On a hot afternoon in August of 1996 I was doing a BMX freestyle show with some of my friends. This was just one of many we did that summer in a series
of custom car shows. I was comfortable riding in front of large crowds, although today's crowd was not one of the largest I'd seen that summer. As our
show neared its end, I went for one last big trick, a back flip. This is something I had done many times successfully, however between heat exhaustion
and poor judgment, I was unsuccessful. That day I just wanted to go really big. Well, I overshot my landing and over rotated, and as I hit the pavement
I felt the worst pain of my life. I had shattered the 12th vertebra in my back. I was soon going to learn that I was paralyzed from my hips down and
would never ride my bike again.
As I came to accept this life-changing event, I never quite accepted the life style change that seemed inevitable. I didn't want to lose the activities
and hobbies that made me feel alive. As time passed I tried several new things to replace the passion and thrill I got from riding my bike. Rock climbing
and mono skiing are two things I saw in a video from Mark Wellman. Mark Wellman is a paraplegic known for climbing half dome in Yosemite. I also viewed
a video featuring an amputee running a stretch of water in a kayak that looked more like a roller coaster than a river. At that moment I decided I was
not going to change who I was, I would find a way to do the things I desired. That winter I took a class with Breckenridge Outdoor Education center to
learn to mono ski. The following summer I started climbing at Ibex rock gym. As I got better at skiing and stronger at climbing I wanted to try
kayaking. I decided that if a guy with one leg could do it, I could too.
The next summer I started looking for schools that were open to teaching basic kayaking fundamentals to someone in my situation. As I started calling
places, they all seemed friendly until I mentioned that I was in a wheelchair. I don't know if it was a liability issue, or if their perception of someone
disabled, but they seemed to lose interest after I told them about my wheelchair. Then, I remembered a flyer a friend had given me. It was an advertisement
for a place called Colorado Kayak. I called them and told them the situation, and to my surprise they said, "What weekend can you come out?" With that I
found a free weekend to start paddling.
"When I'm in my boat, no
one knows I use a wheelchair. This is one of the hobbies that have helped me replace the thrill I used to get when riding my bike..."
After a brief introduction with Chad and the CKS crew, we picked out a boat to fit to my small lower half. With some tape and foam, I fit nicely into a Wave
Sport Y. The next morning they taught me some flat water skills and the fundamentals needed to be safe, like a wet exit, a bow rescue, and a
variety of paddle strokes. Then, I was on my way to the upper Colorado River. After some work on eddie skills and boat tilt we headed down Little Gore
Canyon. After a few rapids and a few swims, I was hooked on the sport. I cannot say enough good things about the guys at CKS. I would have never got
started without them.
I returned to Kansas with a taste of whitewater and no boat to continue building on my skills. The next step was to locate a local group to paddle with.
After a brush with a few that were less than helpful, I started to paddle with Kevin Gilbert, a guy I worked with. I borrowed his RPM and started working
on a roll. I had some success but nothing solid. Without a roll, I didn't feel comfortable on moving water. Kevin moved away the following summer and I
was left without a boat and someone to paddle with.
On the way back from a late season ski trip this year, I stopped in Denver at a place called Confluence Park. There I saw some people running the
Platte River and thought about giving it another try. Daisy, my girlfriend said she was willing to give it a try also; I had some skills, but she
had none. I called CKS about taking a follow up class and we signed up for a two day workshop trip on the Colorado River. First, I needed a boat
that would fit; a boat of my own that I could use to practice as much as I wanted. I found a used Centrifuge and outfitted it to fit and be as
responsive as my monoski.
The Centrifuge is a flat bottom boat that took a lot of practice to learn to roll. With the help my friend Shawn Tolivar, and a lot tinkering, my roll came
together. I needed to make some changes to a normal roll to get it solid. One of the best things I did was change to a Seven 2 paddle. It added a
little more spring to my roll and really helped with my consistency. With a solid roll and a good woman that was open to paddling with me I took a
second trip with CKS. This time things went much better. I found myself doing less swimming and more paddling. My girlfriend was then hooked too.
She soon got her roll and is a solid class III boater as am I. We paddle together as much as we can.
I usually do a seal launch to put in, and I just do a lot of eddie hopping to scout rapids. I have recently started learning some play boating basics
including Stern Squirts and Bow Enders. I'd love to be good enough to enter a rodeo someday but I've got a lot of practice to do before then. I have
recently been inspired by a video I saw that featured Eric Jackson. I am extremely motivated to pick up some of these techniques and begin increasing
my play boating skills. The only thing I regret about my boating experiences so far is that I didn't start paddling sooner. When I'm in my boat, no
one knows I use a wheelchair. This is one of the hobbies that have helped me replace the thrill I used to get when riding my bike.
