In September 2018 Charles and I were in Shenandoah National Park reveling in the spectacular fall foliage. At that time we lived in the California Sierras and our fall colors were relatively non-existent compared to the Virginia show. We stayed at Skyland Lodge on August 21, and had just unpacked the car when the heavens opened and we were hit with a torrential downpour. I started to settle in for the night, when I realized that I left my phone charge in the car, so I bundled up and trekked back out to retrieve it. Continue reading
Category Archives: Editorial
Why I Do What I Do
I’ve been covering accessible travel exclusively for the past 25 years, and believe me, I do get a lot of strange questions about the subject. I try to educate whenever I can, and I understand that this is a subject that most people don’t understand unless they have some personal experience with it. Continue reading
Finding Wheelchair-Accessible Restrooms on Public Lands in COVID-19 Times
Accessible trail to overlook at Donnell Vista
The general line of thought for travel in these COVID-19 times is to take a road trip and try and steer clear of crowds. In other words, stay away from theme parks and instead head to our national parks and other public outdoor spaces. So that’s exactly what we did a few weeks ago – we packed the car and hit the road to the Eastern Sierras. Continue reading
Covid-19 and the Cruise Industry – What’s Next?
The Covid-19 Pandemic will undoubtedly change a lot of things, from where we shop, to how receive health care. Once the dust settles and businesses begin to reopen, leisure travel will again be something to consider. And I think the travel industry is in for even more changes; in fact, I believe travel in post-Covid-19 times will be an entirely different experience, especially for cruise ship passengers. Continue reading
What Does the Future Hold for Travel?
First off, I don’t have a crystal ball, so these musings are just my gut feelings. Let’s start off with the header I just put up on our Emerging Horizons website.
We invite our readers to indulge in a little armchair travel, or maybe even make plans for trips in the coming years; but gently remind you that now is not the time to travel. Stay home and stay safe. Continue reading
Amazon Selling Fake Parking Placards!
Edited to Add – The link to the placard does not work any more (and I have removed it), so it looks like Amazon took down the item for sale. Thanks everyone for their great response!!!
OK I’m a huge Amazon fan, but after finding this “Handicap Placard” for sale on the site I may have to think twice about continuing my relationship. It has absolutely no description, and the five-star reviews are obviously fake (“great customer service” — give me a break). The questions have been answered by consumers who obviously agree with me, and a few wheelchair-users wrote negative comments. Continue reading
In Case of Fire
Emergency evacuation instructions in the right place — at wheelchair height.
Imagine the following scenario. It’s the middle of the night and you are sound asleep. Then you hear a loud noise – a fire alarm. You jump to attention and sit up in bed, and then you realize that you are not at home. You are in a hotel. You think you are on the second floor but you are not sure – you’ve been on the road for a week and all the rooms kind of meld together.
Oh yes, did I also mention that you are in a wheelchair and traveling alone? Continue reading
E-Scooter Companies Called to Task for Alleged ADA Violation
Bird Scooters
E-scooters are all the rage these day. These compact electric scooters are popping up all over it seems; and startup companies like Bird, Lime and Razor now offer affordable rentals through shared ride smart phone apps. It sounds like a win-win proposition, doesn’t it?
Well, not exactly. Continue reading
The Last Straw
With so many regulations popping up across the country limiting or outright banning the use of plastic straws, I’m getting a lot of questions from folks about why this is even an issue to some disabled people. And to be honest, some of the questions are well meaning, but many folks just don’t get the point – or points – that banning the use of plastic straws in restaurants puts yet another undue burden on our disabled citizens. Maybe some people just never thought about it before, or maybe they don’t understand the technicalities behind it all. Whatever the reason, here are some of the questions I’ve fielded in the past month, along with the answers I’ve given. Feel free to pass them along. Continue reading
Remembering Fallen Friends on this ADA Anniversary
Betsy Volk and Trooper
Today marks 28 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. And although some folks lament that we still have access problems, I prefer to look at how far we have come on this day. Although accessible travel certainly wasn’t a priority back in the beginning, it has gained momentum over the years. And that’s not just because we don’t institutionalize folks who are disabled any more — it’s also because some hearty souls paved the way “back in the day.” And because they were my friends, I’d like to give credit where credit is due on this ADA anniversary. Continue reading