To a guy from the northside of Phoenix, the east valley might as well be in another state. There’s towns over there I have never even been to in 35+ years. So after shooting a fencing camp in Mesa two weeks ago I went by the Gilbert Water Park. I’ve heard of it from numerous people and wanted to see whats the story.

Peggy Thomas

One of those people is Peggy Thomas. Twenty-five years ago she was probably one of the first quads who rolled into my hospital room. Not too long after that she let me fly her para-sail off into the wild blue yonder. And due a slight malfunction, I literally almost did so, but that’s another story. These days she’s big time into birding, or bird watching, and she publishes an informative blog about birding for people who roll around (www.birdingwithoutbarriers.org). So we met up for an afternoon jaunt and I got to learn about the various birds that reside at the park.

The place is commonly called the Gilbert Water Ranch which is the short version for “The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.” The 110 acre compound consists of seven large water basins used to recycle effluent water. Next to a nearby library is one urban lake that features a nice walking bridge. This is the one lake stocked for fishing. The place gets five big stars for wheelchair accessibility. Its got good parking, plenty of shade, and many miles of wide smooth paths to roll around.

One of my favorite spots is the artificial creek they’ve got flowing through the middle of the park. It’s well designed for wheelchairs to forge in a few places, and nobody gets uptight if your pooch wonders in to one of the little pools for a cool down. By advised that amongst those casually enjoying this great place is some serious ‘birders’ and photographers who are busy holding very still and being quiet for a reason, so consider turning of the cell phone and practice some quite rolling when you get deeper into the park.

And finally, the park has a rare treat for wheelers. A roll-in astronomy observatory called the Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory (GRCO) that features an accessible 16″ telescope. We observed Mars near dusk and the astronomy club members that maintains the telescope were plenty happy to help us squeeze two chairs in to get a photo.

www.riparianinstitute.org

www.eastvalleyastronomy.org

Thanks, Peg!

Gilbert, Arizona Offers a Great Park For Wheelers and Birders is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Tempe Lake is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Its late November and in the high 60’s in Phoenix, so I decided to find somewhere warmer. I see Lake Havasu is predicted to be mid-70’s so I packed another pair of shorts and headed west for the 2 hour drive.

Forty years ago some clever people in Lake Havasu, Arizona bought the London Bridge for $3 million from London. They spent another $7 million getting it back to Lake Havasu, now it’s a pretty cool place to visit. Lake Havasu is on the Arizona California border. The lake has a reputation for big time lake parties and some awesome boats. We visited over the Thanksgiving weekend. Not many parties but plenty of seriously fast (and sexy) boats.

The bridge goes across a 1-mile long channel which has beaches on both side. Above the beaches is a 5-star urban trail that goes from the city’s Rotary Park, along the shoreline, up and over the bridge and then down the coast of the island. What I like is that its got a little bit of everything. The park has a great beach. The sand is compact enough that I could get the ol’ power chair to get right on the shoreline. The palm trees add some tropic flavor and the lake and mountains are very scenic. We stopped and watched the kids race the RC cars at a cool little track.

Click on the photo for notes, or see larger photos at Flickr

As you approach the bridge, there’s numerous shops and bistros on the path. Beneath the bridge is a stage where music events occur. Now here is where it gets a bit tricky. In order to get to the island you cross the bridge, which means you have to get up to street level and the one path that is obvious is way too steep. We found a much easier detour by the tennis courts of the London Bridge Resort. You have to cut through their parking lot for a 1/4 mile but it seems like the best route.

Going across the bridge is easy and scenic. When you get to the island, take the sidewalk around the Javalina Cafe (ok food, nice view) and head to the lobby of the Heat hotel. We met the general manager who said they allow PwD’s to use the elevator to get down to the shore. There’s another route but this was easy. From here the path runs south toward London Bridge Beach. This is a really nice path the goes past a great dog park. During our visit they were working on the path past this point, but there’s a great looking park that goes down to the end of the island. One other path is located on the island itself. This is basically a 3-mile bike path that would be great for exercise. It takes you all the way around the island.

Where To Stay
We stayed at The Nautical Inn and really liked it. They have 3 rooms that are ADA wheelchair accessible. Only one has a roll-in shower. The rooms have a great view of the lake. Whats really cool is they have a path leading down to the beach. If you look close you can see my tracks. The restaurant is accessible, and the tiki bar is really fun.

We also visited Heat Hotel, which is right next to the London Bridge and has a room with roll-in shower that has a great view. Heat is definitely a eclectic festive location and the GM tells me the parties slow down around 2pm, so dont expect less. They have two levels of outdoor bars and good music, so its definitely meant for a fun time.

As for fishing, I had hoped to visit the Havasu Springs Pier (Wiki info)which is located 10 miles south of town and supposedly accessible, but we ran out of time.

London Bridge – Lake Havasu is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Arizona’s Most Accessible Lake Offers Kayaking

Arguably one of the best places to get out and enjoy metro-Phoenix’s weather is at Tempe Lake. My previous entry does not do justice to the south side of the lake and I hope to improve it soon. But one little secret is the north side marina. Not many people know it exists, and even fewer know how to get there.

The marina consists of probably 20 slots for small sailboats and pontoon boats. It is also where many water-related competitions and sports organize their events, and there is an excellent accessible floating pier. Adding to the marina is i’ts impeccable landscaping, excellent parking, access bathrooms and plenty of shade. There is no concession stands but it is an excellent picnic area. The concrete path around most of the lake is the longest trail I’ve found in Arizona yet.

My recent visit was to participate in the city of Mesa’s adaptive kayaking program. Mesa (Arizona Disabled Sports) and Phoenix (Daring Adventures) seem to be the only two cities with well-organized recreation for wheelers. Tonight was our first session in the lake. Susan Rossi who heads up the program has obviously done this before, and she has a good crew of volunteers and we are in the water on time, and without commotion.

My first observation about kayaking is that it is fun and I am out of shape. Apparently lifting a camera has done little to improve my cardiovascular performance. Rowing is a motion that comes rather natural and does not have any heavy impact on any portion of your body. Its relaxing except that when you are trying to keep up with kids half your age and your heart and lungs begin to feel like you are paddling uphill.

- – -

Tempe Lake Marina is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

When its 112 degrees and gas is over $4.00 gallon, its time to look for a trail that is a little closer to home. One that is in town and I can show up around dusk when its down to maybe 101 degrees.

And so The Scottsdale Waterfront Project marks the first of a new category at Accessing Arizona, the urban trail. Unlike nature trails which feature wildlife and natural scenery, urban trails feature architecture, shopping, dining and ideally some enjoyable landscaping.

And Scottsdale’s new waterfront project fits the description. Located on the southeast corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Road, there has always been an old ugly canal. Today, the ugly is gone and the both banks offer a great path for wheelers. All along the path are open bistros and bars. The path is wide and plenty flat. So far there appears to be about 3/4 miles of path. Its a good place to get some casual exercise.

I did not catch a ride yet, but Scottsdale now has some new trolleys that went by every 15 minutes. Any yep, they were all wheelchair accessible!

Scottsdale Waterfront Web Site

Another great urban trail is at Tempe Lake.

Scottsdale WaterFront is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

The Japanese Friendship Garden (Ro Ho En)is a pretty cool little park. The authentic 3 1/2 acre park located in downtown Phoenix has a little lake that is full of Koi fish. We are talking about a lot of big colorful Koi.

Around the lake is a perfect trail. It’s not too steep, not too narrow, and has some nice shady spots to stop and enjoy. There is a stream bringing water into the pond lake and an impressive 12-foot waterfall. There’s plenty of water birds to watch and you can buy Koi food at the gift shop. The pond has some nice footbridges for getting out over the water. The wheelchair access is perfect.

If you are in a chair and are looking to impress a date or maybe take granny somewhere tranquil, this is a nice hideaway.

As a rolling photo enthusiast, the place has 2-3 hours worth of things to shoot. The only complaint I have is that it now closes at 3pm. Thats way too early.

Japanese Friendship Garden

Japanese Friendship Garden is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Papago Park is a great place to go if you have never explored the desert, or if you are looking to get in shape. The first 1/2 mile of the trail heads from the parking lot towards the rocks. For this C-5/6 quad, its a helluva push. At the base of the rocks, there is a nice ramada which offers some great views of the metro-Phoenix and a place to catch your breath. Beyond this point, the trail enters some steep terrain. We naturally went, but I was getting a turbo boost back up a few slopes.

The asphalt trail is wide and smooth which makes for a nice ride. There is water at the bottom, but this is one trail you’ll be wanting to stop for water just so as you can catch your breath.

Sunsets and moon rises at Papago Park are very vibrant. Unfortunately my camera is in the shop so we didn’t capture what we enjoyed. But you can get a taste of it at Flickr’s Arizona Group.

Papago Park is located on the borders of Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix. Within the park is the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Gardens. The trailhead is located on Papago Park Road on the west side of Galvin Parkway just opposite the zoo turn off.

City of Phoenix Accessible Trails Web Page

Papago Park is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.