Field Notes
See the pictures, read on for the stories.
The latest Instagram pictures rotate through, along with links to their quick stories. But there’s so much more to tell. Some from our own experiences, others that are shared. From young to old, from local to international, the AdvenChair is making the rounds!
“The wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges, and tell a good story when we get home.”
—Gary Snyder
And the stories we can tell!
We love to share our news and yours. Have an AdvenChair story to tell?
ROLL BOLDLY Spring/Summer 2024
It’s been almost a year since our last newsletter and not surprisingly, a lot has happened in AdvenChair’s world. Here is a brief rundown to get you up to date.
Robert Kapen (seated in his AdvenChair), his wife Nelly (hugging Robert, center) and other members of Team Kapen, recently enjoyed an active vacation in Yosemite National Park. Much like their trip to Machu Picchu in 2021, AdvenChair allowed them to explore the incredible scenery beyond where the pavement ends.
From World Youth Day to International Film Festivals, AdvenChair keeps the good times rolling.
BY GEOFF BABB
Christina Nguyen was born with Cerebral Palsy. Last summer, she was able to take part in a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal in the AdvenChair.
It’s been almost a year since our last newsletter and not surprisingly, a lot has happened in AdvenChair’s world. Here is a brief rundown to get you up to date.
Last summer, we helped a young woman from Renton, Washington fulfill a dream of attending World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal with a group of friends. Her story of exploring the Camino de Fatima and witnessing the Pope address a crowd of 1.5 million in 100-degree heat is nothing short of miraculous.
The Grand AdvenChair journey to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 2022 inspired a Central Oregon woman to produce her first documentary film, DREAM BOLDLY The Grand AdvenChair. Marcia Volk, our web designer, spent more than a year working on the project and completed it in November 2023. Since then, she has been busy entering film festivals throughout the country and has already picked up an award for it, and is officially selected for another. Read all about Marcia’s labor of love and where you can see the film later this month here.
Also, during the last 10 months, we have completed two more production runs and now have 20 AdvenChairs out on the trail, serving veterans in Pennsylvania; students in Indiana, California and Oregon; families in Idaho and Tennessee; and a half dozen in use at Outdoor Schools in Oregon.
AdvenTours guided accessibility hikes in the AdvenChair are now available at Smith Rock State Park and other locations in Central Oregon
We are extremely excited to announce that those numbers will be increasing soon thanks to a new partnership with Wanderlust Tours that enabled us to attain a $45,000 grant from Visit Central Oregon. The grant will allow us to introduce AdvenTours, group outings for people with disabilities and their families/friends, led by Wanderlust Tour guides. Read more about this unique collaboration here.
In addition to AdvenTours, we have several other events planned close to home and in the Pacific Northwest. Go directly to our Events Calendar to view the entire summer and beyond. The weather is warming up and the trails are starting to get nice and firm. We’d like to thank all of the volunteers who have helped assemble new AdvenChairs and assisted in so many other ways. We can’t wait to see all of you out in the wild again.
My thanks and gratitude to Cam Davis for writing, Chris Michaelis for the layout and Marcia Volk for making sure the moving parts of this exciting newsletter are all in order.
Onward!
Geoff Babb
AdvenChair goes to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal.
Christina and the AdvenChair were engulfed by the hoards at first to the Pope in Lisbon, Portugal
In its relatively brief period of existence, AdvenChair has made some seemingly impossible physical endeavors quite doable for people with disabilities – reaching Machu Picchu and venturing to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to name a couple. But now, thanks to an intrepid youth group from St. Stephens Catholic Church in Renton, Washington, it can add a life-changing spiritual sojourn to its list of accomplishments as well.
Christina Nguyen, a 23-year-old member of the diocese, was born with Cerebral Palsy. Last summer, she wanted to take part in a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal with 29 other young adults from her diocese. Centered around an inspiring address by the pope, World Youth Day would draw about 1.5 million young adults from all over the world, an international gathering larger than the Summer Olympics and the World Cup combined.
Read more here.
Looking ahead, in late July/early August, Christine Nguyen will join 30 other young adults from the Seattle area on a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Portugal, featuring an extensive trek in an AdvenChair along the Camino de Fatima. Read her story below.
And that’s not all of the exciting things that are happening this summer:
Crusaders for America, a veterans group in Pennsylvania, has also joined the AdvenChair family and will be hitting the trail soon.
The AdvenChair team will be participating in Destination Rehab’s SOAR 2023 at the Bend Pavilion on Saturday, July 8.
On August 25-27, an AdvenChair will be rolling on a part of the Olympic Discovery Trail in Port Angeles, Washington in support of Ian’s Ride, an event to help raise awareness for accessible trails.
Young or old, anyone can now roll boldly to places once thought inaccessible knowing they are riding on the most advanced, most versatile and most durable all-terrain chair on the market.
Onward!
Geoff Babb
“DREAM BOLDLY The Grand AdvenChair”
Coming soon to a theater or film festival near you.
They say no person is an island. That’s especially true when that person needs something that doesn’t exist yet to make his or her life better, and then invents something that not only fulfills the need, but benefits those immediately around him, and countless other people in similar circumstances in different parts of the planet.
Clearly that’s the case with Geoff Babb and his AdvenChair invention that had a ripple effect on dozens of people who journeyed with him to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back two years ago. And recently, the story of that journey inspired another woman so much, it moved her to create a 48-minute documentary film called DREAM BOLDLY The Grand AdvenChair.
Marcia Volk and her husband Mike live across the street from Smith Rock State Park, and run SmithRock.com, the primary website for users of the park. Marcia became intimately familiar with Geoff and the AdvenChair team while developing the AdvenChair website. Marcia has held many jobs throughout her long career, but it took a story like the Grand AdvenChair to finally get her to fulfill her first love, which was film-making.
"Geoff’s incredible and infectious will to dream boldly made me want to do the same," said Marcia. "It was always my dream to create a documentary, and now we’ve both realized huge dreams.”
Marcia wrote and directed the documentary, and shared editing duties with Mike, who also assisted with motion graphics and audio engineering. The couple also shared Executive Producer credits with Geoff and Yvonne Babb. The project took approximately a year to finish, but the work of having it seen by the public at various film festivals and streaming online is just beginning.
The film was a Winner of Merit at The Impact Docs Awards this year, got officially selected for the LA Inderpendent Women in Film Awards, and is currently being considered for awards in eight other film competitions, including Cannes, France. Residents of Central Oregon have two opportunities to see this inspiring film in the near future. It will show Thursday, May 23 at the Belfry in Sisters and on Tuesday, May 28 at the Open Space Studios in Bend.
Both events will start at 5:30 pm, with doors open at 5:00 pm, and feature a panel discussion and Q&A with Marcia, Geoff and other members of the Grand AdvenChair team until 7:30 pm. Tickets are free with a $10 suggested donation and reservations are highly recommended.
AdvenChair teams up with Wanderlust Tours for AdvenTours. And sharing a healthy grant.
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,” said Courtney Braun, Owner of Wanderlust Tours. “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.”
Read more here.
Wheel the World / Visit Central Oregon highlights
photos Cody Roux and Amy Kazmier
Thank you for supporting our adventure!
ROLL BOLDLY Summer 2023
We are still glowing a year after the epic Grand AdvenChair 2 on the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park (20 miles down and up). And our roll on Cannon Beach on a bluebird day in February (above) during a break in Snowmagedon '23 was nothing short of phenomenal. But what’s driving us the most since our last newsletter is the many other lives that AdvenChair has touched in various parts of the world.
AdvenChair is Rolling Boldly,
to the Benefit of Young, Old, and Veterans, too.
BY GEOFF BABB
We are still glowing a year after the epic Grand AdvenChair 2 on the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park (20 miles down and up). And our roll on Cannon Beach on a bluebird day in February (above) during a break in Snowmagedon '23 was nothing short of phenomenal. But what’s driving us the most since our last newsletter is the many other lives that AdvenChair has touched in various parts of the world.
Thanks to AdvenChair, 5th and 6th-grade students are enjoying the full Outdoor School experience at three large programs in Oregon. And this fall, they will be joined by kids at outdoor schools in California and Indiana. Read more in the story below.
A mobility-challenged grandmother enjoys the AdvenChair hiking wheelchair
Elsewhere, mobility-challenged grandmothers were able to enjoy multi-generational trips to wild places to celebrate important family events in AdvenChairs, while families in California, Idaho, and Tennessee can now share their love of the outdoors with their children who have disabilities long after the kids have outgrown their strollers.
Also, Team Kapen in Torrance, California once again helped the AdvenChair family grow by sharing the chair that took them to Machu Picchu in 2021. After enabling a family to celebrate a new trail honoring their patriarch last year, they recently helped brain tumor survivor Christine participate in the National Brain Tumor Society walk-a-thon in Los Angeles.
Brain tumor survivor Christine participates with an AdvenChair hiking wheelchair in the National Brain Tumor Society walk-a-thon in Los Angeles
Additionally, three students from OSU-Cascades Outdoor Products Program, Chandler Brookins, Will Lamar and Tyler Paulson, completed their Capstone Project by designing and testing a significant improvement to a critical moving part on the AdvenChair.
This upgrade will reduce friction and metal fatigue and has been integrated into Version 3.2. We can’t thank them enough for their efforts!
OSU-Cascades Outdoor Products Program, Chandler Brookins, Will Lamar and Tyler Paulson, completed their Capstone Project by designing and testing a significant improvement to a critical moving part on the AdvenChair
Looking ahead, in late July/early August, Christine Nguyen will join 30 other young adults from the Seattle area on a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Portugal, featuring an extensive trek in an AdvenChair along the Camino de Fatima. Read her story below.
And that’s not all of the exciting things that are happening this summer:
Crusaders for America, a veterans group in Pennsylvania, has also joined the AdvenChair family and will be hitting the trail soon.
The AdvenChair team will be participating in Destination Rehab’s SOAR 2023 at the Bend Pavilion on Saturday, July 8.
On August 25-27, an AdvenChair will be rolling on a part of the Olympic Discovery Trail in Port Angeles, Washington in support of Ian’s Ride, an event to help raise awareness for accessible trails.
Young or old, anyone can now roll boldly to places once thought inaccessible knowing they are riding on the most advanced, most versatile and most durable all-terrain chair on the market.
Onward!
Geoff Babb
AdvenChair announces new upgrades and prices for Version 3.2
When a product is built by a team of visionaries and perfectionists, it’s likely to get tinkered with and improved upon rather frequently. Such is the case with AdvenChair as we begin taking orders for our next version.
After passing its toughest yet – the Grand AdvenChair 2 to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back – the AdvenChair team realized that some elements of the chair could be made even better and began implementing several significant upgrades. On the next version, you can expect:
A new and improved fiberglass seating system from Enabling Technologies, a well-known adaptive sports innovator and manufacturer.
A lowered center of gravity (1.25") to prevent tip-overs on the side slopes.
A new forward beam design that replaces the front suspension with a fatter tire that can use lower air pressure for better traction.
New soft-shackle, open-loop towing points from Metolius Climbing replace the heavy and expensive stainless steel eye bolts.
New plastic bearings on the footrest and caster legs to provide stronger and smoother movement.
We also eliminated two redundant seat mounting tubes that were welded to the frame and replaced them with bolted-in seat tubes. Combined with the other changes mentioned above, we have managed to reduced the overall weight by 5 lbs., while improving both safety and comfort.
With some adjustments for inflation, the new AdvenChair 3.2 is ready to roll for a lifetime of adventure for a very reasonable cost of $11,950.
AdvenChair’s Portuguese Pilgrimage – Tackling the Camino de Fatima with an entourage of young adults.
By most accounts, a stroll around the park constitutes an active summer afternoon for a wheelchair. But for AdvenChair – the only all-terrain wheelchair to travel to both Machu Picchu and the Grand Canyon – a significantly more challenging venture is on the docket next month. Christine Nguyen, a 22-year-old resident of Renton, Washington, born with Cerebral Palsy, is about to embark on a pilgrimage with 30 other young adults along the Camino de Fatima in Portugal.
The group from St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Renton will be attending World Youth Day in Lisbon along with 1.5 million other young adults from all over the world. Part of the pilgrimage will include an extensive trek of about 10 miles a day over rugged and hilly terrain, as well as ancient cobblestone streets.
Ancient cobblestone streets in Portugal will be one of the surfaces for the AdvenChair all-terrain wheelchair along the Camino de Fatima
The Camino de Fatima in Portugal is the next challenging venture for the AdvenChair all-terrain wheelchair
“We are excited to rent an AdvenChair,” said Beth Nieva, the Parish’s Young Adults Group Leader. “This pilgrimage is not a vacation, but rather an opportunity to pack light (we are backpacking) and realize what is essential. I originally thought I could 'MacGyver' an old wheelchair, but the AdvenChair will be a much safer (and cooler- looking) alternative.”
All of Christina’s fellow travelers will have a chance to push and pull the chair up and over the unpredictable terrain and overcome difficulties on the fly.
“We will be visiting the Castle at Tomar, parts of the Camino from Lisbon to Fatima, and traveling all over Lisbon,” said Nieva.
Though she is able to stand and get around through the use of arm crutches, the opportunity to ride an AdvenChair is an absolute game-changer for Christine.
“The AdvenChair will provide accessibility, opportunity and safety in particularly challenging outdoor environments,” she said. “In a city that is known to be incredibly hilly (Lisbon is known for its seven hills), the AdvenChair will help me access and safely maneuver through rough terrain with greater ease and confidence.”
Christine recognizes that the AdvenChair not only breaks down physical barriers that often limit those with physical disabilities, it enables individuals to engage in new opportunities and situations that were previously considered inaccessible.
“I am excited to use the AdvenChair to explore new places, build new relationships, and connect with friends on this fun adventure!” she said.
If you are interested in helping the church cover the rental cost of the chair, please visit their website: https://ststephenslife.com/wyd-fundraising Donations will be greatly appreciated.
AdvenChair Levels the Playing Field for Outdoor School Students.
For more than 60 years, Oregon’s outdoor schools have offered life-changing educational experiences, allowing 5th and 6th graders to immerse themselves in hands-on science projects in the wild. For children with disabilities, however, trails and rugged terrain have always made participation an uphill battle, if not utterly impossible.
But thanks to AdvenChair, the pathways to outdoor learning are now wide open for every student at the Northwest Outdoor Science School (NWOSS).
“We are so grateful for our partnership with AdvenChair,” said Akari Jensen, Principal of NWOSS. “We have been able to provide access for at least ten different students this school year for reasons spanning from a physical disability to injury-related mobility issues.
"Having the AdvenChair on hand not only allowed all of these students to participate in the hiking, games, and field-based science activities, but to build connections and camaraderie with fellow students and staff members." The AdvenChair team was instrumental in helping the school make the most of the chair.
“The AdvenChair team made our entire staff feel more prepared to meet our students’ needs, as well as to be advocates for disability justice in our own lives. They led trainings with our staff and are always available to help us when we have questions about the AdvenChair. Outdoor School would not be as accessible without them!”
Shannon Copeland, an Instructional Assistant with Camp Cedar Ridge NW Regional ESD, echoed those sentiments wholeheartedly:
"Outdoor School was such a success for Graham [one of their students], and it would not have been possible without the AdvenChair,” said Copeland. “Up and down the hills, around the grassy field, that chair was invaluable. Without it, he would not have been able to participate in everything that he wanted to do."
Graham, an Outdoor School student, participates in everything he wants to do thanks to the AdvenChair hiking chair
Principal Jensen also reports that AdvenChair is very easy for staff members to use, adjust and maneuver. And Geoff is there every step of the way when they have questions.
“Not only that,” Jensen says, “Geoff occasionally came up to the Portland area from Bend to meet directly with students who would need to be fitted for the chair in advance of their week at Outdoor School. The impact of this was palpable. I watched these students see themselves in Geoff and realize that their disability is not a barrier to doing amazing things.”
More scenes from a bluebird day at Cannon Beach
photos by Don Hogeland
Thank you for supporting our adventure!
ROLL BOLDLY Winter 2022
As we close out 2022, we have so much gratitude for all the support and encouragement we have received from our team, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and people that we have met along the way. Every year of our journey has been significant. This year in particular has been influenced by COVID-19 (again), wildfire smoke, heat domes, and the economy. Nevertheless, it has still been a very successful one for us.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
BY GEOFF BABB
As we close out 2022, we have so much gratitude for all the support and encouragement we have received from our team, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and people that we have met along the way. Every year of our journey has been significant. This year in particular has been influenced by COVID-19 (again), wildfire smoke, heat domes, and the economy. Nevertheless, it has still been a very successful one for us.
Our top accomplishments in 2022 include:
AdvenChair brought smiles to young and old as two multi-generational families were able to celebrate significant milestones; allowed students to enjoy the full outdoor school experience, including touching the Pacific Ocean; and helped a Veteran physically and emotionally on his own journey.
Several first wheelchair ascents, including Burma Road, Gray Butte, and the Green Lakes in the Three Sisters Wilderness.
Completing the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park – the four-day, 20- mile trip was the ultimate validation of the AdvenChair durability and versatility.
Registration of our "convertible wheelchair" patent.
The sale of an AdvenChair to Multnomah Education Service District for their Outdoor School programs, plus four week-long rentals for other camps throughout Oregon.
Collaboration with Oregon State University-Cascades campus including a Capstone project for students in the Outdoor Products program and presentations to Doctor of Physical Therapy and Tourism, Recreation and Adventure Leadership (TRAL) students.
AdvenChair top accomplishments in 2022
On top of all that, we recently took an AdvenChair to the Midwest to visit both of our sons – a trip that involved five airports, four plane flights, and hundreds of road miles. The AdvenChair easily handled all the bumps and ruts of Cory’s Firelight Farm in Arkansas and explored park trails in Illinois and river trails in Missouri. The chair breezed through the airports and fit into the rental minivan without needing to be disassembled.
In winter/spring of 2023, we will be building and shipping the next batch of AdvenChairs. There are still a couple left unclaimed, so now is your chance to secure yours and be ready for spring and summer hiking. Each batch is limited in number, so don’t wait!
If you are interested in purchasing an AdvenChair at this time, please complete the order form and we will contact you regarding payment and delivery options. If you need financial assistance, check out Possible Funding Opportunities on our website. Schools and outdoor school providers in Oregon are encouraged to contact the OSU Extension Outdoor School Office for support.
The Babb family
We wish you and yours the best of holidays and look forward to seeing what lies ahead on the trail in 2023. Watch for the Spring edition of Rolling Boldly! And, as always, check our website, Facebook page and Instagram for the latest news and adventures. Thanks for your continued support.
Roll boldly!
Geoff Babb
Thank you for supporting our adventure!
ROLL BOLDLY Summer/Fall 2022
It's been almost four months and I'm still basking in the glow of the Grand Advenchair 2 – our incredibly challenging, yet transformative and magical journey with an AdvenChair on the Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back. And then we received two pieces of great news.
BY GEOFF BABB
It's been almost four months and I'm still basking in the glow of the Grand Advenchair 2 – our incredibly challenging, yet transformative and magical journey with an AdvenChair on the Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back. Scroll down for Cam Davis' story about the trip.
On the two-and-a-half-day trip from Bend, OR to Grand Canyon National Park, we received two pieces of great news. First came confirmation that we had sold our last chair of Production Run #1 to Multnomah Education Service District (MESD). This is both symbolic – in that MESD hired me 40 years ago for my first job in environmental education and has been my inspiration to make Outdoor School accessible to all – and significant in that it is a model ODS program in Oregon. Read below for the story about MESD.
The second piece of good news came when we received word that our patent application for a "convertible" wheelchair had been approved by the U.S. Patent and Trade Office! Read about it below.
Once we were back home I was able to help the Jacobs family in Southern California achieve an important family celebration. Read the story below. While the trip on the Bright Angel Trail was epic, the lives brightened by AdvenChair are priceless. I hope that you will enjoy these stories and look forward to seeing you out on the trails.
With Production Run #1 completely sold out, we are now taking pre-orders for PR 2. Get yours in soon.
AdvenChair's grandest achievement yet: Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park.
AdvenChair hiking wheelchair on Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park
In 1869, when John Wesley Powell led the first crew of explorers down the Colorado River into what is now known as the Grand Canyon, he had no idea what kind of destructive forces lay ahead. In fact, shortly after beginning the journey, one of their wooden boats overturned in a rock-filled cataract and almost instantly split apart into kindling, destroying a full third of the group’s provisions. It only got worse from there.
Similarly, when Geoff Babb took a team of adventurers down the Bright Angel Trail in 2016, attempting to reach the Colorado River in a modified human-powered wheelchair, he was not prepared for the destructive forces that lay ahead either. In his case, it was the virtually endless assortment of water bars – large logs or rocks that stick up across the trail to divert rain and snow melt. After going up and over several hundred of them within the first two miles, the axle on his chair gave way and Babb’s journey was over.
However, just like Powell a century-and-a-half before, Babb and his team were not to be deterred. And, having learned from the first experience, they vowed to return with equipment much better suited for the challenge. Did they ever?
Less than six years after his breakdown, Babb went back to “the Big Ditch” in late April with a totally new chair – AdvenChair 3.0 – which he and his team helped create. And succeeded.
“Breaking down on our Grand AdvenChair in 2016 is the best thing that could’ve happened to the first chair,” said Babb, whose mobility remains severely limited following two brain stem strokes. “It made us take a step back and look at strengthening every aspect of the chair and the team.”
Babb brought in design engineer Jack Arnold, who became instrumental in developing an all-terrain wheelchair using mountain bike parts for durability, versatility and easy maintenance. He also added multiple contact points to allow the crew to steer, pull, brake and lift.
With shock-absorbing mountain bike tires, adjustable handlebars and hand brakes, an adjustable seat and harness, a team of one to six people can navigate AdvenChair 3.0 over all types of rugged terrain, mud, sand and snow, allowing people with mobility challenges to experience the serenity and grandeur of wild places with family and friends.
The prototype AdvenChair 2.0 debuted in December of 2019 with a dazzling orange powder-coat finish and went through extensive testing and a few modifications in 2020.
“What’s unique about AdvenChair is that it’s as versatile as it is durable,” said Arnold. “The seat can adjust to handle young children as well as large adults. And since it easily converts into a normal-size wheelchair, it can go indoors and be transported on planes, trains and buses, not to mention the trunk of a car.”
Despite the inevitable complications due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Babb began taking orders and received his first shipment of upgraded AdvenChair 3.0 chairs in June of 2021. Already, the chairs have found their way into some pretty incredible places, including the ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru, an outdoor school near Eugene, and the televisions of countless Oregonians on Oregon Field Guide.
In training for the Grand AdvenChair 2 over the past three months, the team made first ascents of Burma Road at Smith Rock State Park and Grey Butte, which requires a climb of more than 2,600 feet.
The Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail presented a vertical drop of more than 4,800 feet over 10 miles, complicated by more than 3,000 water bars with protruding rebar, as well as countless natural rock obstacles, plus stretches of mud and sand. The return trip brought the same challenges in reverse with temperatures hovering well over 90 degrees.
“We knew the Bright Angel Trail would be difficult,” said Babb. “There’s simply no way to prepare for the relentless water bars, some of them more than a foot tall and at awkward angles. It really gives you no break for the entire 10 miles to Phantom Ranch.”
AdvenChair hiking wheelchair guided down a rocky section of Bright Angel Trail
Human "mules" guide the offroad hiking chair AdvenChair over water bars at the Grand Canyon
A group of 10 men and women, (affectionately known as “mules”) took shifts pushing, pulling, lifting and braking Babb down and back up the 10-mile Bright Angel Trail over the course of four days. Another 14 volunteers provided support at a campground on the canyon rim.
“I just can’t say enough about this chair and my incredible team of mules,” said Babb. They all performed well beyond my expectations. We couldn’t possibly replicate the difficulty of this trail in our training ventures. But through our selfless teamwork and collective problem-solving skills, we were able to handle everything the trail could dish out. ”
Not only that, the team managed to keep Babb stretched out, well fed, relatively sunburn free and even cooled his feet in a frog-filled creek.
“I’m also extremely grateful for the additional support of local companies like Food for the Sole, Picky Bars, Laird Superfood, Smith Rock Coffee Roasters and Hydaway who helped us all stay nourished and hydrated every step of the way,” added Babb.
As an avid hiker, mountain biker and backpacker in his younger days, Babb sees AdvenChair as the conduit for a lifelong passion to be active outdoors. He also envisions the chair fulfilling his firm belief that people with limited mobility can still experience the splendor and uplifting serenity of wild places beyond where the pavement ends.
“Exploring the Grand Canyon has been a dream of mine, especially since our initial failure,” said Babb. “I got to experience the grandeur of the canyon rocks, the prickly pear cactus hanging from its walls and the princess plume flower that reaches its yellow blooms to the sky. Completing this trip validates that we have created a chair that can take dreamers like me to amazing depths – and heights – with a little help from our friends.”
Our thanks to the River and Rim teams that got Geoff down to the Colorado River, and, most importantly, back to the Rim!
River Team
Yvonne Babb, Dennis Fiore*, Dave Green, Adam Peterson, Patty Caballero, Dave Zimmerman, David Taylor, Lucas Eschelbach*, Kirk Metzger, Cam Davis, Matt Nugent, Jinny Reed, Ethan Mentzer and Geoff Babb. *Dennis and Lucas were with us in spirit as last-minute medical issues kept them at home.
Rim Team
Jack Arnold, Amy Kazmier, John Hunsaker, Mark McGraw, Sandy Gebhard, Clover Earl, Tom Zell, Tracy Ayers, Uriel Fox, Julie Hunsaker, Phil Henderson, Mike Turner, Shelly Arnold, Glen Corbett (and Paxey), Jodi Gregston, Valerie Reed and Nancy McGraw.
And for the support of our Sponsors and Donors.
AdvenChair's Grand Adventure sponsors
FOR OUTDOOR SCHOOLS
AdvenChair proves to be a game-changer for kids at Outdoor Schools.
Albert Einstein once said, “Keep sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow – perhaps it all will.”
When Geoff Babb got his first job in environmental education with the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) in 1982, he had no idea that it would bear fruit when he launched his AdvenChair hiking wheelchair business almost 40 years later. But that’s exactly what happened when MESD purchased the tenth and final chair of AdvenChair’s first-ever production run earlier this year.
MESD’s program serves all 6th-grade students throughout the Multnomah County area and has a number of wheelchairs to accommodate various student needs. Not surprisingly, most of these wheelchairs were either donated or purchased many years ago and have limited abilities for off-road use. So when Jennifer Basham, the district’s Senior Outdoor School Program Administrator, discovered AdvenChair through the Outdoor School network, seeds of change immediately took root.
Jennifer met AdvenChairman Geoff Babb at a conference where he shared the benefits of the chair for students attending Outdoor School. Through newsletters and videos on the web, she also learned that other Outdoor School programs, like CampFire Wilani in Springfield, Oregon, were using the chair with great success. As CampFire Wilani CEO, Elissa Kobrin describes it:
“When a school calls me and says, ‘We have a student with limited mobility who’s in a wheelchair,’ it’s really great to have the AdvenChair on hand and be able to say, ‘Yes, you can come!’
It was so exciting this year to bring Scarlett down our steep steps all the way down to the canoe area. And to see her laughing and smiling and being in a canoe because of the AdvenChair was so amazing. To be able to see every child have access here, it just changes your life.”
For MESD, many of their chairs had outdated functionality, as well as components that aren’t easily fixed or replaced. The deciding factor for Jennifer in purchasing the AdvenChair was that most of the components are mountain bike parts, which gives us the ability to easily service and maintain the chair.
“Knowing that we are able to keep the chair in top working condition for the number of students who will use it is invaluable!” she exclaimed.
MESD also chose AdvenChair for its versatility both as a regular wheelchair and as an easy-to-use hiking vehicle for kids of all shapes and sizes.
“The team at AdvenChair is phenomenal!” exclaimed Jennifer. “I was in awe with the tutorial on how to utilize the chair and the incredible adaptability. From the locking mechanisms to the adjustable head and foot rests that can be positioned comfortably to support any body shape, they have truly thought of everything."
“In addition to the tutorial on how to adjust the AdvenChair, we were able to take it for a trial ride to test it out. This gave us the perfect opportunity to understand and see it in action before taking it out with a student.”
Ultimately, the real value of getting an AdvenChair became apparent after the purchase, when students participated in guiding companions with disabilities over rugged terrain and up steep hills.
“One of the most amazing aspects of this chair is the ability for all of our students to participate in all aspects of the Outdoor School program and become fully immersed in nature,” said Jennifer. “Having an AdvenChair on-site provides a sense of belonging during the experience that cannot be measured.
“Not only will this chair support students who come to our program in a wheelchair, but it will also help to build a stronger connection and relationships between students who are steering or pulling the chair up or down various terrain.”
Team building and bonding is an outcome Geoff Babb has come to expect whenever friends join him for an AdvenChair outing. He is thrilled to see it take place on a daily basis with MESD.
“Since we invented AdvenChair, it has been my inspiration to make Outdoor School accessible to all,” said Geoff. “With my roots at MESD, it’s even more gratifying to see it come to fruition.”
The Oregon State University Extension Outdoor School Office also supports and guides outdoor schools in Oregon. Its staff is dedicated to supporting the needs of schools and providers to ensure that all students have access to equipment to help students fully participate in outdoor school activities. If an AdvenChair or any other piece of equipment will help do that, please reach out to the OSU Extension Outdoor School Office https://outdoorschool.oregonstate.edu/.
“Every day at Outdoor School is spectacular when you can enjoy it with your classmates,” added Jennifer. “And that experience will last long after students return home.”
Albert Einstein probably couldn’t agree more.
Demo Day
Corvallis, September 24
Want to check out AdvenChair in the Willamette Valley?
Join us for Demo Day in Corvallis, September 24
We are excited to be working with the OSU Research Forests to organize an AdvenChair Demo Day at the Peavy Arboretum at NW Peavy Arboretum Rd, Corvallis, on Saturday, September 24 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Go here for more information and/or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
If you are interested, even just partly, interested in attending, please drop us a note at info@advenchair.com so that we can plan accordingly.
AdvenChair is available for rent
By the day or week.
(Including Outdoor School)
Click here to get started.
AdvenChair hits the Patent Jackpot.
A funny thing happened on the way to the Grand Canyon. Well, maybe not ha-ha funny. But on the eve of our recent Grand AdvenChair expedition, the AdvenChair team received some news that left us positively giddy.
About 2-1/2 years ago, AdvenChair filed a claim to patent a number of significant innovations – 17 to be exact. In a nutshell, these claims included:
The system that converts from wheelchair mode to all-terrain mode.
The frame design (including the wheel cage handholds).
The forward beam (front wheel).
The tensioning line attachment points (for the straps).
The trailing link suspension on the front wheel.
The rotatable caster wheels.
The adjustable footrest.
The adjustable seating system.
The adjustable steering column.
And the entire three-wheeled all-terrain wheelchair.
Just before arriving at the Grand Canyon, we were informed that we had received a patent covering all of those specific claims.
What does that mean exactly? Quite simply, it guarantees that no other all-terrain wheelchair can copy our design without infringing on our granted patent claims. And that’s huge in terms of potential licensing agreements or the outright sale of the AdvenChair intellectual property.
Now that’s a chair that’s really going places!
AdvenChair extended family helps California clan fulfill an important dream.
Jacobs clan with the AdvenChair hiking wheelchair in Ojai, California
AdvenChair is making amazing things happen in new and unexpected places.
Allan Jacobs was a well-respected attorney in his hometown of Ojai, California, where he served his community in estate planning, trusts, wills and conservatorships. Allan’s love for the Ojai Valley and preserving open space for current and future generations led him to become an active board member of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC), a Southern California non-profit land protection organization that works to retain and restore open space, wildlife habitat, and watersheds. Through his work and dedication to land preservation in the Ojai Valley, Allan helped in the acquisition of countless acres of land, and raised significant amounts of money for the OVLC to secure and protect open land space and public access.
Until he passed away in October of 2017 at age 77, Allan could often be found hiking in the Ventura River Preserve and the nearby Los Padres National Forest. In fact, for his birthday every year, he encouraged family and friends to make the strenuous 12-mile climb with him to the top of Nordhoff Peak, an ascent of more than 3,000 feet.
To commemorate Allan’s contributions and dedication to the Ojai community, the OVLC established a 1.4-mile trail in his honor, fittingly named the Allan Jacobs Trail, or the “AJT” for short. Allan’s family, including his children and grandchildren helped build the AJT along with many volunteers and OVLC staff. At the halfway point of the trail, the OVLC put in a beautiful redwood bench where hikers can rest and enjoy spectacular views of the valley. The bench features a plaque dedicated to Allan and his surviving wife Janet.
When the trail was finished , Allan’s children, Anzac, Sarah, and Jesse set their mind to celebrate Allan’s birthday by taking a group hike on the trail with their extended families and friends. But there was one considerable problem: How to get 81-year-old Janet from the trailhead to the bench.
“The goal was for all of us to be together with Dad in spirit on the trail and at the bench,” said Anzac. “And since this year would’ve been their 50th wedding anniversary, it wouldn’t have been the same if Mom had to stay at home. She still gets around the house well, but she’s not fit for a hike on a rugged trail.”
The trail wasn’t wide enough for a quad ATV and riding a horse at Janet’s age was out of the question. So, Anzac began exploring off-road wheelchairs as a way to maneuver her along the trail and soon discovered AdvenChair on the Internet.
“AdvenChair was the first one I found made in the United States,” said Anzac. “It looked like it could do the job, so I contacted (AdvenChairman) Geoff Babb.”
Geoff responded right away and eventually connected Anzac with Robert and Nelly Kapan, the couple that took their AdvenChair to Machu Picchu last year.
“Since Anzac was only looking to do one outing, it made sense to have him borrow a chair,” said Geoff. “Luckily, Robert and Nelly live relatively close and were more than happy to offer a short-term rental of their AdvenChair and serve as ambassadors.”
Anzac received a thorough demonstration of the chair from the Kapans and after a few test runs on trails around the neighborhood, they were ready to go.
“I am not too mechanically inclined,” said Anzac. “But I had no trouble loading the AdvenChair into the car and getting the third wheel set up for the trail.
The trek was planned for Memorial Day and more than 40 family members, friends and kids of all ages met at the trailhead for the three-hour loop on a picture-perfect day.
Janet Jacob in the AdvenChair hiking wheelchair
“Mom felt very comfortable and safe in the AdvenChair and loved being the center of attention,” said Anzac. “The Land Conservancy set us up with a shortcut to my dad’s trail and there were about three or four of us pushing and pulling my mom. It was pretty intense, but the chair performed beautifully and we got her there!”
In addition to being a devoted wife and busy mom, Janet was a school teacher and potter. Hiking is not her passion, but she greatly appreciates the majestic beauty of Ojai’s open spaces, and the efforts of Allan and the OVLC to protect the land for all to enjoy.
“At Mom’s age, it’s easy to think that an outing like this would not be possible,” said Anzac. “We wouldn’t have been able to do it without Geoff’s chair. It created such a priceless memory for myself and my family. I can’t thank you guys enough.”
Geoff Babb, AdvenChairman
Thank you for supporting our adventure!
AdvenChair.com
ROLL BOLDLY Happy New Year 2022
I know that Fall Roll Boldly newsletter was just two short holiday months ago but I wanted to share a few things that have happened since then.
BY GEOFF BABB
I know that Fall Roll Boldly newsletter was just two short holiday months ago but I wanted to share a few things that have happened since then:
We had a white Christmas in Bend and a peaceful walk with friends along the Deschutes River.
Geoff and Yvonne Babb enjoy a White Christmas in the AdvenChair hiking wheelchair along the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon.
Elizabeth Ruiz of Scripps News Service produced a very nice follow-up video to one that she had done a year ago. I particularly like this one because it includes Patrik Nabulek and Anne Trehue as they share their experiences and visions with their AdvenChair. Thank you for telling our story Elizabeth!
Patrik Nabulek in the AdvenChair adventure wheelchair with his mother, Anne Trehue
Jule Gilfillen of Oregon Public Broadcasting told the story of the Advenchair on Oregon Field Guide. Marcia Volk of Smithrock.com provided the background on the filming of the Adventure Wheelchair at Smith Rock State Park.
The really neat backstory is that Jule and I discovered early on that her dad, Warren “Mr. Gil” Gilfillen, interviewed me for my first position with Multnomah County, Oregon, (Portland) Outdoor School 40 years ago. This job was not only the impetus for wanting to use the AdvenChair to give kids with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate in outdoor school, but it also allowed me to meet my wife of now 36 years!
Adventure Wheelchair filming for Oregon Field Guide for Oregon Public Broadcasting
I am grateful that we were able to help Robert and Nelly Kapen to knock Machu Picchu off their bucket list. Travel to Peru with this compilation by Cam Davis and blog and videos by “Team Kapen”.
Robert Kapen going along the treacherous steep path up Machu Picchu in the AdvenChair.
Team Kapen the AdvenChair adventure wheelchair in Machu Picchu
I am thankful for the financial support of Mark Meyers and his family toward an update to the AdvenChair brochure.
I am ever so grateful for the incredible work of the AdvenChair Leadership Team consisting of Jack Arnold, Dave Green, Brian Leininger, John Hunsaker, Amy Kazmier, and Brian Tandy, and office support of Lizzie Schneider.
And finally, many thanks to the Backcountry Information Center staff at Grand Canyon National Park for our permit to camp on the Bright Angel Trail for Grand AdvenChair 2 in April 2022.
Thanks to so many for so much!
Geoff Babb, AdvenChairman
Thank you for supporting our adventure!
AdvenChair.com
ROLL BOLDLY Fall 2021
Just when we all thought it was safe to take our masks off and venture outside again...Along came the second half of 2021, which was especially challenging for the AdvenChair team and me personally.
Oregon Field Guide films the AdvenChair at Smith Rock State Park for its “Adventure Wheelchair’ on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
BY GEOFF BABB
Just when we all thought it was safe to take our masks off and venture outside again...Along came the second half of 2021, which was especially challenging for the AdvenChair team and me personally.
Not only did the world get hit with a COVID variant that was nastier than the original:
AdvenChair’s Demo Days were all but wiped out by wildfire smoke and poor air quality.
The Portland Parkinson's Cycling Fair was canceled by heat dome (a new extreme weather event) and Destination Rehab’s SOAR Day did not go as planned.
I ended up spending two stints in the hospital to untwist my colon.
But the past six months have been far from tragedy and disappointment. We had numerous rewarding demo and orientation hikes. We delivered almost all of our first production run of 10 AdvenChairs and watched them go off to Machu Picchu in Peru (see below), an outdoor school in Oregon, and other amazing places. And we had a trifecta of videographers tell our story in three unique ways for KTVZ News, Central Oregon Daily, and OPB’s Oregon Field Guide (see our press library)
Yes, these are turbulent, yet exciting, times to be sure. But we're making steady progress and learning a ton along the way. And most importantly, we are now accepting orders for Production Run #2 in 2022. So we begin the next exciting stage of our journey.
But first, it’s the perfect time of year to say how grateful I am for all of the team and family members, doctors and nurses, firefighters and frontline COVID-fighters, and all people who love the outdoors for their dedication, perseverance and support.
Onward! (Or as our Peruvian amigos say, Adelante!)
—Geoff Babb, AdvenChairman
AdvenChair knocks Machu Picchu off the bucket list.
Team Kapen at Machu Picchu with the AdvenChair
So much for starting slowly and gradually picking up speed. Less than three months off the assembly line, one of the first ten AdvenChairs ever made has already explored one of the eight wonders of the world.
“We wanted to make an all-terrain chair that would enable people with disabilities and physical challenges to roll boldly into wild places and achieve important milestones with the help of family and friends,” said Geoff Babb, AdvenChairman and Founder of AdvenChair. “Team Kapen wasted no time in doing just that.”
“Team Kapen” is spearheaded by 33-year-old Robert Kapen, who survived a brain stem stroke at the early age of 23, and his wife Nelly, who was born and raised in Peru. Their venture to the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in August was a dream come true for both of them. Nelly finally got to see her country’s most famous landmark. And Robert finally found a vehicle that could quench his burning desire to explore off the beaten path with minimal limitations.
After struggling to engage with the wilderness in his regular wheelchair, the couple from southern California discovered AdvenChair with its durable and nimble mountain-bike inspired design. With their proposed family trip to Machu Picchu just a few weeks away, they took a side trip to Bend on a visit to the Northwest and did an extensive test drive of the AdvenChair and got well acquainted with Geoff and Yvonne Babb.
Robert Kapen going along the treacherous steep path up Machu Picchu in the AdvenChair.
As a fellow brain stem stroke survivor and outdoor lover, Robert Kapen found a kindred spirit in Geoff Babb, and was immediately drawn to AdvenChair’s mountain bike components and safety features, like brakes, wheels and tires, and handlebars.
“When my other chair needed to be lifted over obstacles, people would jump in and start accidentally ripping off parts,” said Robert. “They’d say, ‘Oops, hope you don’t need that.’ But on our first excursions with AdvenChair, if we needed help, they immediately knew where to grab. I felt much safer in this chair with all the belts, shocks and handlebars.”
With the help of Team Kapen’s fundraising efforts, purchasing an AdvenChair and taking it almost directly to Peru was a no-brainer.
“Having just this one chair was so convenient in terms of space, durability, and safety,” said Nelly. “The AdvenChair held up to everything we threw at it, from taking it apart and putting it together, transferring in and out of vehicles. But most importantly, climbing the trail at extreme altitude couldn’t have been easier. "
The ancient Incans obviously didn’t design the trails to the remote Andes city with AdvenChair in mind. Nor did the modern trains and taxis in Cuzco for that matter. But with a little ingenuity and perseverance, Nelly and her family were able to maneuver Robert through airports, on to shuttle buses and trains in its wheelchair mode. Then after making the easy switch to all-terrain mode on the big day, the team was able to use the slightly wider and safer return path to reach Machu Picchu.
“We couldn’t have done this trip without AdvenChair,” said Robert. “I feel so blessed, grateful, and loved that the people I call my community stepped up and faithfully gave money. The only way I know to truly thank them and God for the awesome providence they bestowed on me is to use the chair continually and spread God’s message of love, peace, and grace everywhere I travel.”
You can’t ask for a better testimonial than that. To see Team Kapen’s photo-packed account of their Machu Picchu expedition check out their Instagram reels below and then visit the blogpost on our website.
Lights. Camera. AdvenChair!
Geoff Babb from Central Oregon Daily News Shevlin Park video
A busy summer on the trails has thrust AdvenChair into the spotlight in the past few weeks. Not one. Not two. But three different news and lifestyle programs have done feature stories about AdvenChair recently.
In August, KTVZ’s Leslie Cano reported on how the mountain bike circuit course surrounding The Loge in Bend is the perfect place for people to check out the AdvenChair and take free demo rides into the nearby wilderness. The scheduled Demo Days got off to a bit of a rocky start with smoky skies coming earlier than usual last summer. But you can bet the AdvenChair team will be out offering more rides as soon as the trails clear next spring. Check out the video here.
On a brisk morning in September, storyteller Eric Lindstrom of Central Oregon Daily News met the AdvenChair and Oregon Adaptive Sports crews for a hike through Shevlin Park. With the enthusiastic Kim O’Kelley-Leigh along for the ride, Lindstrom shared about the healing and rejuvenating power of being outdoors, and how AdvenChair is an absolute game changer for people with mobility challenges, offering them a better quality of life. View the Central Oregon Daily News video here.
Also this summer, AdvenChair’s unique and uplifting story caught the attention of Jule Gilfillan, a producer with Oregon Public Broadcasting’s long-running Oregon Field Guide program. A crew from OPB joined Geoff and Bend college student Isaac Shannon for a spirited trek through Smith Rock State Park in August and the seven-minute video segment premiered on Thursday, November 11 at 8:30 pm. Check out the short teaser video here, then click below for the full episode.
As a side note, Geoff and Jule made an important connection right away: Jule’s dad, Warren Gilfillen (aka Mr. Gil), had interviewed Geoff for his first job with Multnomah Outdoor School in 1981. This was not only the beginning of his connection to outdoor education but was where he met his future wife Yvonne.)
“Getting featured on Oregon Field Guide, as well as locally on Central Oregon Daily and KTVZ News recently is very rewarding for us,” said Geoff. “People are starting to take notice and frequently know who we are when they see us in Central Oregon. Hopefully, it will be the same way when we venture into other parts of the Northwest next year.”
Rolling into production 2022. Order your AdvenChair now.
Like most popular hikes in the Cascades or any other mountain range, 2021 has had its share of ups and downs. But as we approach the summit, we definitely like the view from where we are and can’t wait to see what lies ahead in 2022. We already know that AdvenChairs from our first production run will be exploring trails from Canada to New Zealand; and plans are in the works to take on the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
The question is, where will you take your AdvenChair when the next fleet arrives next summer? We are now taking orders for our second production run and suggest you place your order soon. We know the holidays are approaching and budgets are tight. But this is a great time of year for fundraising. And flexible payment plans are available. To order an Advenchair for yourself, your loved one or your organization, visit advenchair.com/products. Please contact us directly if you have any questions at info@advenchair.com.
Until next time, keep on rolling boldly.
ROLL BOLDLY Summer 2021
As I watched the assembly of the first production run of AdvenChairs – about 12 months and a brutal pandemic later than initially anticipated – I am so thankful for all the incredible help and support that we have received so far to bring the project to this point. When I started this letter, we had sold five chairs, but just today a check came in for chair number six and the first installment for number seven is in the mail. Yet, for all of our accomplishments over the past tumultuous year, I think that Scarlett’s smile in the photo above shows why we’ve worked so hard to get where we are today.
AdvenChairman of The Onward Project, LLC and the visionary of the AdvenChair, Geoff Babb.
BY GEOFF BABB
As I watched the assembly of the first production run of AdvenChairs – about 12 months and a brutal pandemic later than initially anticipated – I am so thankful for all the incredible help and support that we have received so far to bring the project to this point.
We were in the HeliLadder shop, generously donated by owners Dale and Susie Neubauer. Over the course of a week, the team of 20 volunteers was led by design engineer Jack Arnold and included a highly skilled group of production and mechanical engineers, as well as bike, auto and motorcycle mechanics, and a computer programmer. In other words, people who pay attention to detail.
When I started this letter, we had sold five chairs, but just today a check came in for chair number six and the first installment for number seven is in the mail. Now the buyer of chair number eight is committed to a point where we can put a “sold” tag on it. We now have two chairs left to sell! Order yours now to buy at the original introductory price of $9,950.
We're excited that an AdvenChair was rented by an outdoor school operated by Campfire, meeting our goals of reaching the rental, environmental education, and youth camp audiences.
And we are honored to have our story told by Oregon Field Guide, during the upcoming season of this long-running program on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
We have a busy summer of events ahead, including opportunities to demo and rent AdvenChair (read on for details) and we hope to see many of you out there soon.
Yet, for all of our accomplishments over the past tumultuous year, I think that Scarlett’s smile in the photo above shows why we’ve worked so hard to get where we are today. Thank you all for your support.
Onward!
AdvenChair Makes Happier Campers
Scarlett is a happy camper in the AdvenChair all-terrain wheelchair
Songs and skits around the campfire. Laughing with friends in the cabins. Wearing wood-cookie name tags with our camp name. We all have our favorite memories from outdoor school. But for Scarlett, a 5th grader from an elementary school near Eugene, Oregon, just being able to experience outdoor school with her classmates was a special memory in and of itself. And it’s all thanks to AdvenChair.
Scarlett’s standard wheelchair would not have negotiated the trails at Camp Wilani Outdoor School near Veneta, Oregon. So her school rented an AdvenChair for the week. Executive Director, Elissa Kobrin, took advantage of Measure 99 funding through the Oregon State University Extension Service Outdoor School Program to pay for it. Measure 99 is funded by the Oregon Lottery and provides $22 million annually to support Outdoor Schools in the state.
“What an amazing opportunity AdvenChair gave this 5th grader!” said Gina Huckins, Scarlett’s teacher. “Scarlett was able to access so many new experiences and learning opportunities that wouldn't have been available to her with her regular wheelchair. Thank you, AdvenChair, for allowing her to have the experience of a lifetime!”
Campfire Wilani Council, which provides the facility and staff for the school, was so impressed with the AdvenChair that it applied for, and received, additional Measure 99 funding to purchase a chair to use in their year-round youth programs.
Said Kobrin: “We are so grateful to receive the funding from OSU Extension so that we will be able to offer an AdvenChair to those needing help for years to come.”
For more information about the OSU Extension Service Outdoor School Program, contact outdoorschool@oregonstate.edu. The AdvenChair will be available for weekly rental by outdoor schools in the fall of 2021. Contact info@advenchair.com for more information.
Wild Places Here We Come!
Have you seen the reports on social media? Hikers in the forests of Oregon have been catching fleeting glimpses of a mysterious fast-moving object. It leaves very distinct tracks on the dirt trails. But rather than being dark, lumbering and apelike, it’s bright orange, streamlined and extremely agile.
It’s called the AdvenChair, of course. It’s the missing link that allows people with mobility challenges to explore the wilderness off the beaten path. And now it can be revealed that there is not just one AdvenChair roaming the terrain, but a whole fleet of them! And soon, they will frequently be seen on trails in the Pacific Northwest and well beyond.
The first ten AdvenChairs have been meticulously assembled by our team of 20 volunteers, led by Design Engineer Jack Arnold; and eight of them are being delivered to their proud new owners.
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The privilege of purchasing the very first AdvenChair goes to Jason deVries of Portland, Oregon. You may remember, Jason originally planned to use his AdvenChair to take his dad, Vern, who has Parkinson’s Disease, on hikes into the Cascades, including his favorite outing to Marion Lakes. Unfortunately, Vern’s health took a turn for the worse over the past year and he may not be able to venture far from the Veteran’s Home in Lebanon, Oregon, where he lives. So Jason plans to offer the AdvenChair to everyone at the Veteran’s Home. He is working closely with the director of activities to make sure the staff is trained to use it, so other veterans can enjoy it as well.
Here’s what Jason had to say about purchasing the first AdvenChair:
“It’s really an honor, knowing the great person Geoff [Babb] is, his passion for adventure, and his vision to help assist people in getting outdoors. It’s even more of an honor after having had the opportunity to meet some of the team working on getting these out into the world when I picked up my dad’s AdvenChair.”
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Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida is a public garden that has 250,000 visitors annually. Their purchase of an AdvenChair comes at an important time as the garden is ramping up its mobility efforts for visitors. It will also give AdvenChair great exposure on the East Coast.
“We have just purchased more electric carts and wheelchairs, and the AdvenChair will provide great access off the pathed paths on to mulched and gravel trails,” said David Price, Executive Director of the Gardens.
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The Trehu-Nabelek family from Corvallis, Oregon was able to test drive an AdvenChair before placing their order. Patrik has muscular dystrophy and uses a power chair for his daily activities, which include teaching mathematics at Oregon State University. He has big plans for his AdvenChair – a cross-country trip to Maine and a Christmas-time visit to New Zealand. We can't wait to see pictures from those trips!
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And speaking of international travel, Floyd McGregor's pilgrimage in an AdvenChair on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, delayed by the pandemic, is now back on the calendar for June 2022. Floyd suffers from myositis and his journey is meant to raise awareness of this muscle-wasting disease. Once he completes the trip he will donate the AdvenChair to another would-be Camino pilgrim. Floyd's need to change his body position frequently when in the AdvenChair inspired the design of the upper footrest option.
"Sometimes our goals are broadsided by no fault of our own, but the goal never dies,“ said Floyd. “A pandemic may delay us, yet our determination will keep us going.“
If you would like to help Floyd reach his goal, he has started a GoFundMe campaign to fund his chair: https://gofund.me. We wish him "buen Camino!"
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April Katz, Executive Director of The AIROW Project (Accessible Inclusive Recreation of Whatcom) in Bellingham, Washington is raising money to purchase an AdvenChair for her program. If you are interested in helping this young adaptive recreation program continue to grow contact https://airowproject.com/support-us.
It’s exciting to think that the AdvenChair will be used by young and old from Bellingham to Florida, and internationally in Spain and New Zealand!
AdvenChair Takes a Hike with Oregon Field Guide
After being featured on OPB Radio and NPR, AdvenChair is in the midst of completing the trifecta – a full seven-minute segment on the upcoming season of Oregon Field Guide.
Earlier this month, OPB Executive Producer Jule Gilfillan and videographer Stephani Gordon visited the HeliLadder headquarters to film the assembly of our new fleet of AdvenChairs. They also conducted extensive interviews with Geoff and Yvonne Babb, AdvenChair user Isaac Shannon, and Design Engineer Jack Arnold. When the recent scorching temperatures drop back to normal, OFG will return to film the AdvenChair team on a hike at Smith Rock State Park.
“We couldn’t be more honored or excited to get some attention from such a wonderful Oregon institution,” said AdvenChairman Geoff Babb. “I can’t wait until October or November to see how it turns out.”
Come See How We Roll
After a long COVID winter that seemed to last a whole year, summer is finally here and the trails are calling. To get you out there, we’re offering several opportunities to check out AdvenChair in Central Oregon this summer.
In collaboration with Cog Wild and LOGE Camp Bend, we will host three Demo Days where the AdvenChair team will explain and demonstrate how to use the chair on the LOGE Camp skills course and on the adjacent Rimrock trail system.
“The skills course loops and meander around the entire LOGE Camp property,” notes David Green, a frequent AdvenChair “mule”. “The variety of rock gardens, tight turns, and ramps provide the ideal proving ground for new AdvenChair riders and family members. And a short hike on the Rimrock trail offers a satisfying real-world experience.”
Demo Days take place Saturdays, July 10, August 7, and September 11. And if that whets your appetite for a longer hike along the Rimrock and Deschutes River trails, AdvenChairs will be available for half-day (4-hour) rentals, also at Cog Wild, on each of the following Sundays – July 11, August 8, and September 12,
To reserve your place for a free Demo Day ride, register at advenchair.com/demo-days. To rent an AdvenChair for $75/four hours, register at advenchair.com/rental-days.
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Also this summer, Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) will be offering free Community Hiking Days with AdvenChairs on four different Tuesdays (July 13 & 27, and August 10 & 24). OAS staff members will lead groups along some of Central Oregon’s favorite trails, including the Deschutes River Trail and Shevlin Park, from approximately 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. For more information, visit oregonadaptivesports.org/events/.
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And last but not least, you can check out AdvenChair at SOAR 2021, Destination Rehab’s special all-day event at the Bend Pavilion, Saturday, July 31 starting at 9:00 am. It’s designed to benefit individuals who have conditions such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and Parkinson's disease.
“SOAR is an exciting day of wellness, sport, and outdoor activities specifically created for people with physical challenges and disabilities,” said Taylor Kopecky of Destination Rehab. “We encourage everyone to bring their family and friends for a free lunch and all kinds of activities”
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All of these events are subject to weather and healthy outdoor conditions. Extreme heat, thunderstorms, or smoke may cause cancellations on short notice. For up-to-date information, email info@advenchair.com.
Just Say "Yes" to Life
Just Say “Yes” to Life, a new book for stroke survivors and their families and caregivers, will be published in summer 2021 by Stroke Awareness Oregon in Bend. The book features stories of 23 stroke survivors from all over the U.S., ranging in ages from 17 to 71. Written to give solace to current survivors, the stories in Just Say “Yes” to Life detail how each person coped physically, emotionally, and psychologically in the aftermath of stroke.
The book will be available on Amazon in print (ISBN: 978-1-7372450-0-1), digital, and audio forms. https://strokeawarenessoregon.org/
Kerry Chaput tells Geoff Babb's story in “Rolling Boldly”.
Rolling Boldly—Geoff Babb
by Kerry Chaput
Geoff Babb will tell you that he didn’t suffer a stroke. He will tell you he survived one.
In 2005 Geoff was active in his career as a Bureau of Land Management fire ecologist, and an avid outdoorsman. He scaled rocks and hiked mountain peaks. His world revolved around connecting with nature and people, whether it be fighting wildfires or adventuring with his family through the Pacific Northwest’s stunning landscapes. He was an active father of twin boys, Cory and Emory, and a devoted husband to his wife, Yvonne.
On November 10, 2005, he had a headache and vomiting that lasted hours. Thinking it was simply dehydration, he monitored his symptoms and didn’t think too much of it. But twelve hours later the headache still persisted, and his speech started slurring. They knew it was time for a trip to the hospital.
“Things started to go downhill,” he said. “At one point I couldn’t hold my breath for more than a few seconds. They prepared to put me under to give me a breathing tube. I was getting pretty scared by then.” He was nervous about leaving his family, or not being what they needed. By 10pm he couldn’t move his left side, and by noon the next day, he was on a respirator.
When Yvonne visited him in the ICU the next day, the only thing he could do was blink his eyes. She kept her support positive, but he was fighting a lung infection, so she had to face the fear that he might not make it. Geoff could move his eyebrows and make minimal motions of his head, and so they began to learn new ways to communicate with each other. He started visualizing climbing Sisters mountain near his home in central Oregon, dreaming of the progress he hoped to make. Yvonne liked to think of his stroke as “just one more mountain to climb.”
Days were measured in centimeters of movement, tubes, surgeries, and needles. They learned right away to rejoice in every ounce of improvement, a twitch of a smile, a raise of an eyebrow. His circle of friends and family held the family up, showering them with support. Less than two weeks into his recovery, his firefighter friends hosted a barbeque in the hospital parking lot. The nurses were able to get him in a chair and wheel him to the window, where fifty people below cheered for him. Yvonne propped up his elbow so he could wave back. People continued to show up for their family in so many ways, and it gave them both the strength to keep fighting.
He was convinced that he needed to get out of the hospital. Even the rehabilitation facility didn’t feel right. “I wanted to be home. I felt that my progress would be better there.” While at rehab, he opted out of the power wheelchair, choosing instead to stay in a manual wheelchair, against the advice from some healthcare professionals. It was more work, and painstaking at times. But Geoff needed to feel the movement in his body. He soon discovered another benefit of the manual chair. “I found that moving slower, I was able to connect with people in the hospital. Those brief but deep connections with people were meaningful. I wouldn’t have had those moments if I used the power chair like the therapists wanted me to.”
Geoff returned home, and he and Yvonne faced new challenges. The progress Geoff was hoping for at home didn’t come. “A new body required a new response,” he said. Yvonne remembered that Geoff was so motivated that he wanted to exercise all the time, and over time that eventually began to wear on her. “I was the morning, afternoon, and night shift,” she said. “He once said, ‘if you could stretch me more,’ and I cut him off and said, ‘no, I can’t do more.’” She took baby steps towards a more balanced life for herself by leaning on her support group, and making time for walks with friends, and occasionally biking to work. She learned how to let family and friends assist Geoff with his two-hour nighttime routine so she could get a night off. Geoff was thankful, and his gratitude and patience helped her move forward.
His family faced another mountain to climb once he came home. “You become aware of all the barriers in the world when you are in a wheelchair,” Yvonne said. They were all on a new journey and learned as they went. One day Yvonne had a heart to heart with one of their sons, Cory, who was thirteen at the time. “I wanted to explain to him that things were going to be different. He said to me, ‘How? My dad is still my dad.’ That gave me strength.” Moreover, his sons lifted Geoff when he would fall and jumped at any opportunity to help their dad.
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As soon as he could, Geoff turned to the place that always restored him. Nature. Even sitting in his yard and taking in the fresh air and the views reset his frame of mind. The breeze, the clear air, and the quiet sounds of nature helped settle his worries and refocus him. He decided that nothing was going to stop him from returning to work and getting connected again with nature.
To his delight, his colleagues at the fire camp, whom he calls his summer family, approached him and asked how they could help get him back out in the field the next fire season. They set to work building a yurt with a ramp and access to a special ADA bathroom. The next season, he was out in the field again, creating plans to fight local wildfires. “These men would work sixteen-hour days and then help Geoff with his clothes and bathing,” Yvonne said. “ It brought me to tears.”
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Along the rushing Deschutes River in central Oregon lies a trail that Geoff has traversed many times. It’s a special place where pine trees gather, and black lava rock splits the river. Views of waterfalls and the meandering water create a hiker’s paradise. Geoff wasn’t about to let a stroke stop him from experiencing that again. He knew he needed a wheelchair that could get him into the outdoors. A dream was born. To create a wheelchair that would take him anywhere he desired.
Geoff enlisted the help of his friend Dale, a helicopter mechanic, to modify his regular wheelchair with more rugged tires, a detachable front wheel, handbrakes, and a harness. He called it the “Advenchair 1.0.” With help from friends and family, he hit the trail in his new wheelchair.
Unable to maneuver AdvenChair 1.0 over a difficult patch of rocks, his hiking partners lowered him to the ground, where he experienced the sensation that he remembered from rock climbing. “We had some great adventures in my original ‘AdvenChair,’” said Geoff, “all of which prepared us for a trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in 2016 … more or less.” After a broken axle on the Bright Angel Trail less than two miles down into the Grand Canyon, nature showed Geoff once again not what he couldn’t do, but what he could work towards. The wheelchairs available were not going to cut it, but Geoff wasn’t about to give up. It was back to the drawing board. “Each setback is a gift,” Geoff said. It provides another opportunity for improvement.
It was time to get creative. Pulling from the creativity he never realized was inside of him, he began to work on the design of an all-terrain wheelchair. He needed something sturdy that could stand up to the rugged terrain of his favorite hiking trails. He knew that his biggest obstacle was not his stroke, but the equipment available to him. He worked with a CAD designer and Yvonne and Dale to create the next version of the AdvenChair, one that could take him back out to the therapeutic power of nature. He believed that with the right chair, nothing was off limits.
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On November 10, 2017, it all came to a grinding halt when he experienced another stroke, on the other side of his brainstem. Twelve years to the day of his initial incident, he was back in the hospital, fighting through another stroke. Yvonne remembered the doctors shocking his heart to stabilize his atrial fibrillation. “As they’re shocking him with the paddles, I was cheering him from behind the curtain in between sobs.”
He had to relearn how to swallow, how to speak, and use his right hand. Severe muscle spasms required a pump implanted in his stomach. His body once again fought infection after infection through months in the hospital. People like to joke with him, telling him to avoid November 10 like it’s jinxed. He says it’s the opposite. “I say it’s a day to celebrate. Celebrate the things I’ve overcome and the gift of discovering what I’m capable of.”
Because of his physical limitations, Geoff had to retire. Leaving a decades long career meant having to redefine his identity. He had to say goodbye to his summer family. Instead of focusing on what he’d lost, he put all his energy into his new dream of improving the AdvenChair.
With his newly-regained entrepreneurial spirit, he went back to work on the chair with the CAD designer and Yvonne and Dale. The new chair, the AdvenChair 2.0, was revised and improved, tested and improved again. The team finally created a prototype that passed all the tests. It’s an all-terrain wheelchair with an adjustable sit-ski seat, adjustable handlebars, 27.5-inch mountain bike wheels, and fitted with high-grade aluminum mountain bike components throughout, scheduled for rollout in summer 2021. It will be the first of its kind in the world.
Geoff knew that the AdvenChair 2.0 could take him over rocks and along streams, through the Grand Canyon and camping in the forests. What he began to realize, is that it could give others that gift, too. He connected with people on hospice and families with terminally-ill children, all longing for the gift of family time in nature. When he could, he also joined the boards of Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center and Oregon Adaptive Sports, both in Bend. When the second stroke took away his career, it gave him the gift of purpose, one that now belonged to helping others.
It’s been fifteen years of rolling boldly for Geoff Babb, and he has no plans to slow down. Beyond the Grand Canyon, Geoff and Yvonne plan to climb the Great Wall of China and hike the Camino de Santiago, a five-hundred-mile trek through Spain’s fifteen regions.
“Retiring was an end, but it was also a beginning. It was a chance to focus on a new adventure. I never imagined myself creating something like this, but I soon discovered how much I wanted to make a difference.” Geoff committed to his new purpose, and now he loves connecting with others who want to enjoy nature with their families. He likes to quote J. K. Rowling, who wrote: “Fate shoved you through an unexpected door, and you lit the way for others.”
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What helped Geoff and his family through?
On the day Geoff went to the hospital after his first stroke, a community began to form around him, Yvonne, and the boys. Friends near and far sent messages and gifts and words of encouragement. Over time, they organized themselves into teams, some of which helped at home, and others which helped get Geoff back outside. “Our lives have become so rich because of the people around us,” Geoff said. “I realized that not only did we need help, but people needed to help us. People have gifts to offer, and our whole journey has been about accepting those gifts.” The community of people supporting Geoff and Yvonne and their sons only grows larger with time.
Geoff’s strokes challenged him and his family in ways they never thought possible. But it also brightened their lives in unexpected ways. “It’s brought us closer as a family.”
Geoff’s AdvenChair is taking him on physical journeys to all corners of the world, but it has also taken him on a spiritual journey. Through his stroke recovery he not only discovered a motivation to share his gifts with others, but that our physical bodies are no match for the amazing capability of our minds.