Member-only story
12 Minutes
It seemed like a good way to die
I like a good adventure. I have even risked my life for several. Being already disabled by a stroke 20 years ago adds to the challenges associated with what is normally seen as “typical” risk. My balance is poor; I’m weak and uncoordinated. But these things don’t stop me from enjoying my life even if I’m risking it to do so.
My recent trip to the Canadian Rockies provided several epic opportunities for dangerous adventure:
After I survived the trail rides, I had a chance to tour the Rocky Mountains in a helicopter. A small helicopter. Again, I worried about the accessibility ahead of time. The instructions were to walk quickly in a crouched position as you approached the aircraft on the ground. I have trouble walking in an upright position. They explained a tricky procedure for climbing in. The guides watched me limp around the orientation so they were aware of my issues. I was sure I wasn’t the first handicapped passenger they had seen which bolstered my confidence. We were divided into groups of 4 to fly together, and we were each assigned a number from…