Was I always disabled? No, I wasn't. Not all that long ago, I was a mountain climber, a traveler who found places that most travelers never did see. Tofino, for example. Tofino is on the far west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. What you see below is what you have to walk over to get to the Pacific Ocean. It was wonderful, both the beach and the rocks to traverse.
So what happened? On December 24th 2011, I fell on the ice in my own driveway. Flat on my back. It was a pratfall that could hardly be duplicated by a stunt person in a movie.
I struggled to walk after that and I still can for a few steps and then I must sit down. In a chair that moves.
The photo below is Nye Beach in northern California. Wheelchairs or scooters don't travel well on sand beaches, so my friends could walk on the beach while I watched from above. Magnificent, isn't it. But wouldn't it be wonderful to put bare toes in the water there?
At least, my legs worked well for the first 69 years of my life. I traveled, climbed, walked, worked and had a fantastic time while doing them all.
Perhaps more travels to come? I do hope so, but would love it if more parks, accommodations and restaurants were accessible......maybe someday.
