AdvenChair teams up with Wanderlust Tours for AdvenTours. And sharing a healthy grant.
Bald Eagle nest watching at Smith Rock State Park in the AdvenChair.
What do you get when you combine AdvenChair, the leader in all-terrain wheelchairs, with Wanderlust Tours, Central Oregon’s leader in guided all-terrain adventures? You get AdvenTours, outings that allow people with disabilities to explore Central Oregon’s most iconic places with expert guidance.
You also get a team that worked together to secure a $45,000 grant from Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund, a program that supports local tourism projects benefiting both visitors and residents. The team was one of 15 recipients who shared a portion of $450,000 in grant money. The funds will allow AdvenChair to order two more brand new chairs and make them available for Wanderlust clients, many of whom have been asking for an all-terrain chair so that a disabled family member or even a wobbly grandparent could come along for the outing.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Geoff and the AdvenChair team to facilitate accessible tours in the Bend area.”
“For more than 30 years, it’s been our goal to get folks into the great outdoors and let Mother Nature do her work, inspiring and invigorating everyone who visits her trails. And now, those with mobility challenges can join us for adventures in these beautiful areas, and come away with great stories to tell, continued Courtney.”
Wanderlust will offer its first AdvenTour on the morning of Saturday, July 13 at Smith Rock State Park. Adventurers will have plenty of time to take in views from the rim of the canyon, as well as explore trails along the Crooked River, where you can get close-up glimpses at climbers challenging the limestone walls.
On Saturday, August 3, the AdvenTour will combine a dive into Central Oregon’s unique volcanic geology with a healthy dose of astronomy. Lava Lands Visitor Center offers the perfect venue for both with a twilight trek among a 10-square mile lava field, followed by a summer evening of stargazing far away from city lights.
On the morning of Sunday, September 8, it’s time to take in the breathtaking spectacle of Benham Falls. The AdvenChair makes several dramatic viewpoints of this powerful cataract easily accessible, as well as some of the Upper Deschutes’ most serene settings.
Finally, on Sunday, October 20, the AdvenTour will venture to Shevlin Park for a morning jaunt along Tumalo Creek. We will take a close look at this ecosystem filled with spectacular flora and fauna and revel in some of Central Oregon’s most dramatic fall colors.
AdvenChair and Wanderlust Tours also welcome you to customize your own accessible tour as weather and schedules allow. How about climbing to take in the stunning panoramic views from the top of Tumalo Mountain? Maybe you’ve never been to the Badlands Wilderness, one of the area’s newer trail systems that is rife with aged, stoic juniper trees, colorful rock outcrops and plenty of solitude. Or perhaps you’d like a taste of the incredible Newberry Caldera where Paulina Creek meanders through stunningly pristine scenery. If the mobility challenges don’t impact the ability to paddle, Wanderlust can even set you up with a guided canoe or kayak tour that may or may not involve an AdvenChair. In short, whatever tour you can dream up, we can probably make it work for you.