Accessible Adventures in the Great Outdoors: A Cautionary Tale of Missteps and Discovery
It’s been a while since I last shared a post. There is a back story to that, which I will share in part as a cautionary tale. It began on Easter Sunday at a beautiful, all-inclusive playground in Fremont, Ohio. We wanted to enjoy the day with our two daughters and families, and this seemed like a great place for our grandkids to play. It is a halfway point between our houses, and we found a nice park. We had a picnic lunch and an Easter egg hunt at the park, followed by the kids enjoying the playground equipment. I loved looking at the swing that someone in a wheelchair could appreciate, as well as the sensory tubes and tunnels that everyone could explore.
I thought this would be a great place to take pictures and write a new blog post, sharing my photographs. I found out that this was a Kiwanis effort at the Rodger Young Park, and they raised $ 600,000 in 2021 to create the first phase of the park. Subsequent efforts included the addition of cushiony flooring as well as the wheelchair swing I tried to photograph. As I held up my phone to take a picture of the wheelchair swing, I moved closer to get a better view, and failed to see the cement ramp right in front of me. I tripped and caught myself with one finger, which immediately bent in an unnatural angle. My right ring finger immediately swelled up, and I couldn’t take my ring off (yes, I am right-handed). None of my family was really looking at me at the time, but when they saw I was on the ground, they all knew something was wrong. My finger was broken, and I had to have surgery on it involving pins. I will spare you the pictures on that. Needless to say, my pictures of the playground were a blurry mess.
I decided this post had to be about a bigger idea. Accessible playgrounds in any area and trails where wheelchairs can easily navigate would be my focus on this blog. I wanted to find not only accessible playgrounds, but also hiking paths where people in wheelchairs could enjoy themselves. After my fall, I developed a new appreciation for our family vacations, especially when they listed trails as suitable for a wheelchair. Although I am not in a wheelchair, I have a new appreciation for flat surfaces and wide paths. My search took me to this list in Ohio: https://www.accessiblenature.info/
I was happy to find Cuyahoga National Park listed, as it is a beautiful park to enjoy. Ohio boasts some magnificent trails and parks, and this time of year is an ideal opportunity to explore and enjoy them. My thinking went back to playgrounds, and I wondered if there was a list that included every state. I found this list that includes not only every state, but also other countries. To find a complete list in any state, you can go to https://www.accessibleplayground.net/
Having this time off, my accident and subsequent discovery of new places to go, had me reflecting on the life lessons I just learned. Here they are:
1. Always be aware of your environment. Don’t walk and try to take a picture on your phone. Stop, look around, and enjoy the scenery. Then take a photo if you must.
2. Slow down and look on the ground as you walk for holes, stumps, or cement walls that might be in your way.
3. Stay on marked paths to reduce the risk of getting lost or damaging the environment.
4. Hike with a buddy. If you’re going alone, tell someone where you’re going.
5. Get outside and enjoy the beauty of nature. If it is for a walk, a bike ride, or playing on the playground, take a moment to enjoy the beauty all around you.
Exploring accessible parks and trails enables everyone to experience the beauty of nature. By choosing inclusive spaces, we not only support accessibility but also create safer, more welcoming environments for all visitors.
