Historic Railroad Tunnels Trail

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Nevada

May 2013

Kellisa and I flew out to Las Vegas for Memorial Day weekend with Primo Matt. Our first hike was the Historic Railroad Tunnels Trail at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The sun was blazing and the temperature was soaring, but we didn't let that stop us from hiking 8.80 miles. After hiking through the five tunnels, we walked across Hoover Dam.

Hurrikains Collection:

Matt Buckingham Collection:

California Riding and Hiking Trail

California Riding and Hiking Trail

Joshua Tree National Park

California

July 2013

One goal from our recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park was to scope out the California Riding and Hiking Trail. Some information states that the trail is 35 miles long and other list it at 37.3 miles. Either way, we've been researching the trail online and were thinking it would be possible to hike with Kellisa across the backcountry of Joshua Tree. We didn't want to plan a trip and arrive to find it impossible to push Kellisa, so we stopped at both trailheads and at every road crossing to access the possibility. We didn't see anything that would prevent an attempt to hike the entire trail with Kellisa, so it's been added to our "dream list" of hikes even though we could only check out a small percentage of the trail. Now we have to plan the complicated logistics of how many days, what month, water drops, etc.

Pictures from the trailheads and all the road crossings in both directions:

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

California

July 2013

Kellisa and I were in southern California for a quick weekend to present "Kellisa's Path" to the Los Angeles Hydrocephalus Association Support Network. We had a few hours the following day and decided to drive out to Joshua Tree National Park. With limited time and the rare scattered showers, we saw the park like most tourists. We stopped at the visitor center, walked the short, paved path behind the center and drove through the park stopping at most of the scenic viewing spots before heading back towards Los Angeles.

2013 Big Bend Ultra 25K: Finish & Spring 2013 Newsletter

Copyright: Shanda Schneider

Kellisa gets credit as the first wheelchair participant:

Friends of Big Bend National Park

Friends of Big Bend National Park

\/ Our picture shortly after the start:

Friends of Big Bend National Park

Taum Sauk Mountain

Taum Sauk Mountain

1,772ft.

Missouri

July 2103

View near the summit:

State Highpoint #22 for Kellisa:

Kellisa and Egypt share their first State Highpoint together:

Faking Disabilities (7.2.13)

Jacksonville International Airport

July 2, 2013

A lady came running at us from the side while pushing an airport wheelchair filled with carry on baggage as Kellisa and I approached the wheelchair line at security. She almost crashed into Kellisa on her way to the front. 

I kept my mouth shut because I already knew that TSA would just say that the disabled line is managed using the honor system and they can't question anyone about why they're in the line. 

I was ready to explode and was hoping the woman was going to use the wheelchair on our flight because after running through the airport, I knew she would need to be wheeled down the jetway to board first. I've been known to call out "fakers" during the pre-board process because it embarrasses them in front of everyone that will be trapped on the same airplane with them and the airlines will always board Kellisa first, unless there's another real disabled person needing to pre-board. Unfortunately for us, she wasn't on our flight.

I snapped the following picture while still in disbelief. As soon as I heard the "click", I thought security would pounce on me for taking a picture in the security line, especially since they probably have a picture of me hanging in their office from previous outbursts, but nothing happened.

Kellisa didn't care because she was just happy to be at the airport on her way to a plane. One look at this face and I began to settle down.