ROAR

♿ Day 28.
WHEELERS, HAVE YOU TAKEN A TROLLEY TOUR?

I’ve used Old Town Trolley Tours in Washington, DC; Savannah, Georgia; and Key West, Florida.

As a power wheelchair user, I know how much planning can go into a sightseeing day. A trolley can make that day easier: board with a lift equipped vehicle, have your chair secured, listen to a guide, and see the city with the people you came with.

🏛️ Washington, DC was by far the easiest place for me to tour this way. We could see monument after monument without repeatedly loading my power chair into our personal vehicle, searching for another parking space, and paying to park again. The guided ride let us enjoy the history and decide where we wanted to spend more time. The current DC daytime tour offers a narrated loop of about 90 minutes with 15 stops near the National Mall.
One of my most meaningful memories was going to Arlington National Cemetery to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The DC trolley offers a shuttle from its Lincoln Memorial stop to the cemetery. The narrated tour inside Arlington requires a separate ticket. Arlington’s tour vehicles accommodate wheelchairs and electric scooters, and the Tomb is one of its stops. If that visit matters to you, plan for both parts of the trip when booking. Well worth it.

🌳 Savannah gave us a guided look at the city’s historic streets and squares. The daytime tour currently has a narrated loop of about 90 minutes and 16 stops. Super easy to tour the water front sites without taxing my batteries or walking my bride too much.

🌴 Key West offers a narrated island tour with 13 stops, making it possible to take in the sights and stories without making every block a separate driving decision. Both cities offer two-day ticket options for people who want more time. Definitely stop by the butterfly conservatory, botanical gardens, and Southern Most Point.

Here is the accessibility detail I want every wheelchair or mobility aide traveler to know: a lift equipped trolley can make getting on and off the vehicle straightforward, but the stops where you can use that lift differ by city. Old Town Trolley currently lists all DC stops as accessible for loading and unloading. In Key West, it lists stops 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. In Savannah, it currently lists only Stop 9 at the Welcome Center for lift loading and unloading. That makes Savannah a different kind of outing for someone who needs to remain in a power chair: enjoy the narrated loop, but do not assume you can get off at every advertised stop.

🔋 Traveling in a power chair?

Check your chair before buying. For these three locations, the company lists a maximum of 600 pounds total for the rider, chair, and cargo, with the mobility device no more than 30 inches wide and 48 inches long. Wheelchairs are secured onboard. The company asks guests using mobility scooters to transfer to a trolley seat once aboard, so ask about your specific device and seating needs when you call.

*Lift equipped vehicles are only part of the fleet; arrange one ahead of time, preferably at least 24 hours before your tour.

🐕‍🦺 Service dogs are welcome aboard. Tell the operator about your service dog and any space or boarding needs when arranging your accessible trolley. The company’s policy permits trained service dogs. It does not permit pets or emotional support animals aboard.

💵 What does it cost?

Current adult prices for a one-day daytime trolley ticket are about $55 in DC, $37 in Savannah, and $50 in Key West.

A DC trolley and Arlington tour package currently starts around $61; the Arlington guided tour is a separate purchase if you have only a standard DC trolley ticket. Prices and promotions change, so check the ticket page for your travel date.

For me, inclusionary accessibility means more than a wheelchair symbol on a brochure. It means knowing which vehicle will arrive, whether my power chair fits, where I can board and exit, and whether I can share the experience with my family or friends. When those pieces work, the trolley becomes a way to explore with greater choice and less transportation hassle.

♿ Have you taken a guided tour using a wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility device? How did your trip go, and which location did you visit?

Advocacy takes us all.

Additional locations include:
* San Antonio, TX.
*San Diego, CA.
*Nashville, TN.
*St. Augustine, FL.
*Charleston, SC.
*Boston,MA.

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Challenged Athletes Foundation. Mike Hudson. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. ROAR. Shepherd Center. United Spinal Association. Paralyzed Veterans of America. Accessible Hunter Podcast. Spinal Cord Injury. Old Town Trolley Tours. Old Town Trolley Tours. Old Town Trolley Tours. Old Town Trolley Tours (Key West).

Last year, Monica Quimby and Team USA made history in Slovakia, bringing home gold at the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship! 🇺🇸🥇

Now Monica is joining us on the Accessible Hunter Podcast.

We’re talking about her journey, the drive it takes to compete at the highest level, and what it means to wear Team USA across your chest. These are fiercely competitive athletes who put in the work and show up to win. Monica also brings a passion for advocacy and growing opportunities in adaptive sports.

Trust me, you do not want to miss this conversation.

And don’t let the name fool you: the Accessible Hunter Podcast covers far more than hunting. We talk about access, adventure, competition, and the people pushing for more opportunities to participate.

Catch the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Amazon Alexa. Listen in and share Monica’s story! 🇺🇸🏒

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Challenged Athletes Foundation. Mike Hudson. Greg Traynor. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. United Spinal Association. Shepherd Center. ROAR. Accessible Hunter. Paralyzed Veterans of America. DAV. Monica Quimby.

Day 27: Adaptation Does Not Mean Less Than

Getting back outdoors after a traumatic accident, injury, or illness can be exhausting in ways people do not always see. For someone living with a spinal cord injury, the challenge may begin long before reaching the trail, the water, or the woods. It can begin with figuring out transportation, equipment, terrain, restrooms, and how much energy the day will take. The entire family feels those changes, too.

There can be grief in that and healing too. I think we need to be honest about it. Missing the way you once did something does not mean you have given up on doing it again. It means the experience mattered to you.

When I talk about rediscovering outdoor activities and recreation, I do not mean pretending the barriers are small. Some of them feel like chasms for too expansive to traverse.

I mean asking a different set of questions—

What would make this possible again? What equipment could help? Who could we learn from? If this approach fails, what can we change and try again?

A failed attempt is information , not journey ending. It may tell us the path needs work, the equipment needs adjusting, or the plan needs another set of hands.

It does not get to decide the end of the story. Only you can do that.

People may have opinions about what you can do after a spinal cord injury. Some will underestimate you. Others will set expectations without understanding what the effort costs. Listen to people who can help you solve a problem, but do not hand them the authority to define your goals.

To the families navigating this together; your lives have changed, too. Finding a way back outdoors can take patience from everyone. It may start with a short visit instead of an all-day adventure. That still counts. Being together in a place you thought you had lost still matters.

I have learned that adaptation asks us to be creative and persistent. An everyday wheelchair may get me through my daily life; a track chair can open a different part of the outdoors. Neither changes my worth. The point is having the tools, access, and freedom to participate. Push to be the best version of you.

Question:

So what is one outdoor activity you want to try again? What barrier is standing between you and attempting it? Say it out loud. Share it with someone who will help you think through the next step. Your answer might also help another person realize they are not alone. Advocacy takes us all and no one person, family, or organization can accomplish every mission on its own. Teamwork enhances opportunities.

When difficult days pull you into your own head, look for one thing you can do. Make a call, develop an idea, and get outside for a few minutes. 

Help someone else find a way forward.

Continue to be the hands and feet, even with hand dexterity issues.

Serve where you can, even while you are still finding your own footing.

Better days are yet to come. They may look different from the days we expected, but there is still room for adventure, purpose, family memories, and joy. Life rolls on, let’s keep rolling with it.

Keep finding new ways forward and dreams yet to Chase.

As always,
.

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Challenged Athletes Foundation. ROAR. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. United Spinal Association. Shepherd Center. Accessible Hunter Podcast. Mike Hudson. Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW, Paralyzed Veterans of America. Coy Varnum. Jay Youngblood. Jeremy Kerr. Kim Ravenscraft Harrison.

DAY 25 | SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS

People with spinal cord injuries deserve to thrive, not just survive.

Advances in rehabilitation, power mobility, adaptive controls, and other technology are expanding how people work, travel, create, and enjoy the outdoors. Research is opening new possibilities, too. But progress is only meaningful when people can access the equipment, training, health care, transportation, and spaces needed to use it.

A spinal cord injury may change how you pursue a passion. You may need a different tool, route, technique, or team. Your interests, knowledge, and ability to contribute still matter.

People with disabilities should help lead the research, design the programs, teach the next generation, and shape the communities meant to include them. For me, that means building access with lived experience and creating opportunities to participate alongside family and friends.

Find your passion. Keep pursuing it. Your path may look different, and it is still yours.

Join the conversation: What activity have you adapted after an injury, or what barrier would you like your community to remove first?

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Shepherd Center. Coy Varnum. ROAR. Challenged Athletes Foundation. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation United Spinal Association. Accessible Hunter Podcast. Mike Hudson.

Day 24 | Spinal Cord Injury Awareness

One day, I’m bundled in layers and still cold. Another day, I’m sitting in the shade with a fan, trying to cool down. Sometimes the temperature feels comfortable to everyone around me while my body is struggling with it.

For many people living with a spinal cord injury, the secondary effects can be more disruptive to daily life than people realize. Temperature regulation is one of them.

The spinal cord carries signals that help the body respond to heat and cold. After an injury, those signals may be disrupted. Depending on the person and the level of injury, sweating and other responses to temperature may work differently. That can make it harder to cool down in the heat or stay warm in the cold.

It affects more than comfort. It can shape what time we leave home, what we pack, how long we stay outside, and whether we can enjoy an activity with family and friends. A beautiful outdoor space may have an accessible path, but if there is nowhere to escape the sun or warm up on a cold day, participation can still be out of reach.

That is part of what we mean when we talk about functional accessibility. We want to think about shade, places to warm up or cool down, rest breaks, and the freedom to participate at a pace that works for each person. The best way to get those details right is to listen to people who live with them.

Now I want to hear from you:

🥶 How many of you are glued to a heater come winter?
☀️ What helps you stay cool when you’re outside?
🧥 What helps you stay warm without overheating once you go indoors?
🌳 What would make an outdoor activity easier for you to enjoy in either season?

Share what works for you, and tell us what people often overlook. Your lived experience can help shape a place where more of us can get outdoors together.

Building Access. Restoring Adventure. Strengthening Families.
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. .  . Challenged Athletes Foundation. Mike Hudson. ROAR. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. United Spinal Association. Jay Youngblood. Jeremy Kerr. D.j. Haynes. Greg Traynor. Coy Varnum. Accessible Hunter Podcast. Chastity Gambrell Miller. Kim Ravenscraft Harrison. Shepherd Center. American Association of People with Disabilities.

Day 23-Spinal Cord Awareness Month

For every person with an SCI, every day brings some new and different challenge. Monday brought us issues that have followed us through this week. While the main issue has resolved itself, the side effects linger. Tiredness, light fever, and a potential infection slowed us down today….

Because of that, today’s reminder for Day 23 is that our plans don’t always workout as we hope, but this life is a gift. One we share with our families, friends, and others in our SCI world.

When things go awry and bodies don’t cooperate; listen to them. Nap as needed, slow down, and see the doctor when necessary…..

Mike Hudson chapman Coy Varnum Greg Traynor Accessible Hunter Podcast D.j. Haynes Jeremy Kerr Chastity Gambrell Miller Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation United Spinal Association Challenged Athletes Foundation ROAR HOPE Without Limits Romania Lasha Barbosa Jay Youngblood

It is difficult to fully express how humbled and genuinely excited I am to share this opportunity.

Over the next several years, we will have the privilege of collaborating with Dee Kivett’s
engineering students and faculty at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research—CU-ICAR—on a long-term autonomous-mobility project centered on people living with disabilities.

CU-ICAR is recognized for turning complex mobility challenges into working vehicle prototypes. Through initiatives such as Clemson’s Deep Orange program, students have designed and built full-scale vehicle concepts addressing autonomous travel, off-road mobility, disaster response, military applications, human-machine integration, and other emerging transportation needs.

Now, we have been invited to help bring another essential perspective into that engineering process: generations of lived experience from wheelchair users.

Working with a GM vehicle platform, our goal will be to explore one of the most important questions surrounding the future of autonomous transportation:

Can a person with a disability truly use an autonomous vehicle independently—from beginning to end?

That means examining far more than whether the vehicle can drive itself. We will help the engineering team understand what independence actually requires:

Can a wheelchair user summon and locate the vehicle?

Can the individual open the door, deploy the entry system, and enter without assistance?

Can the vehicle accommodate different wheelchair dimensions, configurations, and mobility needs?

Can someone independently position and secure their wheelchair?

Can the passenger enter a destination, control the vehicle’s environment, receive understandable safety information, and respond appropriately during an emergency?

Most importantly, can that individual feel confident and secure throughout the entire experience—and independently roll out upon arrival?

These are not minor details. They represent the difference between technology that appears accessible and technology that actually provides independence, freedom, and inclusion.

The vehicle platform we will be evaluating already offers promising characteristics, including a wider door opening and greater ground clearance than many traditional accessible platforms. Those features could potentially expand its usefulness beyond conventional transportation—opening opportunities to reach outdoor destinations, less-developed environments, and places beyond the beaten path.

As General Motors and the broader automotive industry advance from today’s hands-free, eyes-on technology toward future eyes-off autonomous-driving capabilities, this is a critical moment to ensure that accessibility is included in the engineering conversation from the beginning.

The future of mobility should not be designed first and adapted for disability later.

Our role will include participating on an engineering panel, evaluating evolving concepts, identifying practical barriers, contributing to the problem-solving process, and helping guide the development of multiple prototypes.

We will also have opportunities to bring other members of our team into the project as wheelchair-using subject-matter experts—people who collectively bring generations of lived experience with spinal cord injuries, wheelchair configurations, securement systems, adaptive equipment, accessibility, and independent travel.

Engineering knowledge will help determine what can be built.

Lived experience will help determine whether it will actually work.

That is what makes this opportunity so meaningful.

This will not be a single meeting or a one-time demonstration. It will be an ongoing process of listening, testing, collaboration, refinement, and innovation. There will be challenges we already recognize—and likely many others that will become apparent only when the prototypes are placed in front of real end users.

I am deeply humbled that our knowledge and experience are being welcomed into this process. I am equally inspired by the opportunity to work alongside students who may help shape the next generation of inclusive transportation.

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to become far more than technological achievements. For individuals who cannot drive conventional vehicles, this technology could provide greater access to employment, education, healthcare, recreation, community involvement, and something many people take for granted: the freedom to decide where to go and when to go there.

The ultimate goal is simple, even if the engineering behind it is extraordinarily complex:

Give people with disabilities the autonomy to load up, roll out, and travel with independence, dignity, confidence, and choice.

The future of mobility is being engineered right now, and people with disabilities must have a seat at the table while it is being built.

I remain in awe of this opportunity, grateful for the trust being placed in us, and incredibly excited about the innovation, collaboration, problem-solving, and working prototypes yet to come.

We are not simply imagining a more accessible future.

Together, we are helping drive the engineering behind it. Empathetic dialogue, in full effect.

. ROAR.
Mike Hudson. Clemson University. Clemson. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. United Spinal Association.

♿ DAY 22 — SPINAL CORD INJURY AWARENESS MONTH

Does anyone else occasionally feel like navigating their own home is an obstacle course—or a scene from The Fast and the Furious? 😂

There is nothing quite like maneuvering a power wheelchair around my wife’s shoes, the dog’s toys, and whatever else has mysteriously appeared in my path. The real suspense begins when something squeaks under my wheels and I have to figure out whether I ran over the dog or just one of his stuffed animals! 🐶

We work hard to keep our paths of travel clear because, for a wheelchair user, household clutter can be more than an inconvenience. It can restrict movement, damage equipment, create a safety hazard, or reduce independence. A clear pathway is an important part of accessibility—even inside our own homes.

But we also live here. Our home is not a showroom, and some obstacles are simply part of sharing life with the people and pets we love. Accessibility does not require perfection. It requires awareness, communication, and a willingness from everyone in the household to help keep essential spaces usable.

Advocacy begins at home, but it extends into every public space. Clear pathways, thoughtful layouts, and barrier-free access allow people with disabilities to move safely and independently.

Now it’s your turn: What household obstacles or accessibility pet peeves drive you crazy? Shoes? Dog toys? Furniture? Rugs? Narrow aisles? Share yours below—and tell us how you handle them!

Advocacy takes us all. Until access and inclusion become the standard, we will keep navigating, educating, and finding new ways to .


Mike Hudson. ROAR. Jeremy Kerr. Chastity Gambrell Miller. Coy Varnum. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

♿🚢 WHEELERS, WOULD YOU GO ON A CRUISE TOMORROW IF YOU COULD?

Cruising is one of my favorite ways to travel. New ports of call, different foods, accessible excursions, and the opportunity to experience adventures that might otherwise feel out of reach—it can be an incredible way to rediscover what is possible.

But cruising with a disability also requires research, preparation, and a great deal of self-advocacy.

One of the first lessons is that not every cabin labeled “accessible” provides the same level of access.

Cruise lines commonly offer variations such as:

🔹 Fully Accessible Cabins (FAC): Generally intended for passengers who regularly use wheelchairs or scooters. These rooms may include wider doorways, adequate turning space, roll-in showers, grab bars, and other accessible features.

🔹 Fully Accessible–Single Side Approach (FAC-SSA): Provides an accessible route and transfer space on one side of the bed but may not offer the same maneuvering room throughout the cabin.

🔹 Ambulatory Accessible Cabins (AAC): Intended for passengers who can walk but benefit from grab bars and other supportive features. These cabins may not accommodate someone who regularly uses a wheelchair or scooter.

The terminology and exact features can vary by cruise line and ship, so never rely on the word “accessible” alone. Ask specific questions:

• Is there a roll-in shower?
• Is there adequate turning space for my chair?
• Can I access both sides of the bed?
• Is the balcony accessible?
• Are there thresholds or steps?
• Will my wheelchair or scooter fit through every doorway?
• Is accessible transportation available at each port?
• Can the scheduled excursion accommodate my mobility equipment?

Accessibility also extends far beyond the cabin. Elevators can become extremely overcrowded, accessible seating may be limited, and some ports require tender boats that passengers using wheelchairs cannot safely board. An accessible ship does not automatically mean an accessible destination.

The ADA generally protects passengers with disabilities aboard cruise ships operating from U.S. ports and in U.S. waters. Legal decisions such as Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line helped establish that foreign-flag cruise ships are not automatically exempt. Cruise lines may also provide accessible routes, dining tables, communication-equipped cabins, visual alarms, Braille or large-print materials, assistive listening devices, and other auxiliary services.
Mobility devices, such as Hoyers, scooters, and oxygen tanks may be rented prior to embarkation. Some of the pools on board the ships may have lifts, but that is a question. I would voice when booking to ensure that there are some accessible amenities when you’re bored.

These advancements matter—but policies written on paper must translate into functional access and respectful service.

Cruise lines and guest-service professionals must understand that disability is not one experience. A person using a cane may need something different from someone using a scooter. A manual-chair user may have different needs from someone using a power chair. Sensory, neurological, and invisible disabilities bring entirely different considerations.

There is no one-size-fits-all version of accessibility.

This post is based on my lived experience after 31 years as a quadriplegic. It does not represent every person with a disability, because we do not all travel the same way or require the same accommodations. That is exactly why listening, education, and empathetic dialogue matter. Advocacy takes us all.

For my fellow travelers with disabilities:

What has your cruise experience been like?
What accessibility feature made the greatest difference?
What barrier caught you by surprise?
Would you book a cruise tomorrow—and if not, what would need to change?

Keep aiming for new goals, new destinations, and new adventures. Continue advocating for yourself—and for the wheelers coming up beside and behind us.

No matter where the journey leads, .


Challenged Athletes Foundation. ROAR. Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Mike Hudson. Shepherd Center. United Spinal Association. United Spinal Association Advocacy Network. Accessible Hunter Podcast. Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival Cruise Line Entertainment. Carnival Cruise Line Australia. Carnival Cruise Line News, Tips & Chat. Carnival Cruise Lines Chat, Tips, Reviews and Fun. CARNIVAL MARDI GRAS CRUISERS - OFFICIAL GROUP. Carnival Mardi Gras - Port Canaveral. Carnival Sunrise. Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean Cruises