Lake Michigan and Neverland

One of my favorite things about my job is meeting new people and being a part of their story. This past weekend, my friends Pam, Andy, and Andrea drove to Pentwater, Michigan with me so we could meet three families who use the WCK Backpack. It was a quick trip; we drove up after work on Friday and returned Sunday afternoon, and it took about 4 hours to get there. But all we needed was one magical day... and that is what we got. 

We met up with the Smith family and the Borgman family for a picnic lunch of fresh fish from a little place called Bortell's Fisheries, that's been around for six generations... amazing selection, delicious and satisfying! It was good that we ate first, because we had quite the adventure ahead of us... 

We followed the families down the road a little way in our vans, and parked on a sandy shoulder next to an unmarked path leading into the bushes, where we connected with the Hilton family. We got out and "geared up" - aka, got kids in backpacks and onto their parents' backs. We took a group photo to prove we really were about to do this... we were going to Peter Pan Land. 

Now, one of the primary benefits of using the WCK Backpack is that it can take you places where your wheelchair can't go. One of the primary limitations of the WCK Backpack is that it can hold up to 70 lbs. It's true, a 70-pound weight limit is awesome, and way more than a typical carrier, but it also means it isn't the solution for people who weigh more than that... like me.  This has nothing to do with the quality or durability of the backpack; we've found that people over that weight limit tend to just be too big to fit comfortably in the pack and it is not safe for the carrier to bear that weight for prolonged periods of time. 

The path to Peter Pan Land was uneven, narrow, sandy, and uphill... absolutely perfect opportunity for the WCK Backpack to shine! Not so great for my 6-wheeled, 600-lb., not-all-terrain-friendly power chair. But I did not want to be left behind, I didn't want to miss out. I took a deep breath and sent up a quick prayer for safety as I embraced a bit of recklessness. It didn't take long at all for my front wheels to sink into the sand and begin to spin. Instead of digging in deeper, I backed up and tried a different angle. Andrea grabbed the front of my chair frame and lifted some of the weight off my front wheels, and Andy put his full weight and momentum into pushing from the back of the chair... before I knew it, I was coasting across the top of the sand, going further up and further in. It felt like Andy and Andrea were fueling me with pixie dust, and all our happy thoughts were working together to make me fly. 

I don't know how long it took us to get to the top, but when we did, there was an awed silence and a spectacular view, of what I am pretty sure is Mermaid Lagoon...



The adventure continued, as we followed a side trail into the woods, where painted trees and dappled sunshine made for a very whimsical setting... 



We lingered for a while so people could explore, rest, and visit, and then we all survived the return trip to reality, aka, our vans. To celebrate and prolong our time together a little more, we got some Michigan-famous ice cream and finally said our goodbyes.

Later, Pam and Andrea and I got in our swimsuits and visited Stearns Park, which has a really accessible beach with walkways on the sand and wheelchair-friendly picnic tables. We went out on the long concrete pier to the North Breakwater Light, too... beaches, piers and lighthouses are just more of my favorite things!



What a beautiful, special, magical day... thanks to all the amazing people who made it possible!

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