My Adaptive Equipment Journey

My journey with adaptive equipment actually started well before I was “limited” by my dystrophy. Backpack hunting was my passion in my early 20’s and I decided to make my life a bit easier and built an aluminum framed cart to tow behind my motorcycle. The cart also doubled as a backpacking rickshaw. I would step between the long handle and attach it to my empty backpack frame.

Honda 125 Trials Motorcycle and hand built trailer

Hoda 125 Trials Motorcycle with loaded trailer attached.

Fast forward thirty-five years and my physical abilities had significantly been reduced by my muscular dystrophy. Walking longer distances really became difficult, so I purchased a very small folding electric scooter with a seat. It was fabulous on flat hard surfaces but had not real power to climb a hill or handle loose gravel.

Small folding electric seated scooter

My next seated scooter was much larger, but again had very little hill climbing abilities. So of course I modified it by adding an 800w tricycle motor and large sprocket. It was truly a beast and could climb anything. However, on really steep rocky trails my legs were not strong enough to keep it from tipping over. So I decided I needed a four wheel device.

Large seated electric scooter with modified 800w trike motor and large sprocket.

Close-up of 800w motor and large sprocket.

Me out riding with storage bags for gear.

My first four wheeler was a big wheeled walker made for sand. Worked fabulous and had a seat for me to bird. To make it easier I added electric wheels. This allowed me to be pulled up inclines, instead of pushing. However, birding from the walker was very difficult and unproductive. The birds would fly before I could get seated and adjust my monopod mounted binoculars.

Big wheeled walker at the beach.

Big wheeled walker modified with joystick operated electric wheels.

My next purchase was a fabulous 20” fat tire folding electric bike. I removed the pedals and chain and added foot rests. This was great for getting around but really terrible as a birding device. I tried to add a set of “training wheels” to make it a four-wheeler, but it was not my best idea.

20” fat tire folding bike with support wheels.

20” fat tire folding biker modified foot rests.

My next four wheel creation was meant as a combined walker and seated wheelchair. Using two pairs of joystick operated wheelchair motors I created a four-wheel drive chair that relied on what is called “tank steering” to turn. Huge endeavor with little to no practical use.

Combined walker and seated wheelchair with four-wheel drive tank steering.

So of course I decided to build an all-terrain seated wheelchair. This time my work paid off and I could really enjoy being seated while birding. The chair had plenty of power to tackle hills and loose gravel. However my steering design and braking system made the unit tough to operate for long periods of time. Plus transporting the chair was a pain.

All-terrain wheelchair.

All-terrain wheelchair (front view).

All-terrain wheelchair front winch.

All-terrain wheelchair loaded on carrier.

In addition to the all-terrain chair I built another smaller chair for flat paved surfaces with mounts for my scope and camera. Loading this small chair in my truck was much easier and it served me well for a while.

Small homemade wheelchair with scope mount.

Small homemade wheelchair with camera mount and monopod support.

The genesis of purchasing my expensive but ultra reliable and all-terrain capable Magic Mobility X8 came while having dinner with my wife. She was uncomfortable with me heading out on my home built “contraptions” and wanted me to purchase an all-terrain wheelchair professionally designed and built. I didn’t hesitate and decided on the X8 (see my X8 blog for more detail).

My first ride on my new Magic Mobility X8 all-terrain professionally built wheelchair.

My journey building adaptive equipment is not over, but I’m relieved to be past this last chapter where I tackled such large projects. It has made me appreciate the incredible engineering that goes into power wheelchairs, especially the X8!