Ed Note: This was originally posted in Oct, 2008.

To a certain extent, the Desert Botanical Garden’s like most public gardens/museums/parks that charge an admission are quite accessible. So I have never been in a hurry to cover DBG, but it is October and the weather is fabulous in Arizona and so I spent a Sunday afternoon enjoying a great place to explore all of the deserts of the world.

Suffice it to say DGB is a very accessible place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Located on the borders of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe, DBG is right next to the Phoenix Zoo, and Papago Park. If you are anywhere in Phoenix, it is pretty easy to locate. Note: DBG is approximately 1 mile north of the Metro Rail Station 19 which opens Jan 2009. If the weather were nice, this would be a good push for any wheeler.

If I were a 30 year old male, I would be getting sick of this blog. It’s all leisure and no cool activities. And you are correct, so until I find a few interesting activities, consider DBG as a great place to get some really good wheelchair exercise. The paths twist and wind for probably a good mile. And there are a number of good inclines for cardio fun. A few laps will have anybody catching their breath.

For those interested in the desert, you will find cactus and other plants indigenous to deserts and arid regions spread throughout the park. It is definitely not just plants from the southwestern desert. So even to locals, there is plenty of reasons to visit. Probably the best reason to come to DBG is that it is a relaxing convenient place to explore the desert. There is plenty of shade, and water, and concession stands for food and drink. The garden hosts small musical concerts, weddings, and art related festivals.

As for accessibility, DBG gets high ratings. All of the paths are plenty accessible. There are paved paths and dirt path, and I’ve never gotten a flat tire here. All of the concessions and restrooms are convenient as well. As a photographer in a wheelchair I am constantly wishing I could get at ground level for perspective and close-up photographs. In a place such as this I am looking for planters that are about 24″ high with a retaining wall beside the path. Now I can shoot from “ground level.” DBG has a few good ones. I also like that they stay open past dark to allow you to experience sunsets and how the desert changes when darkness arrives.

Another good reason to visit DBG is that Papago Park is right across the street, and Mill Avenue/
Tempe Lake are near by as well. The combination makes for a great day.

Desert Botanical Garden is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

This entry marks the first “Sport Venue” entry for Accessing Arizona. The purpose is to provide insight into finding accessible seating before you buy the ticket. I hate buying tickets without knowing what view I’m going to get, and or if there is better seats available if I had only known more. So we’re going to try to visit the various locations around Arizona and get the inside skinny.

Firebird Raceway is located in Chandler, on the Gila Indian Reservation, just south of Phoenix. The property has both a drag racing track and a water sports lake. It is the lake where we’ll get started. This weekend is the IHBA Top Fuel Boat Drags. It is the first time I’ve ever visited the lake. We’ll add info about the asphalt drag strip the next time an event comes to town.

[Click on the photos for comments]

The first bonus we PwD’s get when going to a lake event is VIP parking. Basically you park right beside the lake. This is a significantly shorter walk compared to the general parking area which requires you to traverse a catwalk over another race course.

The lake is probably a 1/2 mile long and 1/8th mile wide. Interestingly, the lake has a salt content higher than the ocean. This is because a boat is more buoyant in salty water, and buoyancy means less drag and more speed.

Down the west side of the lake is the grandstands which aren’t accessible. Instead, wheelchair folks get to sit in the two media areas which are right against the lake. The view is very good, and aside from the camera people who share the area, it is unobstructed. You can not get any closer and still stay dry. The only problem with this seating is a lack of shade that is available in the grand stands. So if it is summer, perhaps an umbrella would come in handy. Your friends and family can bring folding chairs that will be far better than the grand stands as well. The bathrooms are right behind the grandstands and the entire area is flat and accessible. As a sitting photographer, the fence obstructs my lens. I understand the need for it, so I had to sneak down to the end of the lake to get my photos.

Firebird Lake gets good marks. The access is nothing elaborate, but you wont be disappointed, and the racing is very entertaining. I also get the feeling that manangement and employees have a can-do attitude and can find real-time solutions to any access needs that might come up.

Incidentally, for anyone into boat racing, we witnessed one helluva crash during my visit. The boat lost control and basically just decentigrated in a split second. Check out Mark Rebilas’ web blog for photo account here.

Firebird Raceway is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Tombstone Arizona probably wasn’t too accessible 100 years ago when it made a name for itself. Today, tourism has replaced gambling and shootouts, and Tombstone can be toured from a wheelchair. They’ll even hang you and your chair for a small donation!

You can still find Doc and Wyatt and some pretty authentic cowboys strolling through Allen Street. Both sides of the famous dirt road have wood planked sidewalks that you can traverse easily. I entered all of the saloons and shops along the way. Parking is nearby and free, and the townsfolk put on some good, if not humorous reenactments.

Perhaps the most interesting tourist attraction is to watch the modern day cowboys or desperados rolling into town on their Harleys, choppers and hogs. You can just imagine their ancestors coming down the street all decked out in their leathers with that same “give me a beer” attitude. Its almost poetic to see a saloon surrounded by bikes out front, and Kid Rock and Bob Seager blaring through the double-hinged doors. At least I don’t have to worry about rolling through anything smelly.

Beware! There is a number of street vendors promoting a side show that features a talented great-grandma on a horse and a petting zoo type of thing. The one vendor assured me it was plenty accessible. I got about 1/5th of the way down a rocky dirt road to the arena and said this is total bull hunky (ie BS). Save your spasms and angst as this isn’t for wheelers. My legged friends went and the kids had a ball, but stick to the saloons during this gig.

For family fun, I’d actually suggest Trail Dust Town in Tucson, but Tombstone is historical, fun and plenty accessible. Southern Arizona has some great scenic drives, and there is a few vineyards I want to visit soon as well. .

www.tombstone.org

Tombstone, Arizona is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Pure commercial tourist attractions are not my favorite to blog about. In fact it is a chore to even get them actually published. But even I go to a few because kids and visiting relatives enjoy the psuedo-native culture they portray.

If you are in Tucson, and you have kids and or a craving for a darn good steak, think about going by Trail Dust Town. It is one very accessible cow town. We went in search of a steak and had a root toot’n good time.

For starters, the place isn’t too big. It has wooden boardwalks and the entire main street is made of red brick. Its very easy to get close-by (free) parking and its easy to keep your eyes on kids. Having been to both Tombstone and here, I’d say this is a much easier place to get a dose of cowboy fun. If your looking for history and authenticity, head down to Tombstone, but I can promise you that a 5-year old doesn’t know the difference.

www.traildusttown.com

Trail Dust Town is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Williams, Arizona. Copyright Loren Worthington, 2007

Often the route one chooses to get to a destination can add to the fun of the trip. For those looking to get off the beaten trail, Arizona has put together a nice web site of our fun and scenic roads & routes.

I haven’t traveled them all, but the Apache Trail, and route 89A from Prescott to Gerome are pretty challenging if you use hand-controls. I guarantee your passengers will wish you had 2 hands on the steering wheel.
www.ArizonaScenicRoads.com

Road Tripping thru Arizona is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

The Skywalk at Grand Canyon opened in March, 2007. The web site indicates it will ADA accessible by the end of 2007. I’m no engineer but it looks pretty accessible.

I’m going to head up around year end. The web site also says no cameras allowed, but I’m hopping my blogger credentials get me some VIP perk. I may also have to rig up my secret wheelchair-cam.

www.grandcanyonskywalk.com

Coming Soon – Grand Canyon Skywalk is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Grand Canyon Deer Farm is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.