The Dolly Steamboat

 Sightseeing and Dinner Cruise

Tortilla Flat, AZ

February 2024

Sometimes, an excursion is perfectly accessible and a great time is had by all. Our recent visit to the Dolly Steamboat definitely qualifies for this rare event and instead of writing, we will let the pictures tell this story.

BOAT RIDES

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Lakeshore Trail

 Grand Teton National Park

Wyoming

August 2023

We spent our only afternoon in Grand Teton National Park exploring the Lakeshore Trail. The trail is asphalt for portions, but it's not in the best condition. The harsh winters create cracks and vertical movement making the trail not exactly ADA. The other parts of the trail is compacted natural surfaces. We found the trail to be dry and even the natural surface areas were somewhat easy to navigate even though we just had Kellisa's regular travel wheelchair that's not at all equipped for serious trails.

There was a sign warning about bears near the trailhead with a strong recommendation to carry bear spray since black and grizzly bears frequent the area. We didn't have any bear spray on us, so we proceeded with caution. It was a calculated risk made easier knowing that Kellisa makes a fair amount of "noise" while enjoying a rough trail and I could see it was a popular trail and we were never far from other people. 

We were rewarded with enough bumps on the trail to keep Kellisa giggling and magnificent views of the Teton Mountain Range with clouds covering their upper flanks. I know Kellisa would have enjoyed an up close and personal view of a bear, but I was OK without a sighting. One day is not enough time to spend in the park, so I'm sure we will be back someday to explore more. 

TRAILS with KELLISA

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Jackson Lake Scenic Cruise

 Grand Teton National Park

Wyoming

August 2023

We only had one full day in Grand Teton National Park and we decided to take the Jackson Lake Scenic Cruise based on how much Kellisa enjoyed the nearby Lake Yellowstone boat tour from an earlier trip to the area. The excursion wasn't exactly accessible, but with some assistance from the incredible staff, we were able to make it work. I did have to carry Kellisa up a few stairs (pictures below) and we made the decision to sit outside the main seating area. This seating arrangement meant we were exposed to the elements and on this day, it was the sun that was relentless. It was the worst time to leave my hat back in our cabin.

I could have carried Kellisa down a few more stairs, through a tight door, and then maneuver her to a seat inside the boat, but this seemed a little too risky for my liking. Maybe 20 years ago when Kellisa was smaller and I was filled with "youthful determination" but we don't have anything to prove at this point along Kellisa's Path. 

Plus, Kellisa has always enjoyed wind in her face and our views of the surrounding mountains towering high through the clouds were less obscured from our outdoor vantage point.

Kellisa made fast friends with our accommodating crew and enjoyed spending a few private moments with them as I retrieved her chair upon our return to the dock. I could have stored the chair on the boat, but that was extra lifting and I'm in a "Lift only as needed" mode in life. 

After our feet and wheels were back on the ground, we headed a short distance to enjoy a relaxing lunch which would power us through our planned afternoon hike along the shore of Jackson Lake. 

BOAT RIDES

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Historic Mountain Cabin at Colter Bay Village

 Grand Teton National Park

Wyoming

August 2023

Kellisa and her father had 2 nights and 1 day available to spend in Grand Teton National Park. The only lodging available at the last minute was a regular cabin in Colter Bay Village with 2 beds. If we wanted to stay inside the park, we needed to select this non-ADA cabin. The benefits of not spending time we didn't have driving, we knew we could make it work, especially since it was just two nights. 

The route from our parking spot was a little rough and the entrance was narrow with an immediate tight turn, but once inside our cabin, we found it plenty big enough for Kellisa to maneuver around in her manual wheelchair. This was Kellisa's first visit to Grand Teton National Park and we would have loved to stay in the park longer. Maybe next time, we can plan further out and book an accessible cabin for at least a week. 

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