Part of a gigantic bathroom in an accessible cabin in remote Mineral King
What exactly are the ingredients of an accessible hotel room? That’s a question that I get asked a lot – from both travelers and people in the hospitality industry. And to be honest, there’s not one simple answer to that question. Continue reading
A low-step shower in a standard — not accessible — hotel room
Thanks to modern technology it’s now possible to share your travel photos with friends and family with just a few swipes and a tap or two. And I absolutely love seeing those smiling faces enjoying cruises, beaches and luxury resorts. But lately I’ve also been seeing another kind of travel post – it usually features a photo of an obviously inaccessible room, with the caption “Really? This is an accessible room?”
And the truth is, well, maybe it isn’t. Continue reading
I have to admit that I was a little puzzled by a news item that I ran across last week about a grass roots campaign in the UK to make it “more comfortable” for people with invisible disabilities to use the accessible toilets there. Apparently when seemingly able-bodied people walk out of the accessible NKS toilets across the pond, they are getting “the look” or an audible “tsk-tsk” from passers-by. To alleviate this, there is a push to change the symbol on the accessible toilets from the standard wheelchair pictogram, to a pictogram of wheelchair with two able-bodied people. OK, that part made perfect sense to me, as there certainly are folks with invisible disabilities who need accessible facilities. Continue reading
Trail access information plaque
Although it’s relatively easy to determine if a building is wheelchair-accessible (stairs vs. a level or ramped entry), it’s a bit more difficult to evaluate the accessibility of a trail. At first glance it might appear that if a wheelchair-user can manage a trail, then it must accessible, right? Well, not exactly, because not all wheelchair-users have the same ability. Continue reading
Although Uber has long claimed that it’s not bound by the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it just makes common sense to make this service as accessible as possible. In fact, I had high hopes when Uber introduced their new WAV app that allows customers to order an accessible vehicle with a few taps and a swipe or two. And in theory that works; however since Uber doesn’t have enough accessible vehicles to meet the demand, it falls short of a viable solution. Continue reading
Team Roping -- not just for men at the Cody Night Rodeo
I’m a rodeo gal at heart. After all, some of my earliest memories are of the Clovis Rodeo, watching my dad ride saddle broncs and bulls. So I’m thrilled whenever I have the opportunity to take in a rodeo on my travels. Such was the case last night, when I got to enjoy the famous Cody Night Rodeo – the longest running night rodeo in the country. Continue reading
"Accessible" parking spot in New Hope, PA?
I see a lot of different things as I cross the country, but this “accessible” parking spot really made me scratch my head yesterday. It is across the street from the New Hope, PA Visitors Center, and as far as I can tell it’s one of the very few accessible spots in town. Continue reading
What’s wrong with this shower? It’s not wheelchair-accessible, as the innkeepers claim.
Remember that game you used to play in Highlights Magazine? The one where you’d circle the things that were wrong with an innocuous looking picture? Well, today we are going to play the adult version. It’s called “What’s Wrong with this ‘Accessible’ Shower?” Continue reading
There's even a special bear bench for Cherrie near the cabin!
Every time I visit Ohio’s Hocking Hills I discover a new cool accessible lodging option—and this time was no exception. Last night we stayed in a very accessible creekside cabin near Logan, Ohio. It was compact, but still had room enough for a wheelchair, and it included a small kitchen and a lovely back deck. There was also a private hot tub on the deck, but it wasn’t accessible. Continue reading
Our route -- in blue.
So what do you do after you release a book? Well if you’re me, you set off on a road trip to research your next book. And that’s exactly what’s happening this week. Continue reading
