Off The Beaten Path

Detaljer

Överliggande kategori: Sports

Kategori: Extreme Sports

Skriven av Domonic Corradin

Träffar: 2108

How many of people are afraid to go off the pavement in fear of getting stuck? How many have a phobia of the grass and dirt? How many people, in this day and age, won’t “step” off the concrete? Well, with the information I am about to spring on you, NO ONE should fear the terra firma anymore. Grass and dirt... to some it's an inviting place to explore, but to those of us on wheels or who use other gear to get around, that same inviting space can be a whole different place. If you've been hesitant to get off the sidewalk for fear of being stuck, then your time has come.

With the use of larger, all-terrain wheels to the extreme off road wheelchairs and now even new models of power chairs getting into the mix, there is no reason why anyone cannot break the barrier and go where ever they want.

From my own experience, when I first was injured 12 years ago, I had to try and talk the wheelchair sales company into the fact that I needed something more than just the grey primo tires to get me around at the camp grounds and off-roading spots I often frequented. The tires that they had given me were not exactly what I was looking for. Asking them for a “treaded tire” wasn’t enough I guess. There was no way I was going to be able to even get around in soft sand let alone the beaches and trails I really wanted to. That was when I had to go down to the local bike shop and talk to someone without the handicapped mentality. I had to find someone that didn’t look at me as disabled or already had the stereotype in their subconscious… So I talked to the owner of a bike shop who was an avid downhill mountain biker himself and he pointed me in the direction of a set of wild green Michelins that were hanging on the wall. He explained that the tread was going to be really good for me on all types of terrain. In fact, he had used them on his own personal bike for quite some time, so, of course I had to buy them right away.

You see, now we can find equipment all over the internet and at numerous Durable Medical Equipment (DME) stores like SportAid and MedEquip. These companies are stocked with tires, rims and casters to get you off the porch. Kenda Tires are one of the companies putting out a high quality wheelchair tire with some meat to it. They have many different styles and colors to choose from-- not just the black and grey ones everyone is used to. Schwalbe Tires is another company making great tires with awesome tread designs.

Beyond just fitting your chair with monster meats with crazy tread, you can get a full-on radical chair just for the purpose of tearing it up down a mountain or that dirt road near your house. There are fully customized complete chairs just for the chore of getting you where ever you could imagine going. There is something for everyone-- you can take a nice leisurely wheel down the path or in the yard just for something to do or you can scream down the mountainside at full speed for money or glory.