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!

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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

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.

European Vacation 2: Belgium

... continued from European Vacation 1: Amsterdam...

After a wonderful few gorgeous 80* sunny days in Amsterdam, we packed up and headed south to Belgium, through beautiful countryside past windmills and zipping along for a few hours on the European highway in a poshy awesome private taxi. It worked out to be only slightly more than the train, and much easier for Craig and dad (keep reading for more about the train and potential access issues there!).

We arrived in Bruges on a Sunday, in the middle of market, and the street we needed to get to was blocked off with a bouncy house and food booths - quite hysterical, the circling and GPSing and persistence of our driver! - but finally we arrived at the adorably quaint, historic Hotel Navarra! As with the Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam, we booked Hotel Navarra many months in advance for its single accessible room and perfect location in the city. We were adjacent to the beautiful, also historic, Market Square. The room wasn't US-ADA coded like Krasnapolsky was, but it was manageable, and worth the small barriers to have the location and the historic beauty of this hotel. (Main barrier was the separate small stall for the toilet, but the shower had a hand-held and the sink was roll-under. And the pool, unfortunately, was down a flight of 500-year old stairs, but as I found, wasn't really worth it anyway, brrr!)

Historic, we found, in Europe, is nothing compared to what we can fathom for "historic."  It grabs your soul, this type of history, truly.  But for Craig, it grabs his wheels!  And by that I refer to the cobblestone... everywhere and ever present, the cobbles in Europe are a challenge, but not an insurmountable one! We are lucky for his knobby mountain wheels, stomach-muscles-balance, and ability to look a challenge in the face and laugh!  So very overlook-able when it comes to this gorgeous truly medieval city!

In Bruges, we had two days and packed it in, despite the rain!  The food just keeps getting better~ Pieter Pourbus and t/Zwaantje, waffles, chocolate and the ChocoStory museum, fat fat fries, and what would Belgium be without the BEER! Craig tried at least 20 beers in the 5 days we were in this great country, and every one of them were tasterific!

We did not make it up the umpteen stairs to the Bell Tower, and honestly, it wasn't missed - walking around the city was enough, and the view from the ground was just as spectacular! You could see this amazing tower from just about anywhere we walked to! The romantic canals, the Burg Square lunch, the Church of our Lady~ all wonderful, LOVED Bruges!

On to Brussels - and our lessons with the European train! We took two trains: From Bruges to Brussels, and then from Brussels to Paris. And both times, they wanted a day or two warning that we were coming (in Bruges they got no warning and wanted one day's, in Brussels they got one day and wanted two). Both times we had a bit of a language barrier as well but made it work (note to self, really commit to brushing up on the French!). And but both times we managed to sweet talk our way on - waiting an extra 30-45 minutes longer, all for a ramp that was walking distance from the train - but the issue is making sure the train has the right build and logistics for the ramp.  A plus: for the fast train to Paris, we were bumped up to first class because, oh darn, that's the only accessible car. Double-plus: it was 1/3 the price!

And Brussels: wow, the food! Restaurant Alexandre was unquestionably the best meal of my life. Mussels at Taverne Passage weren't too shabby either!  Food is better when enjoyed together, so it was also a blessing to be dining with family in this far away place! Each cup of coffee, each chocolate waffle, every fat french fry - what a tasty treat, made even better with more to ooh-and-ahh!

In Brussels we were just off Grande Place at the Hotel Ibis. A quaint little mod hotel with a small but accessible room. It had a tub that Craig just sat in to shower, but overall a big big bathroom to move around in, almost as big as the hotel room itself!

It was hard to pull ourselves too far away from Grande Place, and we did walk pretty far to museums and gardens, and were challenged by the hills - a new challenge is a good one, we got some exercise, but a little too much for dad. Tiring way to end their vacation, they were excited to head home and rest!

And then Mr. Craig and I moved on to France!  More to come~

In the meantime, highlights in photographs from Belgium! 

European Vacation 1 - Amsterdam

We were blessed to be able to spend nearly a month abroad in the European Union and want to share some highlights!! IF ONLY we could do this every year!

First and foremost, and as usual, we put a considerable amount of time into our preparation prior to departure, and recommend everyone traveling with a wheelchair do the same. Most of the summer was spent reading, researching, and reaching out to hotels and activity providers via email to make sure our vacation was as accessible as possible!  Finding hotels wasn't easy, and required persistence, and it helps to know exactly where you want to be and when. For the first 12 days of this 19 day excursion, we had my parents with us, so I had a buddy in planning - always a plus, thanks Mom! And to boot, Craig had a partner in access needs - my father is a "slow walker" due to MS. So as a foursome, we made a great travel team!  Can't wait to do it again!

Our itinerary was set last year, in late 2012, when United Airlines freed up its mileage plus block for September 3 to Amsterdam. From there we knew we were going to visit Belgium - where exactly and for how long was yet to be decided - and that we would end our vacation on September 19th and fly home from Paris.  SO all we had to do was fill in the blanks!

First stop: AMSTERDAM! Exciting....
In Amsterdam, it behooves one to stay near Dam Square, so that daily excursions could embark in any direction, on wheels or on tram, and not have far to go - or return.  So that's what we did. We found the Hotel Krasnapolsky to have one accessible room (which many hotels seem to have adapted - one and only one, so early booking is a must!). Despite some issues with air conditioning (who thought that would be an issue in September!), the room was awesome: roll-in shower, lots of room, comfortable bed, tiny but working elevator to the 2nd floor. In many other regards as well, this hotel was truly awesome. From the Winter Garden breakfast dining are complete with ramped entry to the free wi-fi and centralized location, Krasnapolsky is a great choice. On the high end of price, but well worth the bucks.

Our highlights in Amsterdam were many - too many to explain in at length, so we'll be brief:

• Dine with the pleasant locals at a pub in Dam Square, an Indian Restaurant off Spui (shpoh) Street, or a red light district coffee shop and you'll find that the people are easily the nicest on the continent. Chat them up, they'll open up their world to you. Dining highlights: Cafe Ouest, Kantji and Tijger, Cafe van Kerkwijk, and De Bolhoed. 
• Sit at any intersection in a busy part of the city and watch the bikes go by. It's truly wondrous!
• Ask for disability discounts at museums, most of them have them. We loved the Hortus Botanic Gardens and Rijksmuseum, and skipped Anne Frank (most inaccessible). The Royal Palace was passable (rooms started looking the same after a while, but the architecture is amazing). 
• Take a canal tour with City Canal Cruises - great lift down into the boat from the dock!
• Worry not about the taxis! All are eager to please, and if needed, ask for a van. 
• Worry even less about the trams! What a great way to get around, wheelchair seating is in the second half of the tram, make sure you find one with a wheelchair symbol (every, or every other one, every 10-20 minutes). 

All in all, this was Craig's favorite stop on our Euro-whirl-wind-tour. His reasons: the people- always his favorite is a friendly city!, the bikes - truly an entertaining passtime, and the Krasnapolsky! Nice work travel team!

Stay tuned for Belgium and France! 

Our highlights in photographs, as expected!

Way to go VisitScotland.org!

Since visiting Scotland in 2004 (and Andy lived there in 1997), we've been getting VisitScotland.org's updates and watching this country take Universal Design and Accessible Tourism by the horns!  And now they've announced an awesome event: The Accessible Tourism Conference!  Way to go Scotland!  For more information, visit the landing page here.

The conference, which will take place on 12 March 2013 at the EICC in Edinburgh, is one of the key events on the program for Scottish Tourism Week.

Presentations will be delivered by high profile figures including:

• David Grevemberg, CEO,Glasgow Commonwealth 2014
• Caroline Casey, Founder, Kanchi 
• Mike Cantlay, Chairman, VisitScotland

Craig at Edinburgh Castle - Accessibility Friendly! (2004)

Delta slapped with largest DOT382 (access) fine in history

Proving the government means to take DOT382 seriously, a fairly recent amendment to the Air Carrier Access Act (ADA of the skies), Delta was served a $2million fine this week for violations to this act.  View the official Press Release here.

Some of the fine will be allotted back into improvements to Delta's system for travelers with disabilities, such as improvements to jetway- and terminal-level access, enhancing booking specifics, and technology with their local vendors. 

Fall issue of The Traveler

In case you do not receive emails from Access Anything's mailing list, our fall issue of The Traveler, a quarterly publication for travelers with disabilities, has been posted to our website.

You can view the link of this accessible PDF here:
http://www.accessanything.net/text/TravelerFall10.pdf

Cover shot of Fall 2010 The Traveler

Contents include:
Airline Update
United-Continental Merger
US Airways Big Mistakes
Universal Access in Airports
Conference
Making PDFs Accessible
Winter Camps Preview
Marketplace
Traveler’s Calendar
Online Destinations
The Crip’s Tip
Recommended Services and Companies

Support "Nobody's Perfect," Deaf Awareness Musical

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and VSA arts present

“Nobody’s Perfect”

Based on the children’s book by Marlee Matlin and Doug Cooney

This play is performed in both American Sign Language and spoken English with Open Captioning.

"A NEARLY PERFECT MUSICAL!
Youthful gusto and a generous heart. Outstanding production values and top-notch cast.
An infectious score... three-and-a-half stars!"
- The Washington Times Read the full review

"PRE-ADOLESCENT ANGST, WITH HARMONY...
Nobody's Perfect delights with comic numbers and an excellent young cast.
The songs are not only catchy but also infectiously performed. Bright 'n' lively!"
- The Washington Post Read the full review


Fourth grade is not easy and after spending a year planning her "positively purple" birthday party, Megan finds herself at odds with new student Alexis. To Megan, Alexis has it all: beauty, brains, and athletics--she's practically perfect in every way. Though Megan tries to be nice to her, Alexis is anything but friendly, making Megan wonder, "Does she not like me because I'm deaf?" When they're forced to collaborate on a science project, Megan discovers Alexis's secret. Based on the children's book by Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin (Best Actress, Children of a Lesser God) and Doug Cooney, this touching new musical--simultaneously performed in spoken English and American Sign Language--with Open Captions, is a poignant reminder that despite first impressions, nobody's perfect. For ages 9 and up.

For a behind the scenes tour and interviews with the cast and director in ASL or English with captioning visit: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/nobodysperfect/

Please support this performance by purchasing tickets and enjoying the show when it comes to your town!

· March 2-4 - Las Vegas, NV - Gilbert Magnet School

· March 9 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, www.cerritoscenter.com/index.aspx

· March 16 - La Crosse, WI - Fine Arts Center, Viterbo University, www.viterbo.edu/finearts1.aspx

· March 19 - Lincoln, NE - Lied Center for Performing Arts, www.liedcenter.org

· March 22 - Springfield, IL - Sangamon Auditorium, www.uis.edu/sangamonauditorium

· March 25 - Paducah, KY - Carson Four Rivers Center, www.thecarsoncenter.org

· March 30 - Des Moines, IA - Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, www.civiccenter.org

· April 1 - Junction City, KS - C.L. Hoover Opera House, www.jcoperahouse.org

· April 7 - Memphis, TN - The Orpheum Theatre, www.orpheum-memphis.com

· April 12 - Elyria, OH - Stocker Arts Center – Lorain County CC, www.lorainccc.edu/Stocker+Arts+Center

· April 13 - Sylvania, OH - Franciscan Center, www.franciscancenter.org

· April 16 - Greenville, NC - East Carolina University, www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/mendenhall/wrightauditorium

· April 19 - Spartanburg, SC - Chapman Cultural Center, www.chapmanculturalcenter.org/index.php

· April 22 - Orange Park, FL - Thrasher Horne Center, http://thcenter.org

· April 23 - Punta Gorda, FL - Charlotte Performing Arts Center

· April 26-27 - West Palm Beach, FL - Kravis Center for Performing Arts, www.kravis.org/index.cfm

· May 3 - Pembroke, NC - Givens Performing Arts Center, www.uncp.edu/gpac/

· May 7-8- New York, NY - Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts @ New York University, www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu

· May 11 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Center, www.brooklyncenter.com

· · May 12 - Flushing, NY - Queens College, http://kupferbergcenter.org

· · May 13 - Buffalo, NY - Shea’s Performing Arts Center, www.sheas.org

Day 2 - No Barriers USA Festival, Miami FL

Wow. Where do I begin. We're only on day 2 of 4 at this fabulous event here in Coconut Grove, and I'm already speechless. As if the day, packed full of adventure and tumultuous weather, weren't enough to render someone in awe, but tonight's speakers put the fork in me. And I have two more days to go.

We started out the morning with the technology symposium, learning about some of the most amazing medical advancements for the blind, from a tongue stimulator that stimulates a new visual pathway (yes, you didn't read that wrong) to IRIS (Intelligent Retinal Implant System) that restores visual perception. The symposium finished with new discoveries in treating spinal cord injury here at the Miami Project; as if we weren't already confident Craig would walk again, I now see the future is nearer than we think.

After lunch we headed over to Shake-A-Leg Miami's docks for an afternoon of adventure. Craig settled into the outrigger canoeing team (recruiting for the 2016 Olympics). Adapted by actually removing the outriggers off two boats and strapping them together, the system not only creates better balance for the adaptive rowers, but it also gives more room for twice the bodies, and thus, twice the speed. The media boat trailed them pathetically and I got to watch those 10 men and women shout "HUT, HO!" to the tune of fast strokes through a very choppy bay with the acuracy of Hawaiians, despite having met each other just 45 minutes before. As they came in I heard one of the ShakeALeg vols say, "I've NEVER seen an outrigger go that fast!" Inspiring? Yea.

They've got sports stacked upon each other every day so the pickin's are actually thick, not thin, and we won't have the chance to see or do it all. I managed to snap the water sports today though while watching the outrigger canoe, kayaking, both single and tandem, and plenty of sailing (including a female quadriplegic and a world class olympian teamed up, with her steering and swinging around the boat on a mobile chair while he tacked and jibbed... or whatever!). What we missed? Stand up paddleboarding, blind sailing, and adaptive swimming.

We got to hang out with Molly the pony, whom we mentioned in our previous post, watch adaptiave yoga, and check out the equipment in the Coast Guards hangar- Solorider golf cart, a powerchair-adapted land rover, and a trike that is beefier than anything you'd see on American Chopper. Woah.

Then there were tonight's speeches. We started with Jesse Billauer's story, truly an inspiring one made even more so by hearing it live- we've known Jesse for some time and Craig interviewed Jesse for the I Can Do That motivational series in 2006. I edited the interview, so I knew his story. But hearing him tell it live, from his near-paralysis experience prior to the actual paralysis, to his brother's guilt and grief, and all the jokes and tears in between was truly inspiring. But not the end.

No, the real tears came when Craig and Kelly Pearson got up to tell one ridiculously amazing story of triumph and success. In 1995, after 3 years of worry, medical visits, and waiting, she received a donor heart, and then climbed every nearly mountain on the planet with it. From Mt Whitney to Kilimanjaro to El Capitan, they racked up miles quick on her second act in life. But it was Mt Fuji that was the inspiring one. Craig received a phone call from Kelly's donor's daughter right before the trip- Kelly had already left- and asked Craig to not only take a wish up there with him for Kelly for her mom, but to also take her mom's ashes. Because of Kelly's triumphant story, and because part of the Pearson's mission was awareness, the Japanese media went along for the ride. To protect Kelly from the burdon, Craig didn't tell her of the daughter's wish nor the box of ashes until she summited (in case of failure) but when he did the tears streamed down and the media snapped it all. Thanks to them, Japan is now doing heart-transplant procedures.

This is a very small taste of what this No Barriers event is all about. Inspiring people with stories of triumph over adversity and physical tests, sharing their love of each sport and each adventure with each and every one of us.

I have no more words but thanks.

Southwest Airlines, Attitude is Everything!

It's a rarity to find helpful, energetic, and positive employees in the airline industry in this day and age, but I can say with assurance that every Southwest employee we met during our recent travels to from Denver to Chicago Midway to Albany, NY was all of the above. We always try to cheer them up with Life is Good stickers when we travel, but this group needed little encouragement.

And it wasn't just the employees that made this company desirable for travelers with disabilities. Although the frame of our Ti-Lite didn't fit in the closet (center folding chairs would), the wheels fit in the overhead, we always got on first (no matter how many elderly were waiting in airport chairs) to get the bulkhead seat, the bulkhead seat arm rests raised (unheard of! although granted this left us without food trays), and without a first class section, Craig could wheel right up to the front row without the "Hannibal Lector" aisle chair. Additionally, unlike every other airline, every aircraft was the Boeing 737-200 so we knew what to expect every time.

A few little details were consistent every time as well- there was never a drink cart to watch your elbows for; attendants asked your order personally and carried trays of drinks back at a time. The start up safety instructions were always a little different and unique, as each lead attendant added their personal style to the announcements, making them more tolerable and interesting to listen to. And their staple "No Fees," marketing rules... We were never charged for bags, and sister Laura coming in from DC actually skipped her first flight to drive with Craig's other sister but took her return flight home. Absolutely unheard of on other airlines; if you miss that first leg, you're screwed out of the entire reservation, and lose 25-30% of your paid fare in the exchange, if they even let you exchange.

And every time they helped us get the wheels out, offered help to putting the wheelchair back together, and made sure Craig got into his chair ok. Not once did we see employees from AirServe or other on-site assistance company, Southwest employees were keen on doing it themselves; even once the pilot stepped out and asked. Not to point fingers but we've had some nasty unhappy pilots in our day who would not allow our wheels or chair to be in "his closet," not knowing our rights, not offering assistance. A few airlines always give us exceptional service, (Continental and American's are unwavering) but many others often fail to, especially United, US Air, and the regional servers.

When I searched "why are Southwest Airline's employees so happy?" on Google, it pulled up numerous articles on how CEO Gary Kelly makes sure his employees provide "Texas-style warmth and spirit," which must trickle down from the top.

You can bet we'll be flying Southwest again, and recommending it to others who travel with wheelchairs. Attitude is everything!

Accessible Travel Groups on the Internet

As part of creating the Spring issue our quarterly (look for it next week!) we began gathering a list of online groups, networks, and people you should hook up with. Today's age is all about networking; so this topic has made our blog today as well. To clarify, this post isn't about social networking, although it might look like it, it's about social networking in a group setting with a specific topic in mind.

WHY?
Why join a travel group? For us it's a no-brainer to join as many groups as we can to help us cut costs, find information, meet great people and live vicariously on another continenent! For some, keeping up with many networks can cost the precious time you seem to lack, so here are a few great places to start. For those of you looking to start your own group, drop in on some of these first to get ideas, but joining an existing network seemed much better to us than creating our own.

LinkedIn
We both held off on really diving in to the LinkedIn network until recently, but what drove us home on the concept of adding yet another social network to our gamut was LinkedIn's groups. You get an email of the ongoing discussions (you pick how often), and you can meet professionals who are in the same field or work at a company you'd like to connect with. In general, it's a much more focused business network than the others you're hearing about like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and the like. LinkedIn's groups are where it's at! You must first join LinkedIn to be in a group, and then you do have to request permission to be in a group once you find one, but so far neither of us have been rejected from a group. We both belong to many groups on various topics, but the only group we've found so far for Accessible Travel on LinkedIn is here. If you do join this network, make sure to network with us as well! [Andy's and Craig's pages]

Facebook
The best part of Facebook for networking are the fan and causes pages, the second of which you can actually raise money with. These social networks can be daunting, but they're excellent for networking once you get the hang of the concept in general. If you're already on Facebook, check out some of our favorite pages, causes, etc in the world of Accessible Travel: Access Anything, Wounded Warrior Project, Adaptive Adventures, All Mountain Ski Camp, Venture Travel, but there are hundreds more. This is a wonderful social network, don't put off joining us there.

Accessible.Travel
Created by colleague Craig Grimes, Accessible Travel is a NING network (a do-it-yourself social networking tool) is growing exponentially as I type. Unlike some NING networks, Craig's left this one open for all and anyone is invited. Chockfull of blogs, destinations, suggestions, and members with the same thirst for travel that we have, we're excited to help grow this network for sharing information on accessible travel! Within this group there are additional groups like Rail Travel for a more focused forum.

What Else?
We also belong to My Steamboat for fans of this ski area, several Twitter Groups that are focused on various topics of what we do, Disaboom, and The Wheel Life. However, you'll have to dig a little further to find Accessible Travel topics at these locations.

If you have a group you'd like to include, please share it in a comment to this post.

Continental Airlines Disability Advisory Board Updates

Hello from Houston!
We have immediate news from the start of this 2-day meeting with Continental Airlines' Disability Advisory Board and their progress over the last six months since our first meeting in October. We're very excited to bring their update to you, as they have indeed taken our advice to heart and brought forth some excellent changes in their day-to-day operations in handling customers with disabilities.

We hope that you will begin to pay attention to the progress and improvements that companies like CO and direct your future business accordingly!

1. Now on Continental.com customers with disabilities can create a personal profile which includes all their special needs so they do not have to enter them for each and every reservation they book

2. Continental has beefed up their disability awareness training through an awareness day and the upcoming changes to the DOT regulations with the addition of 14 CFR part 382, which is an entire subject in and of itself, but is a wonderful new tool and benefit for PWD and their rights when flying.
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/382short.pdf

3. Continental is developing a mobility device plaquard, which we have written about before, that will clearly spell out the simple operation and stowage needs for power wheelchairs and scooters. We'll post that as soon as it's ready!

4. Starting April 1st, lead flight attendants will finally be recognizable by a lead agent ensignia on their name tags so that customers with special needs can address their needs to this agent directly.

5. Starting May 13th, in conjunction with the release of the 382 document, passengers using Emotional Support Animals will be required to give 48 hours notice to the airline in order to prevent the increasing amount of fraud in this area. Note this does not apply to service/working/guide dogs, just psychological assist animals.

6. Also starting May 13th, additional FAA-approved respiration devices will now be accepted. Aside from the currently accepted BAC, ventilators and respirators will be accepted.

7. At many hub airports such as Houston, Cleveland and Newark, TSA has begun to expedite customers with service animals to a ''relieving area'' outside, through security and back, to help PWD meet their connections and therefore book shorter connections. Secure-area (plane side) relief areas are still being studied, but we still hope to help create those someday!

Again we are excited to bring these updates to you from Continental Airlines; please pass them on and stay tuned for more as we continue to progress with this board and its relationships with partners in the air travel industry! Congratulations, Continental!

Two Online Communities Worth Checking Out

Today's internet is a social networking BOOM. Everywhere you look there's something new to join, add your profile and photos and information to, and begin networking. It's not all as easy as it sounds, it can be time consuming finding just the right one for you and your business or your tastes.

Here's where we come in with our suggestions... we belong to more communities than we can count, and the two very best ones we've found for travelers with disabilities are in the Ning network, a home base for social networking where you can create your very own group for like-minded people like you!

FOR THE TRAVELER
The newest one is called the Accessible.Travel Community, created by one of our peers Craig Grimes, based out of Nicaragua and with extensive experience in travel and adventure travel for people with disabilities in not only South and Central America but in the European Union as well. Craig's dedication to bettering the online information for PWD shows in this community, a hub created for the traveler to share tips on accessible places he or she has been.

Accessible.Travel is for the traveler, the researcher, those thirsting for accessible information at their fingertips. In order for the information to grow, the network must grow, so we are sharing this new community so that it can do so. We hope you pay a visit and join. With already 105 members and growing, this is soon to be a vast resource and a great meeting location for like minded travelers with similar needs who seek travel locations without barriers.


FOR THE TRAVEL PROVIDER
The second social networking online community that we've been members of for over a year now is the TourWatch network of travel providers. This is a network of people and businesses who provide accessible travel to PWD as well as want to learn more about this market and how to better accommodate PWD and reap the rewards for doing so!

TourWatch has been a great place for us to meet and introduce new tour operators and service providers, and a nexus for informative forums, blogs, and communication on all levels of improving and further expanding this growing niche. We're excited to be a part of both now, and hope you take a look at TourWatch if you're a travel provider.

Pittsburgh's Impressive Persona

I must admit we had our doubts about Pittsburgh, the last time I was there was 1996, and Craig had never been. Visit Pittsburgh hired us to speak at the PRSA Conference and had of course been talking it up since they scheduled us in February. Apparently cleaned up, revitalized, and renovated for access, Pittsburgh is building a new name for the Steel City.

We had pleasant surprises all five days we were there, starting with the flight in last Wednesday. Rolling greens and endless trees came into view as we approached Pittsburgh Airport; and although we're both from the east coast, the greenery never fails to impress itself upon us when we arrive.

From there, we found our way to our hotel, the Westin Conference Center; nestled in the heart of downtown, just a minute's roll from the river, the art district, the new ball park, and to our joy that evening, a live free concert. Pointed in the right direction, we spent the evening strolling around the area, tasting the local pizza, shooting shots of the riverwalk, and ending up at the Lotus show, where the young Pittsburgh was out twirling to the music and recycling their trash. Thorough recycling centers surrounded the small outdoor stage, complete with assistants who made sure your trash went into the appropriate container. (Left)

Thursday was no less impressive; starting bright and early with an overslept breakfast because our Westin "Heavenly Bed" was so dreamy. After conference speakers and breakout sessions on Green Travel, we met up with the rest for a touring cruise down the three rivers.

The three-floor river boat was accessible on the ground level with bathrooms, a bar, and a nice dance floor, even viewable from the upper floors, but since the food tables were on the second level, we begged the crew for a manual lift up the steps, and with smiles and a few grunts, they obliged. After snacks and a personal and impressive history lesson from the captain, we begged the crew again, and spent the last portion of the tour on the top deck.

Groups departed the boat in 10s and made their way to various restaurants for a dine-around. We meandered back to the hotel area to check out the Fish Market and tasted our share of the ocean's pleasures.

Friday began with a keynote breakfast including Lynn Swann, signing autographs, sharing laughs, and inspiring us to explore Pittsburgh, and Richard Bangs, the "father of modern adventure travel," inspiring us to continue to do what we do and share the world to people with disabilities. Our talk on marketing to this niche followed, and the day panned out a success with many contacts in the industry that we're excited to pursue.

Following the conference this day we made our way across the river to the Andy Warhol Museum, and dowsed ourselves in artistic wonder. Warhol's from Pittsburgh? Who knew. The museum's access was impeccable.

After downing a few rounds at the nearby Irish Pub, we spent the evening enjoying America's favorite passtime. The park's access was excellent; escorting us personally through the maze to the right pathways, and ending up with some primo seats behind home plate. Even though the Pirates couldn't get-er-done in 9 innings, and the park stops serving alcohol in the 7th, they scored in the 12th, and Canada Day's celebrations against the Toronto Blue Jays included an amazing fireworks show. Hey, what a pleasant surprise!

Sad to leave on Saturday, we strolled around downtown one last time, winding up at the Steel City Diner for some greasy eats and happy service. This morning clinched something for us that we hadn't solidified in our minds until now. Pittsburgh is a friendly town. Everyone we'd met was happy and excited to share their town with us. Smiles from strangers on the street, great conversation at the bar, and friendly locals everywhere we turned, Craig dubbed it the Big City Steamboat.

We didn't get to see everything we would have liked to- explore the restaurants fully, visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water, or do the NY rivaling theaters, so Pittsburgh, we'll be back! Count on it.

Access Anything Schedule of Events, Spring 2008

Our travel season has begun, and we're excited to share some events and websites with you where we'll be speaking, sharing our wares, and both meeting new faces and seeing old ones in this wonderfully tight-knit community of disability-focused businesses and travel experts!

Sign up for our monthly newsletter to be updated regularly on our events, travel tips, destination highlights and more!

March: Abilities Expo NY, April: Airline Advisory Board, Spinal Cord Research Fundraiser, Scenic Byways Convention; May: Abilities Expo CA; June: Travel Conference PA; July: WCD PA

March 27-31 Abilities Expo, Edison, NJ
Dubbed the largest expo in the country for anything-disability related, the New Jersey installment of this Abilities series of expos sees nearly 12,000 visitors and has hundreds of booths spread out over a dozen aisles of fun. Last year at this event we were inundated with questions, and at each of Craig's talks the room was filled to capacity and overflowing into the hallway. Needless to say we're very excited to be attending this expo once again.

April 1-2 Northwest Airlines' annual Accessibility Advisory Board, Detroit, MI
We will be attending this meeting with Continental Airlines this year, and are excited to inform you that we have recently been signed on as members of Continental's Access Advisory Board to help improve access on planes and treatment of equipment and persons with disabilities. We'll update you as often as we can on the improvements to this airline that we choose over all others for a reason!

April 5th, Scott Remington's Fundraiser for Spinal Cord Research, Brant Lake, NY
This annual fundraiser for the Christopher Reeve Foundation is now in its 8th year, and raised over $40,000 last year alone. The Remington's dedication to this important cause is apparent at the size of this fundraiser, which we attended in 2006; the room is full of prizes for auction from homemade dolls and quilts to atvs and chainsaws. This is a truly memorable experience and we're thrilled to be a part of it once again! If you would like to donate to the Chris and Dana Reeve Foundation for spinal cord research, please visit Scott's site above, or contact us directly.

April 10-11, National Scenic Byways Convention, Denver, CO
In 2006 we spent several months during the summer working for Colorado Scenic Byways, assessing five byways in the state for their accessibility, and developing a rating system for them. The time has finally come to present this rating system on a national level and we're very excited to be given this opportunity to do so!

May 30-June 1, Abilities Expo, Anaheim, CA
The second installment of this expo series occurs annually in Anaheim in June, and is second in size to the NJ expo. There are two other Abilities expos, which float in location, throughout the year, and have been in Houston, Northern CA, Wisconsin, to name a few. The June CA show usually sees about 6,000 participants, and although a little slower than it's NJ partner, is still quite an amazing 3-day event for us.

June 20-21, Travel and Tourism Conference: Go For Green!, Pittsburgh, PA
This will be our first year in attendance at this "green" conference, and we'll be speaking on marketing to travelers with disabilities. Sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America and the Society of American Travel Writers Associates Council, this will be a wonderful opportunity for this group to learn more about the overlooked yet growing niche of travelers with disabilities. We are very excited to be presenting to the non-disability-focused part of the industry once again.

July 11-12, World Congress on Disabilities, Philadelphia PA
WCD as it's better known, has been an annual event for several years, and this year is splitting its expo into two segments, Philly in July, and Jacksonville, FL in November. We are working with WCD this year on bringing more adventurous activities to these events, such as a climbing wall, scuba tank, or cycling course. We will also be speaking on marketing to travelers with disabilities, as we did at the WCD Expo in DC this past November. We look forward to working with the staff at WCD to make this event bigger and better!




If you have any questions about events or our schedule, or would like Access Anything to appear at your event, please email us at ask@accessanything.net!