Marginal Way, Ogunquit Maine

A wonderful ocean view in Maine - and accessible too! If you've never been to the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine, consider stopping by on your travels or staying for a weekend in this lovely seaside town. My partner Meb and I just returned from a refreshing getaway there and thoroughly enjoyed some spectacular birding. We love this spot especially because we can leave our home mid-day, get there in 2 hours, and enjoy viewing sea ducks on the water in late afternoon sunlight.

Marginal Way is a 1 1/4 mile stroll along a rocky coast. The path is paved and considered accessible, but caution is necessary and the entire length may not be accessible to everyone due to its length and some aspects. There are 39 benches, so plenty of resting space, each with its fabulous view. At the town end, the view includes the mouth of the Ogunquit River and spectacular waves rolling into a sandy beach. At the Perkins Cove end, enjoy a less dramatic but equally scenic view of a peaceful cove and rocky shoreline extending southward. In between the rocky views and waves and incredible expanse are a total mind clearing delight.

The path is narrow. There are some narrow turns and a some spots with a fairly significant grade for a relatively short distance. Someone to assist if needed is a good choice if you haven any concerns. The pavement is generally in good shape, but there are some divets and more disconcertingly, there is in some spots a downgrade right from the edge of the sidewalk, usually just a few inches of downslope, often paved. So you do have to be careful and watch your wheels and footing, despite the accessibility of the pavement. There are few if any handrails, though parts of the path follow private property fences. If you have any challenge with the entrances to the path (supposedly there are no steps but I forgot to double check on the one entrance we used), there are a couple of side street access points that intersect Marginal Way and offer a few parking spaces with easy access to the path. You don't even have to travel any distance whatsoever if you choose, but you may expect wind so dress for the conditions.

I recommend going off season or early in the day at the height of the summer season. Avoid July through September if you don't want to hassle with crowds, narrow streets, and limited parking. We prefer early spring and late fall, when fewer people are around and the seabird viewing is especially exceptional. Sea ducks winter here and if you have binoculars or a scope, amazing views of harlequin ducks, long-tailed ducks, scoters, loons, mergansers and grebes can be easily obtained. Dogs are not allowed between April 1 and November 1, although I assume service dogs are the exception.

Photos:

Ogunquit view courtesy of Maribeth Dawkins

Harlequin Ducks courtesy of Eric Reuter and Ducks Unlimited

Trends in Handcycles and Adaptive Kid's bikes

In anticipation of biking season, I contacted Scott Pellet of Bike-on.com recently. Scott and his wife Lynn are specialists in adaptive bikes. Their business, located in Rhode Island, is a global distributorship of many brands and styles. The bulk of their sales are of handcycles, but foot-pedal bikes, recumbent bikes, kids bikes, tandems, other specialty bikes, wheelchairs, and many types of accessories are all available.

Scott told me that handcycle racing has really taken off in Europe, and that a major race was taking place in Dubai even as we were speaking. Although not as popular in the U.S., handcycle racing is a growing sport overall. Performance handcycles have seen lots of design advancements in recent years that make for an increasingly faster ride. If you like bikes described as "missiles", the Top End K Force shown above and the Quickie Shark S are two of the extreme high end handcycles for those who are serious competitors with over $5000 to spend. More affordable quality recreation handcycles include the XLT, a performance design, and the Excelerator, an upright touring model. Handcyclists can keep up to speed on the latest trends and techniques and connect with others via the Bike-on Community organized on Scott's website.

For handcyclists who are quadriplegic or have difficulty with grip, Scott recommends interchangeable grips for the hands. The C5 grip is a glove which clips into the headset crank - no wrenches needed. We use these in our adaptive cycling program and they are a fantastic advantage for those who need them. If your hands are different in ability, there are some basic styles that can be mixed and matched to best suit your needs.

I asked Scott about innovations in kid's bikes. He is seeing more and more families getting their kids out riding. The challenge is finding the right bikes so that all members can equally enjoy biking without being held back by the slowest rider. He recommended the Hase Trets Trike - an versatile foot-pedaled kid's bike that can be ridden independently but also attached to an adult's bike as needed and pedaled as a tandem. With this unique combination, families can ride for miles together. The Trets Trike works especially well with the Hase Pino Tour bike as shown in this picture from the Bike-on.com website, but can be attached to other Hase bikes and even bikes of other brands using a coupler.

You can find some extended info on handcycles and other equipment mentioned here in the comment section below. This is just the beginning of what Bike-on.com can offer. To get recommendations for your own cycling needs, visit the website to get started, then contact Scott or Lynn at 888-424-5866.

Accessible Birding with Joe

Spring is arriving early this year and the birds are on the move! Grackles and red-winged blackbirds are the most recent arrivals in western Massachusetts, following on the wingtips of turkey vultures. The robins have been congregating in my neighborhood all winter. Maybe they knew something all along. Everywhere I go, I'm keeping my eye out for new birds. As we move through spring, birds arrive from the southeastern US early on, then from far flung wintering grounds in Central and South America. Finding such birds can be a treat for the senses and a lovely way to enjoy the outdoors. The yellow warbler shown here in a photo taken by Joe is one of my favorites.

Birding can be an accessible activity, especially if you know of easy access locations where birds gather. One person who knows such places is Joe Superchi of Athol, Massachusetts. Joe is an avid birder who uses a wheelchair. He is a member of the Athol Bird and Nature Club and the Millers River Environmental Center. Each month Joe goes on an accessible birding adventure in the Athol area, as part of a public program offered by the Millers River Environmental Center. Athol is in north central Massachusetts between Greenfield and Gardner along Route 2. You can join him on the second Tuesday morning of the month from April through October and bird from 8 - 10am.

For close up viewing, Joe uses his scope on a tripod or his binoculars mounted on a monopod. The monopod is a great piece of equipment, essentially one leg of a tripod, that allows people with balance issues, hand tremors, weak grip or arms to use binoculars more easily and get more satisfaction out of their sightings. Not all binoculars mount onto monopods, so be sure to ask about this feature if you are shopping for optics. Joe's binoculars and monopod were made by Brunton, a well-known sporting goods company.

To bird with Joe, you'll need your own optical equipment. Several local birding experts drop in on Joe's program and can assist you with spotting. Programs meet at the Millers River Environmental Center in downtown Athol and provide an accessible van for group transport to a selected location. Give them a call at 978-248-9491 to sign up!

Paralympic Media Coverage!

In a few days, 600 athletes from 40 countries will begin competition in 5 winter Paralympic sports. The Paralympics always follow the Olympics in the same venue. The Olympics get lots of TV coverage, the Paralympics follow almost unnoticed in mainstream media.

One of the reasons I started this blog is because there is so little media coverage of adaptive recreation and sports on all levels - even the most elite athletes in disabled sports are often little known outside the disable sports world. Nonetheless, the Paralympics will get some television coverage this month, and while TV pales in comparison, the internet offers more options now than ever.

NBC Sports and Universal Sports just announced their coverage this week. NBC will recap the opening ceremony for one hour on Saturday March 13 from 1-2pm ET. After the Games are over, on Saturday, April 10 from 3-5pm ET highlights from all sports will be shown.

UniversalSports will show 2 hours of coverage nightly at 6pm and 11pm ET starting Monday, March 15 through Tuesday, March 23. There will also be on demand selections, including entire event "rewinds" on UniversalSports.com.

You can also check out daily updates and videos at http://www.usparalympics.org/, the Team USA website, and http://www.paralympicsport.tv/.

Along with the outdoor competition of downhill skiing, nordic skiing, and biathlon, be sure to watch get a view of the indoor sports - sled hockey and wheelchair curling, both growing sports.

I found curling fascinating in the Winter Olympics. In wheelchair curling, there is no sweeping and a throwing stick is used to send the stone down the ice. It is quite the mesmerizing game of skill and strategy and Canada is the team to beat this time.

Team USA will attempt to reclaim the gold in sled hockey, after winning gold in Salt Lake City in 2002, then being unable to follow suit in Torino in 2006. Sled hockey has been an official Paralympic sport since 1994 so more teams have had a chance to develop their competitive edge. Its fast and furious, so don't miss out!

It's Maple Sugar Time! Break out of the house and get a taste!

March is here and the sap is flowing! There is nothing like the taste of warm maple syrup just collected from the evaporator in a "sugar shack"! If cabin fever is getting to you, now is the time to check out our local maple syrup and taste the sweetness of an otherwise often dreary and moody time of year. Learning about the sugaring process through direct experience is lots of fun.

There are maple sugaring events this month at three state parks in Massachusetts near Boston. Access for people with disabilities is generally good in each location, but somewhat dependent upon snow and mud conditions, so I recommend you call the park of interest and get an update.

In Uxbridge at Riverbend Farm (part of Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park), you'll find a completely wheelchair accessible visitor center with heated bathrooms and exhibits on local history, as well as a petite little sugar shack across the street. Even if you can't get into it, you can usually get a good peek in with your tasty sample. The park has been working to make its shack more accessible, so call 508-278-7604 for the latest info. Free Tours will be offered to the general public on a first come-first serve basis during the first three weekends in March, from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm when the last tour starts. Tours last one and a half to 2 hours, with both indoor and outdoor elements. Visit http://www.blackstonevalleysugaring.org/ for more info and click here for directions.

DCR and Mass Audubon are co-hosting Maple Sugar Days March 13 and 14 in the Blue Hills in Milton south of Boston. The event starts at Trailside Museum, where you can see maple trees being tapped, meet costumed characters, and learn about the history of maple sugaring. This event has a $5 admission fee for adults, $3 for kids ages 3-12. A trolley will take sugar enthusiasts over to Brookwood Farm, where the sugaring operation is based and other fun activities will be offered. Trolley rides depart from each location every 15 minutes or so and one trolley is wheelchair accessible. Brookwood Farm is on level terrain. The entire event is billed wheelchair accessible. If you have more specific questions about accommodations for people with disabilities, call (617) 698-1802 or (617) 333-0690.

At Breakheart Reservation in Saugus (north of Boston), you'll find a beautiful accessible visitors center, with sugaring demonstrations and a sugar shack just outside. Public sugar demonstrations will take place March 20 and 21 from 10am to 2pm. Call 781-233-0834 for more info.

Power Chairs on Ice - second round of a new contact sport

A growing group of power wheelchair users met at the Cronin Rink in Revere, Massachusetts, yesterday to play another round of a new game yet to be named. Is it power ball, power play, ice ball, ice soccer, or something else? Vote on your favorite name to the right!

Whatever its name-to-be, the game was played this time with two teams of four, crossways on the rink. Four players might be more cumbersome on a shorter ice field than three per team, but both sizes work. Thirty minutes seems like about the most time in which people can play together before cold sets in and a break is necessary.

We had four new players, Jeanette, Justin, Joe, and Brian, joining our returning enthusiasts Barry, Richard, Nick, and Tom. Jeanette became the first woman (who uses a power chair in daily life) to play and I noticed she gave the loudest whoops when a goal was scored. Everyone really enjoyed themselves. Brian, who came with others from Spaulding Rehab Hospital to try the game, said simply "I had a blast!" It seems to us that there aren't enough opportunities for people in power wheelchairs to engage together in play.

We are still playing as-is, without any protective devices, in a careful exchange that often involves contact on either side of the fitness ball, which cushions nicely and pushes chairs apart. However gently we play, there is still jostling between players seeking control of the ball. Broken reflectors and a broken fender in our first two games of play cause us to feel it prudent to invest in power soccer guards.

Though to the outside viewer, play may appear slow, much is happening between players who close in on the ball and have to work their way out of a scrum. Someone has to give or push, or use humorous persuasion perhaps, to free the ball back into play. Breakaways happen occasionally and goals are mostly left untended. Although the game has no formal rules yet, a few ideas are emerging for improvement.

You can read about the first round of Power Chairs on Ice here. Eventually this game may break out of doors. In the meantime we will continue on a monthly basis in Revere. To get involved, contact Tom McCarthy, Director of DCR's Universal Access Program, at 413-545-5758 or thomas.j.mccarthy@state.ma.us, or myself at 413-545-5758 or marcy.marchello@state.ma.us

Please share your experiences and ideas with regard to this new game here in the comments box by clicking on the underlined amount of "comments" below.

Winter Paralympics - Watch for Tyler Walker

I recently caught a glimpse of the Winter X Games on TV. The event being shown involved downhill skiing - backwards - and a big jump with a lot of aerial acrobatics including the crossing of skis while upside down - then a backwards landing and continuation of skiing downhill - did I say backwards? - to the finish. The whole thing put the Winter Olympics to shame. Now I understand why the Olympics are adding events like snowboarding with its death defying half pipe event. There is a new revolution going on fueled by a youth culture of daredevil antics. Not being a downhill skier, it took me awhile to catch on.

And I wondered, is there an adaptive version of this?

The answer is yes, although I don't think the backwards event above is happening yet on adaptive skis. At the recent Winter X-Games 14 in Aspen, Colorado, a New Hampshire native, Tyler Walker, took the gold medal in Monoskier-X. This is a competitive race of four individuals over a downhill course fraught with curves and jumps. These cross races are popular in snowboarding and downhill skiing now and are recent additions to the Winter Olympics (though not the Paralympics -yet). It's not just about speed, its about skill and ability to stay upright and in motion in relation to three other competitors flying down the mountain.

Tyler Walker, now 23 years old, was born with very little spine. Both legs were amputated at age four. Despite great excuses to never consider becoming an athlete, he began downhill skiing in adaptive programs in high school. Tyler graduated from the University of New Hampshire recently with a dual major in International Studies and Geography. His academic pursuits tie in nicely with his current endeavors as a skier traveling a world circuit. You can watch Monoskier-X and Tyler's gold medal win on video at his website http://tylerwalker.org/. His entertaining blog also provides a glimpse of the life and travels of a champion adaptive athlete.

Tyler also competes in slalom and giant-slalom. He won the World Cup Championship in downhill last August at the World Cup Finals in Whistler, British Columbia. Watch for news of him at the Winter Paralympics next month where he will compete on the same mountain. He is a favorite to win. Check him out on YouTube as a child on home-made adaptive skis and training for Vancouver at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLE0s_GrI7E

Mt. Wachusett Adaptive Offers Downhill Skiing in Massachusetts

It's not too late to experience adaptive downhill skiiing this year in Massachusetts. Mt. Wachusett is centrally located in Princeton and has had a well-established adaptive program since 1984. Skiing will continue through March seven days a week, weather and conditions permitting.

I recently stopped by on a busy Sunday. The place was a rainbow of color and movement with some 3000 people filling the resort, the grounds and slopes on a bright sunny afternoon before the Super Bowl. Seven hundred people had just finished a race. I felt like I had just discovered where everybody goes in the winter.

I found my way to The Learning Center, where Mt. Wachusett Adaptive is based. There I met "Adapt Dave", the first person I've ever met who has built a new name for himself out of such flexible terminology. Though Dave Domke is retired, he now works full time at the ski resort serving skiers with disabilities along with a crew of about a dozen specially trained instructors.

The program is affiliated with AbilityPLUS, an adaptive recreation organization based in New Hampshire that provides expertise and fundraising opportunities to ski resorts serving people with disabilities . Their home base is Waterville Valley, NH and they both operate and support adaptive programs at several other ski resorts in New England. Mt. Wachusett Adaptive serves about 250 individuals in a season and provided 300 lessons last year. The benefit of putting up with crowds at Mt. Wachusett is that their rates are lower than many places further north. The Learning Center also offers some additional discounts. Go during the week and take full advantage of fewer crowds in a convenient location for southern New England.

"About 70-80% of our skiers are in the autism spectrum", Dave told me, "Many of these are kids with Asperger's Syndrome, since this environment is too stimulating for most of those with severe autism." Indeed, while I talked with Dave for an hour, two kids finished separate ski lessons with the program. They blended in perfectly with the hundreds of other colorful kids milling around outside. Dave showed me an orange and black pole, about seven feet long, used by ski instructors to teach stand-skiers side-by-side how to turn without using ski poles by shifting weight and direction.

For that other 20-30%, some interesting equipment is on display and ready for use in The Learning Center. Monoskis and bi-skis are seated skis with, as the name implies, one or two wider skis mounted below a technical looking, solid seat and frame with various suspension and shock absorbing components.

The lesson book was full on signups, including the Massachusetts Hospital School which brings students on a weekly basis and leaves their own bi-skis on site. Dick Crisafulli, their recreation director, was kind enough to send me some photos of MHS students in action on the slopes. Here you can see the difference between the monoski featured on top and the bi-ski shown below, along with a support skier tethered in who physically controls the ride. Independent skiers who are seated or standing may use the outrigger poles shown in the top photo for steering, balance and braking.

"It only takes four pounds of pressure to turn a monoski," Adapt Dave told me, "so if you can only move your head a few inches, you can turn!" To schedule a session, call Adapt Dave at 978-464-2300 extension 3307.

If you've been skiing with Mt. Wachusett Adaptive or any other adaptive downhill program, let us know about your experience!

The Sno-Limo: an unexpected discovery at the Winter Olympics

While lounging on the couch watching events at Day 3 in Vancouver, a special little commercial popped up on the Sno-Limo, a seated downhill ski designed for those who don't ski or snowboard and want to experience the slopes. Looks to be quite a solid piece of equipment, designed for parents or grandparents of skiers and snowboarders, those who have disabilities that prevent them from moving independently, or anyone who wants to try it out.

The seated and bundled rider is "chauffeured" by a standing person who rides the back of the Sno-Limo, much like a kicksled driver but minus the kicking. Looks like a blast and definitely my preferred way to enter the world of downhill skiing! Too bad, but I don't think there are any in New England yet!

Exploring their website, it appears the Sno-Limo has been used only in British Columbia, Canada on a small scale at a few ski resorts since the winter of 2005-6. I'm guessing it has been under development. The website indicates that broader distribution is under way. I made an inquiry, but haven't heard back on where people might be able to try the Sno-Limo outside Canada or how much they cost. How about though - anyone else interested in this new possibility?

Winter Paralympics - Nordic Sitskiing Contenders

The Winter Olympics have just gotten underway in Vancouver. I always enjoy watching the Olympics, but I'm looking ahead to the Paralympics that follow next month. I'm intrigued by how few people take on the challenge of nordic skiing on the US Paralympic Ski team. There are 7 members featured on Team USA's website, compared to 23 on the US Alpine Ski team. Let's face it, you've got to be physically tough to sustain the extreme stamina required to compete in nordic skiing. Six of these seven members are sitskiers.

Nordic skiing competition was added to the Paralympics in 1976. The races vary from 2.5 to 20 kilometers depending on gender and disability. The competition is open to men and women with specific disabilities: limb loss/amputee, blindness/visual impairment, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, brain injury, and stroke. People with visual impairments compete separately from physically disabled skiers who fall into two categories, standing and seated.

All of the sitskiers are from out west, so I can't pick favorite from New England for this sport. Monica Bascio, is my personal choice as the only woman sitskier. She competed in Torino in 2006 and had 3 top ten finishes. A world champion handcyclist, Monica switched to nordic skiing, then took time off after skiing in Torino to become a mother. She managed to fit in training for 2010 in addition to working as an Occupational Therapist. Sounds like a super-hero among super-heros to me!

This will also be the second Winter Paralympics for Greg Mallory and Chris Klebl. Chris, disabled in a snowboarding accident, had 2 top 20 finishes in Torino and placed 4th overall in the 2008 World Cup circuit. Greg (pictured here) intrigues me because he is a lawyer who alternates between handcycling, paddling and roller-skiing to work each day in Portland, Oregon. Greg was paralyzed after a skiing accident and had 3 top 25 finishes in Torino. He placed 18th in overall standings at the World Cup.

Bob Balk is the most seasoned veteran of the Paralympics. He has competed in handcycling in two Paralympic Games and this will be his 5th Winter Paralympics. He had three top 20 finishes in Torino and placed 13th overall in the 2008 World Cup. Bob became disabled after falling off a roof and is now a venture capitalist who also designs sitskis. I wonder if he is the designer of the four sitskis "from California" I saw in use at Weston Ski Track last weekend, the same style shown used by Greg in this photo.

This will be the first Paralympics for Sean Halsted and Andy Soule. Sean is a US Air Force veteran who was injured falling out of a helicopter. Active in several adaptive sports, he placed 16th overall in the World Cup skiing circuit in 2008. Andy lost his legs to an improvised explosive device in the war in Afghanistan. Seeking a way to stay in shape, he jumped into competitive nordic skiing despite his lack of any previous skiing experience. He finished 12th overall in the World Cup circuit and will compete in the biathlon in addition to nordic races in Vancouver. The Paralympics offer a perfect place to channel the skills and energy of recovered veterans.

Keep an eye on http://www.paralympicsport.tv for coverage. It is there that I learned it can take years for nordic sitskiers to build their speed. This sport is unique in that its athletes can compete well into their 50's and still beat the field. The Winter Paralympics have only five basic areas of competition, yet each one is singularly inspiring and curiously different from its able-bodied counterpart.