Recommendations. Reflections. Advocacy.
Support Claire This is a spin for the bucket list! With breathtaking vistas of ancient sandstone formations flanked by scented junipers spiring into bright blue Arizona sky – some of the most photographed scenery in the world – this scooter ride is spectacular! Getting There From Phoenix, take the I-17 north, exit 298 onto SR-179 … Continue reading Scootering Sedona’s Red Rock Scenic Byway (Arizona SR 179)
Support Claire McDowell Mountain Road McDowell Mountain Road The longer the pandemic lingers globally, the more my husband Lou and I discover places to spin locally. In doing so in 2021, we came upon a favorite new route: McDowell Mountain Road, a super scenic, eight-mile stretch connecting Fountain Hills to Rio Verde, AZ. Mountainous southwestern … Continue reading Our Favorite Spin of 2021
Support Claire Not far from Scottsdale lies a scenic gem of the Tonto National Forest known as Needle Rock Recreation Area. Its sole byway is Needle Rock Road. Pictures don't do justice to the beautiful vistas that unfold along this 3-mile stretch, (though I will certainly post a few). Four Peaks in the … Continue reading Spinning Scenic Needle Rock Rd – Rio Verde, AZ
Support Claire Given beautiful weather, my husband and I often head to Peoria's New River Trail for some scenic urban spinning. This popular trail system has it all, including easy accessibility for mobility devices. Getting there Handicap parking and ADA restrooms are readily available at Rio Vista Community Park (8866 W. Thunderbird Road, Peoria). This … Continue reading Scootering New River Trail, Peoria, AZ
Support Claire Spoiler alert: This ADA accessible desert adventure will make others pale in comparison. It has for us. Since discovering Apache Wash Trailhead, my husband Lou and I go a couple of times a week. For spectacular spinning, it's simply one of the most beautiful accessible trail systems we've encountered in the Phoenix area … Continue reading Best Scootering in the Sonoran Desert – Apache Wash Trailhead, Phoenix
Support Claire Note: Although this post specifies my Scottsdale home base, its cautionary message applies nationwide, urging increased driver awareness of mobility device users sharing the road. Dangerously so, it happened again this morning: Scottsdale drivers came close to hitting my mobility scooter while I was transiting a crosswalk. Many of these chronic traffic violators … Continue reading Scottsdale: Hell on Wheels
Support Claire Blooming brittlebrush, hummingbirds tipping the tops of Palo Verde trees, the occasional equestrian, beautiful ironwork bridges, mountain vistas and accessible paved trails for any kind of mobility device...there are plenty of reasons why spinning The Loop in Tucson is addictive outdoor adventure. With a network of 120 miles of shared-use paths (soon to … Continue reading Top ADA Spins Along The Loop in Tucson, AZ
Support Claire Accidents happen, even red scooter accidents. In mid January, I fell off my zippy mobility scooter after taking a curbed curve too quickly and fractured my pelvis in three places. Ouch! After a brief hospital stay, I was transferred to Sante of North Scottsdale where I convalesed for over a month. What follows … Continue reading Rehabbing at Sante of North Scottsdale
Support Claire A friend told us about Phoenix’s Heard Museum over dinner. Intrigued, my husband and I went the very next morning, and were so glad we did. She was right: The museum’s collection of traditional and contemporary American Indian art (mostly southwestern) is simply superb. Each exhibit oozes quality over quantity. Great accessibility From … Continue reading Heard Museum, Phoenix
Support Claire The glorious wonders of Kartchner Caverns are accessible to everyone, including people who mobilize with a wheelchair, scooter or cane. People like me. I charged up my red power chair for spelunking into the unassuming Whetstone Mountains, and with the superb set up provided by the Arizona State Parks system navigated the depths … Continue reading Accessible Natural Marvels at Kartchner Caverns in Benson, AZ
Support Claire The Rio Salado Pathway connects you to some of Mesa and Tempe’s most scenic urban landscapes. Colorful to say the least, this wheelchair/scooter accessible pathway offers plenty of visual surprises. I won’t give them all away, but I will say this: within an hour we marveled at everything from gray-blue cranes perched on the banks … Continue reading Scenic Urban Accessibility in Mesa and Tempe, AZ
Support Claire As with all things, education has opened my mind, and exploration has opened my eyes. Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve has taught this Oregonian snowbird a lot about something I once only considered barren, dusty and dangerous: the desert. Thanks to two accessible nature trails, a brave new world has seeped into my soul. Where I … Continue reading Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Support Claire Some places just get it, they make their venue as accessible to everyone as much as possible. Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden is one such place, a city treasure that my husband Lou and I discovered by chance on a bike/scooter ride through Papago Park one December day. On our two subsequent visits, we were … Continue reading Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix
Support Claire Making Accessibility Happen Every city wants your business. Let them know what you need and want in order to make that business happen. Here's what I sent to: City of Scottsdale - Mayor and City CouncilScottsdale City Hall, 3939 N Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 City of Scottsdale, Clean and scenic, indeed! And … Continue reading Rolling Right Along in Accessible Scottsdale
Support Claire Making Accessibility Happen Every national park has a visitor comment form that you can pick up at the guard station or sometimes e-mail online. Sharing your experiences - positive or negative - makes a difference. Here's what I sent to: Superintendent, Chris Lehnertz P.O. Box 129 Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 My sincere thanks … Continue reading Seeing the Grand Canyon by Scooter