Before jumping into a discussion on accessible summer action, here’s a reminder of our meeting coming up in two weeks on Sunday June 30th at 4pm PT. I’d also preview the topic for that meeting but haven’t decided yet. So check back next Sunday for the second reminder when I might have an answer.
Something I’ve noticed this year is how the seasonal weather changes affect me. I’m not living in my normal climate zone (hot dry Sierra foothills) but in the cooler moister climate of Seattle. Because one of my variable symptoms is joint pain from Lyme arthritis, I notice more problems when the weather here is chilly and damp, although not as much pain as I’d anticipated before moving here.
The bigger surprise was my sensitivity to the heat. Who moves to the Pacific Northwest and says “Oh the heat was unexpectedly intense?” I’m used to dry heat and enjoy feeling the sun bake me. My temp tolerance range extends into the 90+ range when I’m in the Sierra foothills. But earlier this week, walking home in my Seattle neighborhood, I was sweaty and bogged down from the heat. It was barely 80oF. Then I realized it was a moist heat — checked and the humidity was over 50%.
Does your health or disability affect how much you can enjoy summer? What summer pleasures are accessible? Many public beaches on the west coast have wheelchairs available that roll in the sand. Picnic areas have tables suited for wheelchairs and paths designed for easy navigation. We need more of these accessible environments. Too often the obstacles to enjoying nature aren’t recognized by society. When formerly able-bodied people suddenly become disabled, their awareness can help stimulate parks and recreation departments to create accessible adaptations.
Once, West Livaudais relished his able-bodied ability to enjoy nature.
There’s the time he finished the Timberline Trail around Mt. Hood in a single day, blisters and all; the morning he watched the sunrise at "lunch counter" and summited Mt. Adams; and the afternoon he went snowshoeing in Mt. Rainier National Park and spent three hours building an ice cave, only to have it collapse right before dusk. That night, he chased down his dinner with some whiskey.
After an injury and infection paralyzed him from the waist down, he channeled his energy into making outdoor activities accessible.
“It really sucks to not be able to get down to the water or not be able to go to a campground and find a raised camping platform,” he says. “It’s quite a fall from grace.”
Physical barriers—like uneven trails, low curb cuts, and inadequate ramps into and out of the water—often discourage people with disabilities from visiting their local parks and natural spaces. And unfortunately, the challenges don’t always end there. Many shelters, bathrooms, and parking lots were constructed before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law and, despite continued efforts to retrofit and update areas of concern, remain in need of accessibility upgrades.
“Fundamentally, the parks systems—city parks, municipal parks, state parks—need to upgrade their infrastructure,” Livaudais says. If people don’t know if they can access a trail system, he notes, they’re probably not going to make the effort to visit.
Those who don’t need special infrastructure like ramps or adaptive equipment like ballon tire wheelchairs, still may have difficulties enjoying nature. Uneven surfaces of trails and beaches can be daunting to people who can easily walk in other situations. Perhaps you need to find the right branch to steady yourself on the rocky beach, or park closer to the trail head so your energy is saved for the fun part of the trip.
Planning a summer day trip can be a logistically complex event because most of the world is designed for non-disabled folks. When communities and agencies develop accessible features, more of us can share summer fun.
“Outdoor enthusiasm is alive and well in the disability community,” says Livaudais, who’s recently been able to enjoy the outdoors with his friends for the first time in years. “But it’s rarer to see a person in a wheelchair in nature than it is to see certain wildlife.”
KOSABILITY IS BY AND FOR
- PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES;
- WHO LOVE SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY; OR
- WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES.
OUR DISCUSSIONS ARE OPEN THREADS IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
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