Julington-Durbin Preserve

 St. Johns River Management District

Jacksonville, FL
February 2014

On a nice Saturday afternoon we headed to one of our "home" hikes- (Julington-Durbin Preserve). It would be our longest hike of the year (3.1 miles). I would learn two valuable lessons on this hike. First, I always kind of assumed that Kellisa's hiking days would be over when the day comes that I can't push her anymore. However, Egypt insisted that she push Kellisa for "a little while". I was impressed as Egypt pushed Kellisa for at least one mile. Kellisa couldn't stop giggling while Egypt was doing the pushing. Second, I learned that Egypt's current level of endurance ends at 2.1 miles. Egypt stopped in the middle of the trail and looked back with a defeated face and pleaded, "call the firetruck mens to come and rescue me". I explained that my cell phone wouldn't work in the forest and that she would have to hike out herself. Her next idea was to ride on my shoulders. I told Egypt that those days were long over. After a little more discussion, Egypt sucked it up and hiked out under her own power. I was very proud of her effort.

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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.

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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. 

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