TEAM PHOENIX | The Challenge Tours

On Tour 1999, the curtain rose for the first of the annual Challenge Tour Series. Promoting self-suffiency for the physically challenged through custom tours designed with learnable experiences for 1st time Japanese tour participants. Enjoy our pictures and stories from the first Challenge Tour, 1999.

||| Arrival & Reception ||| Visiting Independence Boardwalk ||| Water Skiing |||

||| Fly Fishing ||| Watching MLB Game ||| Downhill Course Riding |||

||| Historical Fun-Ride Downhill ||| Good-bye Party ||| Departure |||

6.20.1999 in Denver & Boulder, CO

Arrival & Reception

The new airport in Denver is very modern and crew-less trains are running smoothly. The tour volunteers were waiting inside the gates for the arrival of the tour. The gate opened and fondly remembered faces smiled from the other side. The Challenge Tour kicked off. After an emotional reunion with their friends, the tour party headed to Boulder, elevation 5,430 feet, for the tour reception.

After arriving in Boulder, we went to Gretchen's house, one of the members of TEAM PHOENIX. Her house was also 100% accessible with modern architecture and you can go throughout the house using your wheelchair. The tour party received a warm welcome from Gretchen and her family with a delicious meal and cold drinks.

As the party warmed up, the representative of TEAM PHOENIX, Michael Whiting, gave a welcome message to the tour party and raised a toast of success to the tour. Mr. Yashiro then gave a gift of a wooden plate carving of Hakuba Three Mountains, the symbol of Hakuba, Nagano, where the Japanese wheelchair movement started.

The night was long and spent with good friends and the anxiousness and expectations of the tour ahead.

6.21.1999 in Grant, CO

Visiting
Independence
Boardwalk

This day, we visited an independence boardwalk, Wilderness On Wheels, located in the suburbs, a one-hour drive southwest of Boulder. Volunteers' hands established this facility in 1986 to develop access to national forest for the physically challenged. It was designed so the physically challenged could enjoy natural outdoor environments with mobility and independence. Maintaining and expanding the facilities is supported by private donations. The boardwalk extends all the way to a 12,300-foot mountain peak above alpine flora and fauna. The facilities here are wheelchair accessible, and you can enjoy hiking, fishing, bird watching and camping from the boardwalk.

The tour party decided to make the push toward the top of the boardwalk. Of course, each participant goes up by his or her pushes. The slope of the boardwalk at Colorado's high altitude was gentle but not an easy climb for the people who came from sea level. After struggling, our crew finally made it! They

summited the almost 9,300-foot boardwalk without anybody's help. It was wonderful that this boardwalk gave our tour members satisfaction and the sense of individual accomplishment. On top we put some food into our empty stomachs and enjoyed the downhill to the bottom.

6.22.1999, Boulder, CO

Water Skiing

This day, we went to Boulder Reservoir to have a go at water skiing. First, we filled out the application forms and signed the papers. Next, we tried on our wet suits. Putting a body into a dry wet-suit was tough but everybody finally closed their zippers. We were instructed how to use the equipment and what to do in the water. Next, we adjusted the seat equipment that holds the body above the water by inches. There was a slot to hook a rope nut, so the people who had trouble holding the handle with enough pressure could also enjoy the sport.

Our turn came. Getting into the water from the pier, and getting balanced with our flotation device was learned from the guide. Giving the GO sign, we were ready to ski. In case of emergency, another boat followed beside the skier. There was also a quick release system contained on the tow boat for times the skiers went down.

The volunteers were experienced and made good arrangements, so the participants could enjoy their first time water skiing without being scared.

All the guides are volunteers. They gather to provide support to the physically challenged on their weekends. Some of the volunteers also offered a motorboat and a driver for the day. I hope our smiles were thank-you enough to our volunteers!

6.23.1999, Salida, CO

Fly-fishing

Driving up the rough dirt road in the mountains above Salida, the view opened up on a lake. We couldn't believe there was such a beautiful place so deep in the mountains. The crisp mountain air produced a wonderful contrast between snow white, tree green, and sky and lake blue.

First of all, our guides taught the 10-2 casting method, the symbol of fly-fishing. Then strong winds sweeping down from the cool mountains made it hard to put a line to the surface of the water. Even in that situation, the members of TEAM PHOENIX performed for us. They lifted the tip of their wheelchairs and went down the rough, rocky slope to the water level.

During our last hour of fly-fishing, the guides hooked a fish and gave the participants a rod so they could feel the nibble of a Colorado rainbow trout. Thank you for your kindness...

6.24.1999, Denver, CO

Watching MLB Game

This day, we went to the Colorado Rockies home, Coors Stadium in Denver. We saw a major league baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies. First thing, tour members were positively impressed by the wheelchair access in the stadium. It was so easy. There were wheelchair seats in the front row of every section in Coors Stadium.

Despite the huge crowd, we could move in the stadium as free as the able, forgetting the wheelchairs. The dogma full of stairs in a stadium turned over right there. Before the tour member's eyes, Sammy Sosa of the Cubs hit two home runs. Those home runs became moments we would never forget.

Many baseball fans come to this stadium to watch games. Regular buses have the capacity for wheelchair users and their needs.

The wheelchair-user-only buses come up filled with smiling faces noisily clanking. In addition, the buses are free of charge and you can get on or off anywhere in town. The fact that Colorado's accessibility for the disabled is extensive, makes the four participants on this tour very happy.

6.25.1999, Winter Park, CO

Riding Downhill Course

This day, we went to Winter Park Ski Resort to enjoy downhill riding on their DH course with off-road wheelchairs. This course is used for the MTB event "Red Cross Classic."

We got our lift tickets and loaded the off-road chairs and the riders on the lifts for the ride to the top of the mountain.Being the great resort that it is, Winter Park lift operators responded professionally to our needs even with off-road wheelchairs.

From the top of the mountain, there was a choice of going down the permanent DH course or going down several unimproved Forest Service roads. We decided to take the DH course. There were several other MTB bikers on the course, but they demonstrated good riding etiquette, calling out and giving us comfortable distances when they passed.

At the Winter Park base area, the off-road wheelchairs commanded people's interest and attention, and an informal mingling with the locals was enjoyed by all.

6.26.1999, Florence, CO

Historical Fun-ride Downhill

On the schedule sheet, it was written, "Off-road Wheelchair fun-ride on the historic railroad grade." The Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad between Cripple Creek, Victor and Florence, Colorado, and dropped twenty-eight miles down treacherous and narrow Phantom Canyon. The tracks that follow the railroad grade were dismantled in 1916, but one can still feel the history and natural power of Phantom Canyon.

As we heard, a heavy rainstorm had hit Phantom Canyon three months before and washed out a bridge, a tunnel and the road shoulders closing Phantom Canyon to through traffic. Relatively few cars could use the road. Lucky! We could enjoy the fun-ride without the stress of other traffic. Our fun-ride participants wanted to start the fun-ride before the heat of the day. Restraining their impatience, we got ready for our riding. We decided to bring our lunches to get rolling quicker.(to be continued to *1)

(*2) Down the road ahead, there was a tiny building at an opening in the canyon. It was a public restroom, fully accessible fifteen miles from town! Colorado and the U.S. can give lessons to the Japanese social welfare system and take this ideal model on accessibility.

Wearing a towel around his head, Yashiro was having fun on his downhill marathon at altitude in the Colorado fresh air. Showing great natural power, the road shoulder edge was taken off by flash flood, and the ravines crossing the road make this evident.

In our pamphlets,historic sites and Phantom Canyon history along the historic railroad were pointed out. We stopped at every historical point and tasted those days, imagining people walking and working on the site. There were several bridges on the trail. One of them was painted vivid red. This historic railroad grade is cared for by locals to keep their history from varnishing.

(*1) First of all, we received pre-ride guidance and orientation on techniques on how to ride a non-maintained trail from the fun-ride leader, David. "Here the riding begins," he smiled widely.

Yashiro chose to run, "Are you going to run such a long trail, Yashiro?" One of the participants asked. "That's right. I am going run a marathon on this trail." Yashiro replied, the oldest participant on the tour. All of our eyes became a dot. Yashiro gave us an unexpected surprise and cheered us up with that spirit. Finally, the off-road wheelchair fun-ride kicked off down Phantom Canyon under beautiful blue skies.

Rolling downhill, feeling gravities pull, we saw the top of the canyon. Magnificent forests, jagged rocks, and a 500 foot cliff on our right. There's no guardrails. In David's pre-ride monologue he expressed that we were responsible for our own actions. Absolute freedom to come together with the valley wind, the river stream, and the forest creating fresh air in Mother Nature. Still early in the ride, we are feeling Colorado satisfaction.The off-road wheelchairs are like a magic carpet ride down the canyon.(to be continued to *2)

(*3) There was a bridge ripped down by the flash flood which washed away all sand from the road and the side of the bridge, and exposing the underlayment of sharp rock faces through the tunnel.

Below the washed out tunnel, the tour van arrived and took the exhilarated and tired crew to the next event site, Denver. In the van, the participants' faces were as bright as the Colorado blue sky. It seemed as if they were still having fun on the fun-ride in their dreams...

6.26.1999, Denver, CO

Good-bye Party

All the participants were tough. We couldn't believe they had just finished six-hours of riding. At the good-bye party held in downtown Denver, team jerseys with a Team Phoenix emblem were given to each participant as a certificate of completion of the Challenge Tour, 1999. The last night of the tour passed with everyone in a great mood, cold beers and talking of the experiences of the Colorado tour...

6.27.1999, Denver, CO

Departure

It is always sad when good friends leave. After checking in at DIA, Team Phoenix took the concourse train to the departure gate. When the tour participants arrived at DIA at the beginning of the tour, they seemed fearful tourists, but now look! After completing the entire challenge tour schedule, they seemed gallant, brave and independent individuals.

Looking back on this tour, the participants met some challenging and tough scenarios designed to push their limits. Yes, this is the annual Challenge Tour designed and serviced by and for Team Phoenix members. Our Challenge Tour Series provide "Confidence" and "Courage" to the participants as a souvenir. The tour party left for Japan putting a lot of memories as souvenirs in their suitcases.