a free online resource to those in need, as of 2015 we have started a nominal fee for placement on the site. The fee is to cover the upkeep and annual costs of maintaining and hosting AccessAnything.net.

Non profits: $5 one time – or free if you provide a link to AccessAnything.net from your site
For profits: $10 one time – or $5 if you provide a link to AccessAnything.net from your site
Changes/updates: $5 per change

Fees can be paid through Google, Paypal, or Square by using andyjkennedy@gmail.com as recipient.
If you do not have one of these accounts and need to use a credit card, the % fee will be applied.

Access Anything Blog

Our blog auto posts to our Facebook and Twitter pages, gathering thousands of unique clicks per month, 80-90% of which are first time viewers.

In protection of our brand and standards, guest writers are welcome to write for Access Anything blog as long as these standards are upheld:

·       300-500 word min/max with 1-3 photos and/or YouTube embed code

·       Include a short one-two sentence bio with a link to your website if you have one

·       Positive, uplifting, and informative topic and message

·       Minimal editing required – do your own editing please (typos, grammar, etc)

·       Educational information only - do not use this space to promote your own website or product.

Access Anything Advertising Opportunities
Advertisers will be invoiced directly, payments can be made by credit card, check, or through any of the payment methods above as well as Quickbooks/Intuit services.

Access Anything Website – www.accessanything.net

The Access Anything site is hosted by Weebly in a template format which is not customizable, and we are not web designers. Therefore specific CSS or HTML design must be done on your end and either the code or the image must be provided to us, with a tracking code embedded if desired. We will simply be placing that code and image into our template with your link. We do NOT provide tracking on this ad, that is your responsibility. You are paying low costs for placement on a high traffic site only.  

Locations and cost – 3, 6 or 12 month commitments, billed monthly or at once per agreement.
Top banner, below scrolling images, 600x200 pixels, one only - $1000/month
Right column top, below search bar, 200x200 pixels, one only - $500/month
Central column bottom, below blog links, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $200/month
Right column bottom, below Facebook box, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $200/month
Right column half, next to Facebook box, 100x200 pixels, limit one - $100/month

Access Anything Blog Site - http://accessanything.blogspot.com/

Similar to the Access Anything main site, Blogger is a template and CSS, HTML, images, and tracking codes must be provided to us for placement. We not provide analytics of your advertisement.

Locations and cost – 3, 6 or 12 month commitments, billed monthly or at once per agreement.
Right column top, 200x200 pixels, one only - $500/month
Right column mid, below search bar,, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $300/month
Right column lower, below blog archive, 200x200 pixels, no limit - $100/month

If you care to suggest an additional partnership, we are open to suggestions. Email us at ask@accessanything.net. Please allow 2-3 days for reply.

Thank you for your interest in partnering with Access Anything!

Craig and Andy Kennedy
ask@accessanything.net
www.accessanything.net
Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

DISABILITY TRAVEL GENERATES $17.3 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eric Lipp

Open Doors Organization

773 388-8839

ericlipp@opendoorsnfp.org

DISABILITY TRAVEL GENERATES $17.3 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING

New Nationwide Research from Open Doors Organization as ADA Turns 25

Chicago, IL, July 31, 2015 - The Open Doors Organization (ODO) today released the findings of its 2015 Market Study.  The nationwide survey, conducted by Mandala Research, LLC, is a follow-up to ODO’s groundbreaking studies of 2002 and 2005 on the spending trends and market scope of U.S. adult travelers with disabilities.

“This new data,” says ODO Director Eric Lipp, “shows that the disability travel market has a greater impact than ever on the industry and the broader economy.  In the past two years alone, more than 26 million adults with disabilities traveled for pleasure and/or business, taking 73 million trips.”  The study also shines a light on factors still holding back the market.  Twenty-five years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many barriers to access still remain in air travel, hotels and restaurants, although these have decreased significantly since the previous study in 2005.

The 2015 ODO study quantifies how much adults with disabilities spend on just their own travel—$17.3 billion annually, up from $13.6 billion in 2002.  Since these individuals typically travel with one or more other adults, the economic impact is actually double, or $34.6 billion.

Like the 2005 ODO study, the new research shows businesses in the travel industry the extent and types of barriers the majority of travelers with disabilities still experience.  Among adults with disabilities who have traveled by air, 72% said they encountered major obstacles with airlines and 65% with airports, down from 84% and 82% in 2005, respectively.  At hotels and restaurants, the percent reporting obstacles—physical barriers, problems with customer service or communication barriers—has significantly decreased as well.

The 53-page report provides detailed findings not just on general travel patterns, frequency of travel and spending, but also gives specifics on cruise travel; ground transportation including ride share services; use of the Internet, mobile devices and assistive equipment; and the most popular destinations nationally and internationally.

Reflecting back on ODO’s earlier research and where the disability travel market is today, Eric Lipp notes, “When we carried out our first nationwide study in 2002, the goal was to wake up the travel industry to the importance of this mostly underserved market segment and give them hard numbers on which to base investment decisions.  Now 13 years later, our economic impact is no longer a secret, especially in air travel.  At large airports like Miami and Minneapolis St. Paul, airlines now must provide more than 1 million wheelchair assists per year.  And as the Baby Boomers continue to age, you can be sure our market will keep growing for years to come.”

The survey was conducted online in January and February 2015 among a national sample of 1,291 adults with disabilities aged 18 or over.  Disability was defined as having blindness, deafness or a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying. Individuals who also have cognitive disabilities were included as respondents as well.  To insure comparability with the 2002 and 2005 studies, Mandala Research used Harris Interactive (now Harris, A Nielsen Company), who had conducted the earlier research, to carry out the online poll.

Copies of the 2015 Market Study are available for sale through the Open Doors Organization website (opendoorsnfp.org) or by calling 773 388-8839 or e-mailing info@opendoorsnfp.org.

The Open Doors Organization is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of teaching businesses how to succeed in the disability market and make their goods and services accessible to people with disabilities. Mandala Research, LLC, who partnered with ODO on this study, offers a diverse range of travel market research products and services—along with expert analysis—to Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

- end -

Resting Easy in the US

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Candy Harrington, candy@EmergingHorizons.com

New Lodging Guidebook Features Unique Properties for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers

RIPON, CA – May 1, 2015 – If you’re tired of staying at cookie-cutter chain hotels, then pick up a copy of Resting Easy in the US; Unique Lodging Options for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, and get ready to think outside of the box. Penned by veteran journalist and accessible travel expert Candy B. Harrington, this accessible lodging guidebook is the result of nearly two decades of in-depth research, meticulous site inspections and copious reader feedback.

This handy resource includes accurate access descriptions and detailed photographs of over 90 properties across the US. From B&Bs, guest ranches and lakeside cottages, to boutique hotels, rustic cabins and deluxe yurts, variety is the key word in content. And although access varies from property to property, each one possesses a unique attribute – be it the location, the owner, the room, or maybe even the entire lodging concept.

Each Chapter includes:

• A detailed description of the access features of the property, including often overlooked access details such as bed height and toilet grab bar placement.
• Numerous photographs of each property, including detailed bathroom shots.
• Measurements of showers, pathways and doorways that are outside of the ADA accessibility guidelines.
• Candy’s take about what makes the property unique, plus a detailed evaluation of who it will and won’t work for access-wise.
• Accessible sites, attractions and trails located near the property.

“There are so many different choices in accessible properties today, and I’m thrilled to be able to share some of my favorites with my readers,” says Harrington. A must-have resource for all travelers, Resting Easy in the US is a good guidebook for seniors, parents with stroller-aged children, Baby Boomers, folks who just like to take things a littler slower and anybody who uses a cane, walker, wheelchair or scooter.

Known as the guru of accessible travel, Candy Harrington has covered this niche topic exclusively for the past 20 years. She’s the founding editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of several accessible travel titles, including the classic, Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She also blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.BarrierFreeTravels.com.

Resting Easy in the US; Unique Lodging Options for Wheelers and Slow Walkers ($15.95, 395 pages, 6 X 9 paperback, ISBN 978-0692430576; $15.95) is available atwww.RestingEZ.com.

Project - Wheelchair Sports in Bali

From our good friend Steve - any help is appreciated! Please spread the word! 

Project - Wheelchair Sports in Bali

We are pleased to announce our participation in a collaborative project  with (BSF) Bali Sports Foundation.  A major obstacle for athletes in many countries is the acquisition of wheelchair sports equipment.  Since our inception, addressing this issue has been a core objective.   A portion of the funds required to provide basketball wheelchairs will be raised through online solicitation.  We ask for your help, please click on the GlobalGiving link below and scroll to the donate tab to support this worthy project.  If we can raise $5,000.00 by March 27, BSF will earn a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving  site. 

Every donation will have a significant impact, thank you for your consideration.    "Sport Changes Lives"

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/basketball-wheelchairs-for-bali/?

Happy Holidays from us to you!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and abundant, healthy, and happy 2015!

Here's what we've been up to this year... for you from us, our green holiday video card

Spectacular Arizona! Cities and Canyon experiences from April 2014

April bring mountain towners into what's called "mud season," after all the ski areas close and the visitors leave, and the locals pick up their toys and head south for adventures.  This year we headed to Arizona; we had been to Phoenix, but only briefly, in 2001, and Craig hadn't been to the Grand Canyon ever, so this was going to be a fun adventure indeed - as it always is!

We first spent a week in Phoenix exploring this truly fun and beautiful city, the biggest stops on our list worth mention were the Desert Botanic Gardens and Taliesin West.  Both were basically accessible.

The Gardens were a mostly flat course of rolling around on very fine pebble paths -thanks to Craig's knobby tires and strong arms, it wasn't an issue, although it might be a little tenuous in spots for someone in an older chair with less strength. We were very impressed with the Gardens, augmented by the Chihuly glass sculptures exhibit and the excellent dinner we had at their in house restaurant. We attended the evening session in which we toured the grounds in daylight, dined at the restaurant, and the quickly toured parts of the grounds again at dusk to see the lit-up glass structures, which were magnificent. We're delighted to announce that Chihuly's exhibit will be visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens next (June through November) so we'll hopefully get another glance and we highly recommend you do as well.

 

Taliesin West, the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright and students- still to this day, was very well adapted. Despite being told on the phone that the ramps were only 28" wide, they were indeed 32" and although steep in spots, not an issue for us.  He got into every building on the tour, and it was well worth the visit even though we were skeptical. It was inspiring, impressive, and affordable.

In addition, we also looked into golf in Phoenix. While this proved to be a little bit of a challenge, we managed to find a working SoloRider for our purposes, but also reached out to the City Manager about making sure their adaptive cart fleet was up to speed, and we can happily report they have made this a priority so the next time we visit, golfing will hopefully not be a challenge.  Supposedly all 6-7 of their municipal courses have a SoloRider or two, so any of them are options.  We used the one at Maryvale and found the staff to be extremely helpful and accomodating. The course was well shaded and fun. You can learn more about Phoenix Golf here.

After Phoenix we headed north to Sedona, but on the recommendation of my cousins, we visited the tiny cliff town of Jerome on the way. This wasn't the most accessible tourist spot, but it was worth a stop - or even a drive by if you have the time.  Extremely quaint, complete with a 100-year-old post office (original PO box dials in the front box room?), Jerome is nicknamed the "most wicked place in the west," we're not sure if it's for the people or the location. Hanging literally off the black hills themselves, the switchback road has 180 degree corners and the shops, restaurants, homes, all seem to be on a tilt. There is a step up to some of the shops, but not all of them. The vibe of the place is groovy, like all the old Sedona hippies left the growing metropolis to find solitude here.

Sedona was just up our alley - crystal shops, vortices, gluten free restaurants, red rocks, gorgeous drives and vistas, and a wide range of affordable lodging.  What we road tested for you:

• We stayed at the Sedona Real Inn, the accessible room there was awesome, the staff was extremely amenable (complete with concierge), the breakfasts were filling (average), and the price was great. See the first photo below of the accessible shower - among the best we've seen. 
• We had our two dinners at Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen where everything on the menu - including Andy's ravioli- was gluten free, and Thai Palace Uptown.  Both were delicious. 
• Drive up to the Airport and catch a sunset or a sunrise - the closest vortex on the map, you can really feel the energy swirling up here. There's a parking lot, complete with two handicap spots, and a short trail or just a pull out to sit at, your choice. Bring a dollar or two, there's a donation bucket for local parks there. 
• We also drove the short drives out of the main town to see the other vortex spots, with great views of red rocks along they way.  
• If you're a slow walker, you can also do the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park - a 1/4mi. and 100-200ft inclining dirt trail climbs to this amazing prayer park, but it's not accessible to wheelchairs. That said, there was a sign there that said call for access, so if we'd made advance arrangements, we think you can get the key to drive right up to it. It's really a powerful spot, so it'd be worth it. 

Other than this we ran out of time to explore Sedona further so we'll just have to go back!

Moving on to the Grand Canyon!  On our way, we visited Bearizona, an animal park/preserve that has some great views of animals if your family is into that. I could flood this already-lengthy blog post with adorable pictures of baby bears playing and owls flying so close to our heads they'll knock you over, but you get the picture. Check it out, it's a sweet spot.

Once in the canyon - We were truly awestruck by this amazing 7th Wonder. It was a place that no picture or description can fully describe, you simply have to see it for yourself.  We'd managed to get a copy of Candy Harrington's brand new Grand Canyon guidebook before we went, and got a few great tips out of it for our needs - number one is ask for the accessible driving pass at the entrance gate, with it comes a code that lets you drive to the end of Hermit's Rest where only shuttle busses go. This was a special treat for us because it meant having our cooler with us for a picnic in the middle of a long day.

If you think every view will be the same, you're wrong. Stop at every one as we did, and be impressed in a new way every time. But don't be stupid and go too close to the edge. They pull 250 people out of the canyon every year, and most years a dozen people leap or fall accidentally over the edge. Those 1000-foot cliffs aren't forgiving.

We love camping and stayed at one of the accessible spots in the Mather Campground and it was perfectly convenient and predicable for us - near the restroom, flat tent area, protective metal fire ring. But a few of the lodges look right into the canyon and we think the next time we visit we'll step up and book a room just for the views.  A warm shower would be nice too - camping in April in the Canyon can be cold, our nights dipped into the low 30s. The last time Andy camped there in 1998 they got snowed on.

We also squeezed in a visit to the Grand Canyon IMAX and for those of us who aren't doing the hiking, a flight trip, or the mules, make this movie a stop during your stay. It was enlightening, historical, and almost gut wrenching with the typical IMAX flying.

We must say, reading Candy's book before, during and even after our visit made us reminisce about writing guidebooks - sometimes we miss those days!  It's a great little guide of the area, so definitely check it out. We didn't take much out of it other than the few tips about shuttling because we made our own meals and camped, but there is a lot of information in there that is extremely detailed - right down to the photographs of the lodge's accessible bathrooms! Always the biggest stress when traveling for us - does the shower really have a bench?

If you don't have the Grand Canyon on your bucket list, you should amend the list!