The Beginning of the Road to Adventure

I should probably start with some background about me.  I was born with Spina Bifida which left me unable to move my legs.  I have used a wheelchair as my mode of transportation my whole life.  I lived in the woods in northern Maine so spent a lot of my growing up years in the outdoors either hunting and fishing with my dad or just being in the woods around our home.

When I entered junior high I met a man that would influence the rest of my life.  He was my Phys. Ed. teacher Bob Dyer.  He was the first person to really push me to go beyond the fence and test my limits.  I remember the first day I met him one of the first things he said to me was how many push-ups can you do.  He suggested 20 so I did 40.  I think that was my first mistake and also the best thing I could have done.  I set the bar a little too high and he expected that from me from then on out.  He made sure I was involved in as many things as possible even taking a week each year to take me skiing at Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation.

It was definitely Mr. Dyer that started me on a life of adventure.  About 5 years ago when I would see a friend of mine, Nick Hall, post pictures of his adventures online I started to think about the possibilities of bigger adventures.  He was a ranger at Mt. Rainier and unfortunately lost his life while performing his duties during a rescue mission.  It was after this tragic moment that I decided I wanted to try to find a way to be able to witness the views he had seen atop Rainier for myself.

  Nick Hall

I knew that Mark Wellman had been the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan in 1989 but I hadn’t seen much about climbing since reading about his attempt.  I decided to do some research and found an organization called Paradox Sports. Paradox Sports is an organization that allows people of all abilities to be able to rock and ice climb among other sports.  I noticed they were doing a rock climbing event in the Shawangunk Mountains that October and I signed up.

During the Gunks event, I met a bunch of amazing like-minded adventuresome people whose only mission was to make it possible for other people to enjoy adventure too.  I immediately knew this was the group for me. I was able to learn a lot of techniques for sit climbing that weekend from Sean O’ Neill, an accomplished sit climber, who is now a great friend. I also gained a wealth of knowledge from the other able-bodied guides who helped put on the event including Nate McKenzie and Gary Dunn. They both continue to push and inspire me to greater endeavors. I found out that weekend that Sean lived an hour from me and have been learning from him ever since. I have been back to the Gunks for this event the last 3 years and will be attending again this year.  If anyone else would like to attend this is where to register:

https://fs22.formsite.com/paradoxsports/Gunks/index.html

 Sean giving me advice

 Nate McKenzie helping with some ice climbing

Eriq Powers, Nate McKenzie, and Gary Dunn

I have done one other climb with the help of Nate McKenzie, Betsy Smith, and Alan Kline.  They enabled me to climb Book of Solemnity route on Cathedral Ledge in North Conway, NH by setting ropes and managing all the safety for me while I did pull up after pull up.  It took most of the day but I eventually reached the top of my first multi-pitch climb.

Cathedral Ledge

Cathedral Ledge Summit

I think it was that climb that really sealed my passion for the challenge of rock climbing. Looking up at the summit and down at where I had been, started a fire in me that made me crave a challenge.  I find that I am most happy when struggling to push myself to a goal that might seem unattainable but when attained gives me the greatest sense of accomplishment of anything I have ever done.

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