Tell us about your disablity & rig

[1leglance]

This thread is meant to be an location for folks who have any kind of mobility issue to post up a bit more detail. It will help to have 1 place we can find each other even while we play in the larger "expo" world :)

Please tell us only what you are comfortable with discussing.

Your first name:

Your location:

Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors:

Types of modifications you have done to adapt:

Your vehicle (locker, sliders, cb, ham radio, navigation setup, fridge, anything you can think of)

Tell us about some of your adventures:

And lastly please let us know if you would be open to helping others in your area. Either as a driver for Ride-Alongs (so other disabled folks can see they do it too), allowing others to look over your rig, joining in on our Guided Trips.

Thanks eveyone for your help and I know we have a number of folks here who will chime in but I will get the thread started.

[1leglance]

Your first name:
Lance

Your location:
Phoenix, AZ but I travel all over

Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors:
Lower left leg amputee for 20yrs, honestly barely effects me but that is more my bad ego than anything else, I don't like sand or fist size rocks as I will have balance issues. Mud is a nightmare since it tries to pull my leg off and gets into the joint.


Types of modifications you have done to adapt:
Exhaust jack since the a Hi-lift is tough to handle for me, SPOT global messenger so I don't have to hike out due to breakdown, emergency gear to bunker down waiting for help, Ham radio to reach out for help if SPOT breaks, Laptop GPS navigation to try and not get lost, dual batteries so I always start


Your vehicle (locker, sliders, cb, ham radio, navigation setup, fridge, anything you can think of)
2007 FJ Cruiser, rear locker, front ATRAC, 3" lift, sliders, skid plates, ARB front bumper w/ Warn winch, Gobi roof rack with sunroof cutout, Hannibal Roof Top Tent & Awning (thanks Andrew-Hltopper), CB, HAM, dual battery, Engel fridge, Warn rear bumper, and a bunch more..

Tell us about some of your adventures:
Ghost town exploring in the Southwest, Climbed the Andes in Peru (hey I rode in a 4wd to get there), hiked jungles of Costa Rica, backpacked the Yucatan, won the 2007 Expo Trophy w/ JP Lederman, and more than I can remember

And lastly please let us know if you would be open to helping others in your area. Either as a driver for Ride-Alongs (so other disabled folks can see they do it too), allowing others to look over your rig, joining in on our Guided Trips.
I will help anyone, anytime, anywhere I can.

[Rubicon Rich]

It's called a Rubicon Jeep!! My name is Rich and have been disabled since I was a kid. When you lose the normal use of your legs, you have to get creative. Finally, I rebeled and took a gamble by buying my jeep. It moved slow enough to resemble "walking". I modified it to accomadate me. I have difficulty seeing, so I installed six Light Force offroad light that permit me to see better. I have memory problems and suffer from anxiety. To relieve that, I installed two in dash GPS systems. I wanted a back up! One is sold by Jeep and is a Garmin that doubles as a handheld. The other is a Pioneer AVIC N-1. The Pioneer also has a monitor that has a camera bus port for the infra red vision I installed. I use that to see the animals and it enhances night driving.
I gave myself a/c electricity thro a 3,000 watt inverter. That powers my laptop and coffee pot, I like fresh coffee. I have a Cobra 280 coupled to a Wilson antenna. I have a dual Optima battery system, one in the engine compartment and one in the add-a-trunk in the back. I have two Warn winches for the front and back with a remote for safety reasons. All kinds of recovery straps and blocks. High-lift jack and a wheel chock. An Army shovel, a tree saw, a d.c. powered fridge, two air compressors, Warn jumper cables, 165 amp alternator, aux fuse boxes, chain saw, tools and spare parts, Wrangler 35's with Staun inner beadlocks, regeared to 4:88's with 30 spline axles. Curry steering, Rubicon Express 4.5 with a R.E. 1 inch body lift.
Warn steering box skid plate, Temco gas tank skid plate. A 1943 Bantam Army trailer to carry the stuff in. Lockers in all gear ranges.
Still need a few things like my trailer modified with a roof top tent for me and my dogs. Love to find a disabled guy to fill the shotgun seat. Camping equipment I put last on the list, so I am saving for that. In a year or so, I'll be able to get out. My dream trip is the Southwest during warm weather. Of course I'd be willing to help anyone that is disabled to see where I go. So far, I've roamed the mountains in Washington and some in Oregon.

[The Adam Blaster]

Your first name:
Adam, that part might be given away by my screen name. :D
Your location:
Sherwood Park, AB - Basically the east wing of Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors:
Not so much of a mobility issue per se...
From a motorcycle accident in '97, paralysed right arm from the shoulder, and 2 blown out knees. Maybe it is a bit of a mobility issue? lol
Types of modifications you have done to adapt:
With my Cherokee, nothing. Looking into the exhaust jack though. ;)
I have a custom-rock crawler buggy as well, and I had it built with the steering wheel on the right side so it's easier for me to move all the levers in the center console area.
Your vehicle (locker, sliders, cb, ham radio, navigation setup, fridge, anything you can think of)
Cherokee:
Over a year-long process of lifting from 3 - 4.5 inches being lazy and having too much pride to ask friends for help with it. lol
I've got the 33's sitting mounted on rims and it already has a Detroit in the rear.
Buggy:
Custom-built with 'mog axles that have been narrowed 7", disc brake conversion, front and rear mechanical lockers, full drivetrain from a 1990 Chevy Blazer with 4.3 engine etc. Axles have somewhere in the neighbourhood of 7.56:1 gearing. 42" Super Swamper TSL's mounted on Hummer beadlock, full hydro-steering and some other crap. :)
Tell us about some of your adventures:
Most of my driving trips could be described as little more than straight-up road trips. I've driven between Alberta and Windsor, Ontario (my former home) about 6 times, make it a 7th next summer, but have stuck to staying in motels because they have been just a means to get between points A and B as fast as possible, and I wasn't able to enjoy everything in between. My wife and I drove down to Denver area in 2006, rented a Jeep for a week and drove around with other friends, did Pike's peak, and some other crazy-high altitude trail across some mountain peaks. :)
Been to the Amazon in Brazil with a small tour group, want o go back on my own schedule.
Spent a couple of weeks in a rental camper-van seeing New Zealand. Never actually slept in the van though because it was their winter and was a bit chilly on that south island. The wife doesn't like the cold!! lol

Future plans include driving to northern Alaska, or farther north in Canada, and all the way south to Tierra Del Fuego. Probably not all at once though.

[Rupe]

My name is Rupe (David) I live in Springfield, Oregon and became disabled 2 years ago, do to back injury and having rods and screws put in to keep me moving some. I'm 54 today and so being disabled late in life sort of has me down some, but I'm coming to grips with it. . I have to use a cane and may have to the rest of my life. I'm unsure yet. I drive a 07 Jeep JK 2 dr. I don't have to have any mods. done to drive it. Being disabled has been a real eye openner and finding different ways of doing something has been a challenge at times but it also is pretty cool when you figure out how to do it after trying it so many different ways. The little steps like figuring out how to tie your own shoes is a great triumph or some of the other little things in life that I took for granted. I'm now getting involved some in trying to keep roads and trails open so that the disabled can enjoy the same quality of life that hikers can. My pet peeve is having the hikers take away our right to see our country the only way we can, by 4 wheeling into it! If it wasn't for being able to drive a motorized vehicle into these areas, we would never get to see some of the sights we have in this country. Oops didn't mean to get off topic. See what I mean Pet Peeve! LOL later Rupe

[weezerbot]

My pet peeve is having the hikers take away our right to see our country the only way we can, by 4 wheeling into it! If it wasn't for being able to drive a motorized vehicle into these areas, we would never get to see some of the sights we have in this country.

Welcome Rupe! I have to say your comment there is a huge part of Disabled Explorers for me. I'm an avid hiker, and don't get me wrong I like peace and quiet as well....but I think the biggest thing that some of these groups forget is the access for the handicapped. It just doesn't even dawn on them that 4wd is the only way for a lot of people to get out and enjoy nature. I think when they picture 4wd all they see is some drunk redneck in a Chevy mod bogging or something. Hopefully soon we can change their minds!

[1leglance]

There are some cool folks with cool rides...
We are finally getting to the point of featuring all of you on the Overcome sections of the DE site so that the newly disabled can see someone like them who is out there enjoying the backcountry.

[Fulltimer]

Welcome Rupe! I have to say your comment there is a huge part of Disabled Explorers for me. I'm an avid hiker, and don't get me wrong I like peace and quiet as well....but I think the biggest thing that some of these groups forget is the access for the handicapped. It just doesn't even dawn on them that 4wd is the only way for a lot of people to get out and enjoy nature. I think when they picture 4wd all they see is some drunk redneck in a Chevy mod bogging or something. Hopefully soon we can change their minds!

I wasn't going to respond to this thread. But, changed my mind because of what was said above. I'm 61 years old and the years haven't been that great in some ways. I was in the Army, in Vietnam in 1967. I was hit in both upper legs by a machine gun. I spent the next 23 months in the hospital. Many operations later now. My knees don't bend very much, I have had the left one replaced (total), the right replaced twice (total). From 1967 to 1995 I walked around with a badly bowed right leg. It was finally fixed, but other damage resulted from the bow. I now have a bad back and neck. I can't get out of chairs without using my arms and as a result of that I have bad shoulders. Now I have osteoporosis!

I can't walk very far and if I fall chances are I'm going to the hospital. So, I can't visit all these neat places our country has to offer IF I have to hike in. My Jeep isn't set up in any special way for me but it does allow me to see a lot of the country! Gotta love 4X4!!!

Terry

[weezerbot]

I wasn't going to respond to this thread. But, changed my mind because of what was said above. I'm 61 years old and the years haven't been that great in some ways. I was in the Army, in Vietnam in 1967. I was hit in both upper legs by a machine gun. I spent the next 23 months in the hospital. Many operations later now. My knees don't bend very much, I have had the left one replaced (total), the right replaced twice (total). From 1967 to 1995 I walked around with a badly bowed right leg. It was finally fixed, but other damage resulted from the bow. I now have a bad back and neck. I can't get out of chairs without using my arms and as a result of that I have bad shoulders. Now I have osteoporosis!

I can't walk very far and if I fall chances are I'm going to the hospital. So, I can't visit all these neat places our country has to offer IF I have to hike in. My Jeep isn't set up in any special way for me but it does allow me to see a lot of the country! Gotta love 4X4!!!

Terry

Welcome Terry! You certainly don't need to have anything fancy on your rig in order to get to a fun outdoor experience! I hope we can wheel together soon!

[1leglance]

You know Terry you bring up something that is going to become much more common as our population ages.
Often folks don't look "disabled" but still have mobility issues. You don't have any fake legs/arms you aren't in a wheelchair but in the end you need motorized access to enjoy the backcountry.

I think there will be a huge wake up call down the road as folks who fought against motorized access get older, have accidents or illness and suddenly can't go where they want to go.

As always Disabled Explorers never ask for NEW roads or trails, just please keep the access we currently have open. Stop closing trails.

Glad to have you on board Terry and nice to know we will have another person to wheel with in Florida if we get down your way.

[Fulltimer]

There is nothing (well ALMOST nothing:wings:) I like better than getting out in my Jeep. Remember we don't get snow here!!

Terry

[corbin8or]

Well I seem to be late to this party... I'm not sure why I didn't see this before... scroll...

[FlexdXJ]

Oh wow i have not seen a thread like this before here goes

Name: Aaron

Location: Columbus, IN

Disability: Muscular Dystrophy. I have a hard time walking up hills, climbing stairs that sort of thing. I also cannot lift anything from below my waist.

Adaptation: I try to stick to the easy trails and always like any smart wheeler, I always wheel with another person!

My Rig: 97 XJ, 235's, JCR sliders, Hella 500's, Surco Rack, Cobra CB and Wilson Antenna, Hitch, THB's, and I'm sure i am forgetting something.

Adventures:Well I am a member of NAXJA. I have wheeled with them at a couple places here in Indiana. I plan to spend some time camping in the National forests around my Area. I haven't done anything too exciting but my ultimate goal is to run some trails at moab.


I would be glad to help any disabled people in my area and take them wheeling for sure!

[1leglance]

Hey Aaron, welcome to the fold...
This is the place for you.
you can also check out www.disabledexplorers.com and watch for a pm from us.
We are rebuiding the website and want to add to the section that features folks already out there enjoying the backcountry.

Keep us posted on your rig, adaptations and adventures, and if you get out west or I get more east then we will run some trails together.

[FlexdXJ]

Hey Aaron, welcome to the fold...
This is the place for you.
you can also check out www.disabledexplorers.com and watch for a pm from us.
We are rebuiding the website and want to add to the section that features folks already out there enjoying the backcountry.

Keep us posted on your rig, adaptations and adventures, and if you get out west or I get more east then we will run some trails together.

Here is a pic of my rig as it sits now. I have 3 inch OME coils sitting in my room i just need to order BPE's, Shackles and control arms and it will be sitting around 3 inches. After that my dad and I are building a winch bumper for the front and one for the rear too. Then i will be getting either Bighorns or KM2's

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=363680&posted=1#post363680

[smkymntn]

First name:Adam

Location: Western North Carolina

Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors: I have been a below knee amputee for 21 years. I am a very short below the knee so keeping my balance is always an issue on uneven terrain. I also have Crohns and an irregular heart beat that is medicinally managed, but when I am in rythym I feel whole again and walk without feeling extremely tired

I have always just pushed myself and never thought about stopping. I like it when people dont notice I am amputee until I tell them.

Vehicle :1986 Toyota Landcruiser, sliders, front ARB, rear with spare and ladder, Dual optima's, IPF headlights, hella offroad lights, and so much more. It is always a work in progress.

Tell us about some of your adventures: Mostly camping and some light hiking with my wife and 2 daughters. We moved into the area about 2 years ago and have just recently started doing some small hikes into the national forest. I am within 30 minutes of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Nantahala National Forest, and Pisgah National Forest.

Mine is the blue fj60
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x115/smkymntn/WNC%20Mountain%20Trail/HPIM0063.jpg
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x115/smkymntn/ROTM/RearBumperFJ60002.jpg

[weezerbot]

Welcome Adam! I have been drooling over your 60!! :drool:

[1leglance]

Welcome Adam,
Great looking rig and howdy from another BKA.

[smkymntn]

Thanks for the welcome guys. If anyone is in the area feel free to contact me as there are some really cool places to see around here.

[Rupe]

Welcome to the forum!


rupe

[FlexdXJ]

Welcome to the Forum Bro!

[1leg]

I don’t know why I haven’t contributed to this tread yet. I saw it a while back and planned to do a write up. I guess my excuse is I did get around to it (lame).

First off my name is Jerry (aka 1Leg)

I lost my Left leg above the knee due to cancer about 20 years ago, wow has it really been that long, Half my life. Ouch that hurt. I’m getting OLD!
It’s funny. When I was younger losing my leg never bothered me. I did whatever I wanted nothing could stop me, not even my Mom when I brought home a Quad. That was a bad idea. As I get old it’s getting more difficult. Not only getting around, but dealing with all the day to day stuff. Enough of the sad boring stuff.

I bought my second jeep in 2007, I bought one 10 years ago to replace the quad I crashed, but had to sell it a year later to buy my first house.

So I have a 2007 2door Jeep wrangler. So far it has worked great off-road, On road performance is the trade off. No mods other then bigger tires and a small lift I installed myself. I sleep in a tent –cot when camping. I love my tent –cot….

I’m a HAM (licensed technician amateur radio operator W6GWC) and have several radios in my mobile ham shack. I also have a 20ft antenna that is deployed at my remote radio stations.

I spend about 90% of my time exploring at Anza Borrego State Park in southern California. And if the economy doesn’t turn around soon it might be full time. Hmmm!, stop thinking about it!. ABSP offers everything a desert explorer needs. However I dream of moving to Arizona and building a summer trailer pad in central Nevada. Dirt roads are my favorite. I love to look out my windshield too see a lone dirt road wind through a long deep valley into to a distant snow capped mount range. I’ll leave the crazy rock crawling to weezerbot.
My future plan is to build a off-road teardrop trailer.
I will try and add some links to the post soon. My expo build tread.
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9005
If anyone need a friend in socal to go exploring with. Just PM me. I need a least a weeks’ notice. I'm married with children. :victory::victory::victory:

[1leglance]

Jerry...glad to see you in this thread! As a below the knee amputee I have a ton of respect for you above the knee dudes, that is way more work!

I dig your sleep in jeep setup and the tent cot...I am looking foward to running some trails together very soon my friend!

[Rupe]

Welcome Jerry! There is nothing like a lone road out in the desert for Mrs. Rupe and I. Where you can see for miles all around you and not see a man made object except the lone road. That is what life is all about for us!

rupe:smiley_drive:

[dfraser]

Your first name:
David

Your location:
Southern SPAIN

Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors:
Paraplegic, broke my C7 and T2 vertebrae, in car accident –yes, I was driving, but not my fault – 23 years ago. I use a wheelchair full time

Types of modifications you have done to adapt:
Hand controls (obviously!)

Your vehicle (locker, sliders, cb, ham radio, navigation setup, fridge, anything you can think of)

Jeep WJ 4.7L with OME suspension, dual tanks, sliders, Light Forces, sand ladders, exhaust jack, 2m fm radio, Navigation PC with GPS

Tell us about some of your adventures:
Messing around off road whenever possible and a couple of yearly trips to the Sahara Desert in Morocco (Africa is a 2 hour drive/ferry trip from where I live!)

And lastly please let us know if you would be open to helping others in your area. Either as a driver for Ride-Alongs (so other disabled folks can see they do it too), allowing others to look over your rig, joining in on our Guided Trips.
I will help anyone, anytime, anywhere I can. I know most of the wheelchair friendly “hotels” in northern Morocco including some in the deepest desert where a wheelchair will be ok. (bring chubby tires!) .

[turbochabot]

Name: Mike

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Mobility Issue: Left BK amputee of nearly three years, range of motion issues with left knee, some issues with my right foot. None of the above have stopped my outdoor pursuits, I just have to do some things a little differently, the days of hiking for miles are gone.

Vehicle: 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel with manual transmission. Additions to the truck include a Buckstop Bumper, receiver mounted 12000 lb winch, aftermarket lighting, levelling kit, air bags and exhaust brake. I have a locally built pop-up camper, wife likes the furnace and sink, but I usually just tent it when going solo.

I am an avid hunter and fly fisher and enjoy the outdoors. Like to go to places that are hard to get into so I can get away from the crowds.

I am a registered peer visitor with the Amputee Coalition of Canada and am more than willing to help out where and when I can.

[1leglance]

Your first name:
David

Your location:
Southern SPAIN

Type of mobility issue & how it effects you in the outdoors:
Paraplegic, broke my C7 and T2 vertebrae, in car accident –yes, I was driving, but not my fault – 23 years ago. I use a wheelchair full time

Types of modifications you have done to adapt:
Hand controls (obviously!)

Your vehicle (locker, sliders, cb, ham radio, navigation setup, fridge, anything you can think of)

Jeep WJ 4.7L with OME suspension, dual tanks, sliders, Light Forces, sand ladders, exhaust jack, 2m fm radio, Navigation PC with GPS

Tell us about some of your adventures:
Messing around off road whenever possible and a couple of yearly trips to the Sahara Desert in Morocco (Africa is a 2 hour drive/ferry trip from where I live!)

And lastly please let us know if you would be open to helping others in your area. Either as a driver for Ride-Alongs (so other disabled folks can see they do it too), allowing others to look over your rig, joining in on our Guided Trips.
I will help anyone, anytime, anywhere I can. I know most of the wheelchair friendly “hotels” in northern Morocco including some in the deepest desert where a wheelchair will be ok. (bring chubby tires!) .

Hola David!
Crazy cool to hear from Iberia :) Sorry I missed seeing your post for so long but is sounds like you are well setup.

I think there seriously needs to be a Disabled Explorers gathering in North Africa, especially since you have the inside track.

I hope to get back to the big offroad show in Germany next summer and if so it would be great to meet up there or somewhere.

Post up your trips and some pics.

[1leglance]

Name: Mike

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Mobility Issue: Left BK amputee of nearly three years, range of motion issues with left knee, some issues with my right foot. None of the above have stopped my outdoor pursuits, I just have to do some things a little differently, the days of hiking for miles are gone.

Vehicle: 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel with manual transmission. Additions to the truck include a Buckstop Bumper, receiver mounted 12000 lb winch, aftermarket lighting, levelling kit, air bags and exhaust brake. I have a locally built pop-up camper, wife likes the furnace and sink, but I usually just tent it when going solo.

I am an avid hunter and fly fisher and enjoy the outdoors. Like to go to places that are hard to get into so I can get away from the crowds.

I am a registered peer visitor with the Amputee Coalition of Canada and am more than willing to help out where and when I can.

Left BK who drives a stick shift, very cool.
I used to drive a little MGB with a man trans as a left below knee amputee and that was work, I can't imagine what it's like offroad.

Post up some pics of your rig & trips so we can express our envey :)

Good to hear you are with the Amp Coal of Can, good people.