June 2024

Ian Mackay suffered a spinal cord injury 16 years ago and is a quadriplegic. Since then he has worked to promote accessibility to the outdoors for people with mobility issues:  

Four years or so after the injury, I rekindled my passion for being outdoors. . . .

We live blocks away from a wonderful bike path called the Olympic Discovery Trail. I soon found I could go further and further on this trail where I would see wildflowers blooming, birds migrating, and see stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. I loved it out there and soon found myself putting 10, 15, 20 miles a day on my chair. I downloaded an app called Strava which tracks your distance, route, and speed using GPS so that I can keep track of my rides. I’ve put nearly 10,000 miles on my chair since then and am a well-known feature on the trails near my home.”

All of this lead to a desire to take a lengthy wheelchair ride and perhaps benefit a good cause at the same time....