Disabled not Unable – The Outdoors Quest

Especially when it comes to disabilities and the outdoors, all too often people place roadblocks in their own way and hinder their own progress in life. There are inevitable glitches in life that will make your adventures difficult, but not necessarily impossible. Sometimes, all you need is a little ingenuity and a good deal of determination to create a new path around those speed bumps. I have known and learned from so many people with disabilities that have adapted and overcome barriers to become incredible hunters and anglers…They weren’t disabled hunters…They weren’t disabled fishermen…None of them saw themselves as disabled outdoorsmen….They were Hunters…Fishermen…Outdoorsmen.

You see, a disability can cause you to change how you do things. It can force you to find alternatives and work-arounds. It could even give you the drive to become more creative. And while it can force you to change your means to achieving your goal, it does not have to end your goals.

Restrictions (Such as Disabilities) can be the Groundwork for Ingenuity

I, for one, have faced a variety of health issues that frequently reduce my mobility and endurance. My adventures were significantly hampered this past year when an emergency resulted in the loss of part of my lung. I have been restricted from a variety of motions and have significant weight limitations now, but I still have my determination. That determination has led me to seek out specialized gear and techniques to help me overcome my new limitations. A few things I could just get, but most things required that I think outside the box to create my own equipment and gear that would accommodate my needs.

Just one example for you is my neuropathy. I have lost a significant portion of feeling in one of my hands. When I started fishing we realized I was having a tremendous amount of difficulty holding on to my fish and removing the hook was next to impossible for me. After experimenting with various common solutions I discovered a pair of gloves that helped me keep a grip on the fish so that I could move it as well as my pliers in ways that worked for me. There are days, still, when I forget to take my gloves with us when we fish and (inevitably) I have to get AJs help for almost every fish I catch, but by finding a solution that worked for me I no longer have to ask for help as often.

If you’re interested in fishing, but not sure where to start, read our article “The Three Rules for Becoming a Successful Angler.”

AJ is a veteran who sustained significant injuries to her leg during service. Continued deterioration since discharge led to damage that made walking impossible for over 2 years. Instead of giving up on her adventures, she found ways around the roadblocks. With some creativity and a great deal of stubbornness, she found alternatives to traditional hunting and fishing methods that work for her and allowed her to get back outdoors where she truly belongs. Some of her gear needed to be modified, other equipment merely needed to be re-envisioned to accommodate her new needs.

Outdoors Adventures are for Anyone and Everyone

I, for one, am obsessed with fishing. My absolute favorite is kayak fishing. Two problems reared their menacing faces this past year, however, that made my ideal hobby seem impossible. One, my restrictions make lifting a kayak next to impossible. Two, mobility restrictions mean I am not currently (and may never be) able to paddle. The injuries, especially with the nerve damage, have made casting from the bank difficult and, frequently, down right impossible. Boat fishing is an expensive substitute that creates its own hindrances. So, with our circumstances, we started exploring alternatives and found a potential solution that is now in development: The Bass Raider 10e. We’ll keep you up to date on our experiments and how we make the alternative work for us.

Just a few Examples to give you Ideas

: The Bass Raider 10e is being set up for modifications as you read this. With a bit of work and ingenuity, the watercraft will help me overcome my limitations to return to fishing on the waters I love.

: A disability or limitation can be many different things, can come in different forms, and can present a variety of challenges. Each challenge can be a unique and personal means for progressing your outdoors quest.

: These are some of the braces that can help people with disabilities overcome their limitations and join the outdoors adventures. While some gear is professionally made and readily available others need to be created for the person in need.

AJ spent a year shifting between crutches and a wheelchair waiting for the VA to determine the extent of her injuries when she suddenly lost her ability to walk. They issued her a “scooter” of sorts when they determined her damage would be permanent and irreversible. AJ, however, has a determined personality that was unwilling to accept that answer.

We spent better than a year after that news experimenting with braces and varying exercises to strengthen alternative muscles. After 2 years of being incapable of supporting any weight, AJ was finally able to walk short distances. Hunting is AJs passion. Hiking miles into public lands to find a potential spot is still not a realistic option, even after her developed work-arounds. So AJ set out to find more of her own alternatives. Here in the state of Texas, some public lands allow handicap hunters to use alternative means of travel to get into the fields. We are currently working towards getting everything set up for ATVs to get her into the hunting fields next season. We’ll be sure to take you on the adventures with us when we start experimenting with the process.

There are ways around Disabilities and Limitations all around you, if you look with a creative eye.

These have been just 2 examples of how a problem simply became a means for finding alternative adventures. Now I’m not saying, go out and exercise and change every aspect of your life to “reverse” your disabilities and I’m not telling you that your disabilities are not real limitations. Neither am I saying that you can just ignore your health condition/limitation/disability and do what you want haphazardly. What I am saying is that no matter what the limitation, you can find a work around to keep enjoying outdoors adventures in one way or another. Now they might not be exactly the same. You may have to alter your vision of what your adventure will be. Ultimately, though, your adventure can still be yours and will always be Yours.

: Outdoors adventures may be less strenuous or in a different environment than you used to enjoy, but they are still achievable when you work around your roadblocks.

: A disability or limitation can be many different things, can come in different forms, and can present a variety of challenges. Each challenge can be a unique and personal means for progressing your outdoors quest.

: There are all kinds of gear, supplies, and tools that can be found, made, or adapted to help the disabled find their paths to the outdoors.

Play a game of “What if” with yourself

Do you have mobility issues? What if you had a different way to go? What kind of mobility help would you need? Are there aids like that out there already?
Are you dealing with dexterity issues? What if you could reduce the number of motions needed in an action? Has someone experimented with that process already? Are there tools that could be purchased or made to do some of those necessary actions for you?
Is it that you have a health issue that reduces your endurance levels? What if you didn’t have to exert as much energy as you “normally” would? Are there locations or services that take you to your spot instead of requiring a long hike? Are there alternative means of travel that don’t deplete your energy? Is there a way to break your activity into mini jaunts, maybe with a nap or rest time between activities?
Do you have a new limitation to your strength? What if you didn’t need to lift or pull heavy weight to accomplish your adventure? Are there pulley systems or dollies available or that could be made to move your supplies for you? Can the adventure be completed without as much gear?

https://youtu.be/mifCiLEHzc0

For your further consideration

Your Assignment

Should you choose to pursue a life of outdoors adventures, you are going to need a game plan whether you are legally/medically defined as handicap or facing some kind of limitation outside these definitions. The process is truly as simple as 1..2..3…

Determine the Speed Bump that is holding you back. Is it a physical limitation? Or is it more of a location restriction? Do you have more of a health concern?
Look for others facing or dealing with similar speedbumps. This may be recommendations from your healthcare provider, a support group for your specific diagnosis/circumstance, or even a blogger/journalist who lives life with the same issue you are working to defeat.
Take their suggestions (the ones that resonate with you) and modify them; tweak them; make them your own. Not only will finding a personalized solution empower you to face other speed bumps in the future more confidently, but it will drive you forward towards that glorious finish line of accomplishing your outdoors adventure.

Will you Stop at the Roadblocks, or Find Solutions to your Disabilities?

I am one of those people that believes life must always be worth living and only I can make my life worth living for me. That does not mean that I will always accomplish what I set out to do, or that I won’t have to attempt my goals a few times to achieve success; but it is that trial, that drive to always try something different, to always accomplish more (see something new, do something a different way from what I have done in the past, recreate something I saw someone else enjoy) that gives my life a meaning for me. I am not going to sit around watching other people live, wishing I was out there doing. Instead, I am going to be out there doing, learning, improving who and what I am.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. If AJ and I can accomplish our outdoors adventures, anyone can. So here’s to hoping you find your solutions; you find a way around your speed bumps; and you find ways to adapt your methods, gear, and adventures to accomplish your outdoors adventures soon!