Disability Dialogue with Bill

Perseverance to Survive an Extreme Blizzard in the Wilderness at Lucky Dog

While lying on my back in my sleeping bag in the wilderness approximately 1.5 - 2 miles away from the closest small town I was cold and exhausted. Attempting to sleep occasional snowflakes would fall onto my eyelids. During the night I kept a plastic water bottle filled with snow snuggled against my body and prayed my body heat would melt the snow in the water bottle enabling me to quench my dire thirst. In the morning I attempted to drink from the water bottle and unfortunately found no water. I was very disappointed to discover none of the snow melted after enduring an uncomfortable sleepless night with a cold snow filled water bottle huddled next to me. With anticipation I planned my next actions that morning.

My story is from my recollection with some very much appreciated feedback from three of my friends who participated in this trip with me.

Planning a Cross Country Ski Trip Vacation

I had the opportunity to go cross country skiing a couple of years after graduating high school in April of 1982. I planned this trip during an early spring break from college and a vacation from work. Having never skied before I believed this would be an enjoyable and challenging vacation and was very much looking forward to getting away. I planned this trip with two of my friends, Stan and Terry. Our plan was to meet three other friends Tom, Pat and John at our destination Lucky Dog. A few of us were familiar with Lucky Dog since we had been camping at this location over holiday weekends for years. We planned to bring backpacks filled with enough food and supplies to last a week. In preparation for the trip each of us went shopping for a variety of delicious food. Stan, Terry and I planned on sleeping in a somewhat large old wooden barn approximately 15 feet x 25 feet with a ridgeline of about 14 feet that was present at our destination in many past trips. This barn was at the Sandusky Mine, at the confluence of Lucky Dog and Sandusky Creeks. Tom, Pat and John may have had this same idea of using the barn as shelter. We thought even if the weather was bad this barn would provide adequate protection.

What is and Where is Lucky Dog

Lucky Dog is an old gold mine that was no longer in production near Lucky Dog creek. Lucky Dog is in the gold country of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The closest town is Forest City which had a population of 13 at the time of our trip. There were only a few houses and no stores on the one very small main road this town had. The closest town with a store was Allegheny which is approximately 6 miles from Lucky Dog. Besides the few houses in Forest City there was an old spooky looking graveyard on a hill overlooking the town. Most of the tomb stones were falling over they were so old. A lot of the people who were buried at this graveyard were buried during the gold rush days when the town was more populated.

Ready for Some Enjoyment and Relaxation

After renting skis, ski boots, and ski poles, completing our shopping and packing we were now ready for enjoyment and relaxation. On the morning we left for our trip I said goodbye to my then girlfriend and now wife Kathy.

Stan, Terry and I took Stan’s car on this trip. It was a 1967 red Alfa Romeo GTV. We loaded our 3 fully packed backpacks, 3 sets of skis, all 3 of us (Stan-driver, Terry and me) plus other needed supplies into this small sports car. We were a little cramped as we traveled although nobody complained.

Finally on the Road

When we left on April 1st it had been snowing in the higher elevations prior to our trip. Although it had snowed in the high elevations we were a bit concerned that we would not have enough snow to go skiing since the elevation of our destination was approximately 4000 to 5000 feet above sea level. After a few hours on the road we were excited that we were now in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and getting closer to our destination. As the road climbed in elevation we were not able to see any snow which added to our anxiety that there would not be enough snow to ski on. At one point on Highway 49 near the bridge over the South Fork of the Yuba River we found a huge automobile sized boulder in the middle of the road. We had to maneuver around this boulder that must have slid off the mountain side.

When we were approximately 20 miles away from our destination it started snowing lightly. Now that it was snowing we laughed with joy as we anticipated the fun we were going to have. As we got closer to our destination it continued snowing harder and harder. We eventually needed to put on our tire chains to help with our car’s traction. Shortly after we turned off the road we were on and started down a narrower road we could hardly see the road since it was covered in deeper snow. The falling snow also obscured our vision requiring us to drive slower.

By this time the road had narrowed significantly due to the distance to any main roads and towns. Now that we were getting further out into the secluded wilderness we no longer passed other cars on the road. The trees that surrounded the road were covered in snow making our travel through this winter wonderland very scenic. We were now getting very close to our destination and we all became very quiet because we were a bit anxious, or at least I was due to the increasing darkness and the additional falling snow. It was very difficult to see around any corners on this very windy and narrow mountain road. As we attempted to stay in the middle of the road we ultimately plowed our car very gently into a snow bank. Luckily where the car rested was close enough to our planned starting destination and it seemed to mostly be off the road therefor we left the car parked there.

We Had Arrived at Forest City

With our delay driving in the hazardous snow conditions it was now almost dark. When we looked around to orient ourselves we could see our friend’s car ahead of us partially covered in snow parked near a snow bank. Since at the time of this trip in 1982 cell phones were not generally used nor did any of us have one therefor we could not call our friends to let them know where we were or ask them where they were.

Since we had reached the location where we would transition to skis we got out of the car and stretched our legs which felt nice. After some quick stretching we put on our jackets, backpacks, gloves, hats, skis and gators for those who had them. My backpack was very heavy on this trip because I did not bring the usual freeze-dried food, so instead I brought real good food, not wanting to skimp on more appetizing meals. This food increased my backpack weight for I generally only bring freeze dried food if I was going on a larger organized trip. Before we left the car during our final packing we found we had a slight problem since we did not have enough room in any of our backpacks for the rain fly. We decided to leave the rain fly behind since we were going to ski to a location with a barn that we planned to use as our shelter.

Time to Go Cross Country Skiing

Now that we all had our skis and backpacks on it felt nice to start skiing to the barn in the ankle-deep snow. We skied in the dark by moon and star light. With the snow falling we could not actually see the moon or stars, although we could see how the light made the snow glow brightly all around us as it fell. This glowing reflective whiteness combined with darkness enabled us to travel without the need of any flashlights or other unnatural light sources.

To get to our destination we turned off the main road our car was on and crossed a small bridge that went over a creek that connected to a dirt road. Once we started down the snow-covered dirt road we quickly found the snow was much deeper, maybe because nobody had cleared the snow from this dirt road. We also realized this cross-country ski trip would not be easy. By now the snow was falling harder and harder. Occasionally we would have white outs where we needed to stop skiing since we could not see our hands in front of our faces. When the white outs would occur an earie, silence came over our group. Each time they would occur I would pray they would not go on forever. Luckily each time a white out occurred it did not last too long and after each one ended we were able to continue.

We were also fortunate the winds were not blowing too strongly and the snow-covered road we were traveling on was relatively level. On one side of the snow-covered dirt road was a very steep drop off in which we did not want to get too close to in case the snow gave way causing us to fall off the road into the darkness below. If one of us did fall down over the edge it would be next to impossible for that person to climb back to the road through the deep snow. The other side of the snow-covered road was a steep mountain covered in snow with an occasional snow-covered tree sticking out of it.

As we traveled very slowly through the deep snow, we wondered if an avalanche would occur and possibly bury us or knock us over the steep edge. We did not talk much during our travels to save our energy. Plus, we feared when we were next to the steep snow-covered mountainside the sounds of our voices would cause an avalanche by the reverberations. When we did talk our voices were somewhat muffled due to the falling snow above us and the deep snow below us.

Blizzard Intensifying

As the storm intensified and we traveled further away from our car the snow continued to get deeper and deeper.

Since this was my first time cross country skiing and skiing of any type I was having difficulty. I soon fell over in the deep snow and sunk into the soft powder far below the level I had been skiing on. With my heavy backpack on and no solid footing I struggled with all of my might to stand up again in this powdery snow. I compared this experience to getting out of quicksand although I had just heard about how difficult it is to get out of. In my desperate struggles I could not take off my heavy backpack to allow me to stand because it would sink in the deep powder. I was also not sure anyone could have pulled my backpack out of the deep powder. My friends could not reach down to give me a hand to help me up fearing they would fall as well, which could cause me to sink deeper into the snow. I struggled some more with all of my might and eventually pulled myself up to my skis. I fell a couple more times shortly after that and vowed to never fall again. The amount of energy exerted attempting to get up again was not worth falling.

Soon our ski tracks were so deep we could not easily get out of them. The person leading the group used the most energy since they had to plow through the very deep powder to make the tracks for the rest of us to follow. To give the leader a rest we would rotate duties at leading.

At one point in our trek a small mouse came running down the snow-covered road. It took a turn and unfortunately fell into our deep ski tracks. Due to the deep track it could not climb out. Stan tried to help the mouse by picking it up with his basket on the ski tip pole and gently flung it out of the track. To our astonishment and sadness this extremely light mouse fell into the snow and sunk out of sight. As we continued we thought this mouse would eventually climb back to the surface of the snow.

We Found Our Friends

Hours passed and we all wished we were at the barn or could find our friends Tom, Pat and John in the snow storm.

As we rounded the next bend in the road through the darkness and falling snow we could see a snow-covered tent in the middle of the road. With excitement we found it to be our friends. They were also happy to see us. They explained the storm had become too severe for them to see in the whiteout conditions and since neither of them had ever been to the barn they were concerned they would never find it so they stayed in the middle of the road hoping to have us come along. They offered to squeeze us into their tent with them to spend the night.

We thought we were about half way to our destination of the barn which could provide adequate shelter therefore we turned down their offer to stay with them. Before we left Tom, Pat and John told us they would meet us at the barn in the morning.

Many more hours passed as we ploughed through the very deep powder with the snow storm continuing to intensify.

Most of the time nobody was talking as we traveled. This lack of continuous conversation could have been to help maintain our strength and save our energy, or maybe we were just too tired or in a daze of self contemplation. We could not get food from our backpacks during our trek because if the others were like me my fingers were too cold to unzip my zippers on my backpack. Also, if we took off our backpacks they would sink in the very deep powder.

The sound around us was muffled due to the falling snow and the snow-covered trees that surrounded us. When I looked up all I could see through the falling snow was a light glow of darkness. This color gently transitioned   to the brighter color of the snow on the mountains and road we skied on making this environment a silent surreal experience. I am sure the temperature was far below freezing outside. Due to the amount of exercise I had been doing and my proper clothing my body did not feel too cold except for my hands and feet.

We Made it to Our Shelter (the Barn)

In the distance through darkness and falling snow we thought we could see a structure. Once we got closer and confirmed it was the barn this sight brought happiness and anticipation with the thought of shelter and rest. As we skied up closer to the barn we were all terribly disappointed because we found that someone had taken down all the walls on the barn. The barn still had a roof, although there were now only boards of the frame with large gaps in-between each holding up the roof. We were all very exhausted and needed to rest. Our friends were too far away to go back during such a severe storm at this point, therefor we all made our way into the shelter of the barn.

After removing my backpack I was so terribly thirsty I went to look for water in the Sandusky Creek while Terry and Stan waited at the barn.  Although the creek was only approximately 50 feet away I was gone at least half an hour attempting to locate the creek in the blizzard and darkness. Unfortunately I returned without water since I was unable to reach the creek due to the deep snow. I   also felt my attempt to locate the creek in the blizzard was getting extremely dangerous and I also sensed if I proceeded it would be like committing suicide. When I returned to the barn I laid down on my sleeping bag and insolated pad and huddled near where Stan and Terry were in their sleeping bags. We were all very hungry and thirsty. We were all too tired to get any food out of our backpacks. Plus, my fingers were too cold to unzip the zippers on my backpack to get at my food, or my stove to heat up some snow to melt and get any drinking water. This was the first time I had taken off my backpack or sat down in hours and although I was beyond exhausted sitting felt nice.

While lying on my back in my sleeping bag in the wilderness approximately 1.5 - 2 miles away from the closest small town I was cold and exhausted. Attempting to sleep occasional snowflakes would fall onto my eyelids. During the night I kept a plastic water bottle filled with snow snuggled against my body. During the night I prayed my body heat would melt the snow in the water bottle enabling me to quench my dire thirst. In the morning I attempted to drink from the water bottle and unfortunately found no water. I was very disappointed none of the snow melted after enduring an uncomfortable sleepless night with a cold snow filled water bottle huddled next to me.

Morning Had Come

All too soon it was morning. We knew we could not stay another night in this barn without any walls. The blizzard was still going strong outside and we realized we needed to leave quickly. When we looked at the opening where a door would go if this barn had one we noticed this exit was almost covered to the top of the door jam with fresh powder. With astonishment of almost being completely snowed in we planned our next actions. We literally had to climb out after digging the snow out of the way to get back to ground level to start our journey again. In an attempt to leave as quickly as possible with a goal to make it back to Forest City before it got dark I skipped eating. If I did have anything I could have had a small piece of beef jerky.

By morning the very light powder snow was so deep we could only travel inches at a time. The person in the lead would kick their ski back-and-forth under the snow until one ski tip would eventually break through to the surface. Once the ski was free they then lifted the ski up as high as possible then took one step forward into the very soft powder. After the ski was on somewhat solid snow again this exhausting process would be repeated over and over again to travel. We used this technique as we carved a trench approximately 4 feet or more deep enabling the ones following the leader to follow in their tracks. The powder was so light on either side of the trench; my ski poles never hit any solid snow as they felt like I was swinging them freely without any resistance in thin air. By now all of us were exhausted beyond words. The strongest and most experienced skier had to take the lead most of the way.

The others behind the lead skier would hardly move while waiting for the leader to take another step forward. Since I was not an experienced skier I would usually be near the end of the line of our group waiting for the leader to take a step. While I waited I would constantly be doing deep knee bends, touching my toes and moving my fingers and toes to help prevent severe frost bite which could require amputations when I returned. I would also move my upper body from side to side enabling the snow that had accumulated on me to fall off my backpack. I would also occasionally reach up on my backpacked behind my head and scoop off some snow to suck on to moisten my mouth. I was cautious not to eat too much snow since I did not want to lower my body temperature by eating large amounts of it.

We Found Our Friends Again

After skiing for a few hours, we eventually found our friends Tom, Pat and John on the snow-covered dirt road where we had left them. They were packing up their gear and tent most likely to start their trek to the barn where they thought we would be. They explained their igloo-style dome tent had become completely covered with snow by morning. As they opened the zipper to the door of the tent they encountered a wall of snow which caused the other side of the tent to collapse. It was a rude awakening after experiencing a cold night, therefor they realized they had to head back to the car as this trip was not turning out as they hoped for. They had packed up their food and hot drinks, although they had a little left which Terry graciously accepted. Pat was having difficulties with the skis he rented and at one point he lost one of his clips that held his ski boot to his ski. I thought to myself if we did not find the clip so Pat could put his skis back on there was no way we could get him out since the snow was far too deep for him to travel without skis. Luckily after a little digging around in the powder we found his boot clip.

Soon all of us were slowly and painfully on our way back to Forest City. During the many hours we traveled I kept thinking to myself over and over again that I would not let myself die. I felt how easy it would be to give up and lay down and die in the snow. I felt I would not feel any pain and die peacefully if I chose this option. I felt as if death would be just like going to sleep and never waking up. Since giving up was not an option for me I continued.

Looking through the falling snow we noticed an object off in the distance. This was the snow-covered bridge going over the creek that connected the snow-covered dirt road we were on back to the road where we had parked our cars. Since we were almost back to our cars we began to feel a sense of relief thinking our ordeal was almost over.

We made it Back to Forest City, Now What?

After a grueling 11 hours of traveling the approximately 1.5 -2 miles to make it back to Forest City from the barn we were almost there. I thought about how much energy and calories I used during this long trek.

Upon crossing the bridge to Forest City just before reaching the main road which was plowed the   snow was up to our waist/chest/chins depending on the height of the person and where we stood on the road. Stan looked over at Tom as he impatiently made parallel tracks with him and all Stan could see was Tom’s head above the snow!

At this time two men from a house of he distance a little way up the road stood out on the road watching us struggle in the snow as we passed below the cemetery. Once we had crossed the bridge and made it to the main road that was partially plowed we began to look for our cars. To our astonishment all we could see when we looked in the direction where we had parked our cars were two snow moguls completely burying our cars. The road was also covered with many feet of snow therefore we could not get out even if our cars were not buried.

Attempting to Locate Shelter

Since our cars were buried our first thought was to camp in the snow-covered road. Then we thought about our second option which was to attempt to get to one of the houses in the very small town to find shelter. We could see a couple of houses off the road although they looked almost impossible to get to due to our exhausted state and the deep snow.

As we looked around we could not see or hear any sign of life not even the two people we had seen earlier as we passed below the cemetery. We figured, maybe most people no longer live in Forest City or had left for the winter.

The first house on the road had a large covered porch in which we planned on taking shelter under. It was very difficult getting up to the porch from the road due to the amount of deep snow. I was so exhausted I stayed back on the snow-covered road while Stan made it to the house. Stan took off his skis and took one step onto the stairs of the porch and suddenly   a roof-load of snow fell off the tin roof on him. We were all so tired, nobody said a word, not even Stan. Stan then climbed out of the snow and just to be sure nobody was home he knocked on the door to ask who ever lived there if we could take shelter on the porch. When the door opened an elderly lady, Miss Vivian (what the local's called her) answered. She quickly said "If you are stupid enough to be out in this storm you deserve to die and slammed the door shut. Stan immediately knocked again, and this time her husband answered. He let us use the phone and Stan called one of his local contacts Scott in Pike although he was also snowed in and couldn't help us. After the phone call Miss Vivian's husband brought all six of us coffee which we all gratefully accepted as we drank it down. Even though Miss Vivian was still not going to let us stay on her front porch, we at least had gotten some fluid into us which sparked some life into our dreadfully tired bodies.

Caring and Generous Person Shows Up Out of Nowhere

The only other person in town must have seen us and walked over to us as Miss Vivian was rejecting our pleas for shelter. This kind stranger named Ralph quickly told us we could stay in his basement. Upon hearing this excellent news we became very grateful and happy. It looked like we would survive. After we had skied to Ralph’s house we took off our backpacks and skis on his porch. We then followed each other through Ralph’s house to the basement as his wife Asbestos looked on, probably wondering who these six strangers are and why are they in my home. The basement had a single light bulb hanging by a wire in the center of the room. Some snow blew in through the foundation skirting and gave the appearance that the walls of the foundation were made of snow. Also plywood littered the ground. It was not the most pleasant accommodations, although we were   very grateful!

After taking off our wet clothes we hung them over the pipes in this basement to allow them to dry. Now that we were on solid ground I was now able to get into my backpack easily for the first time and eat some snacks.

Some time later, Ralph who invited us to stay in his basement told us to come and have some hot food his wife Asbestos had caringly prepared for us. My eyes sparkled with joy in anticipation hearing this exciting news. We all went into the living room where they had a nice warm fire going. We all had a dinner of beef stroganoff, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, vegetables, pie for dessert and drinks.

While we were sitting around eating we over heard a conversation on the CB or short-wave radio (not sure what kind of radio). Ralph who was a gold mine manager had people who worked for him who were still lost out in the blizzard possibly out towards the Ruby mine above Downieville. We could tell from his conversation he was organizing a rescue party for the morning. Ralph’s foreman was also trapped in a mobile home a couple hundred yards up the hill from his house. They talked on the radio and at one point the foreman said his generator had died and he was going to go see if he could fix it so the heater would work. He let Ralph know in case he didn't make it back. Eventually he radioed back saying he got it running again. He had used a piece of plywood and laid it across the snow, crawled across the plywood, and repeated the process to and from the generator until it was running.

Ralph enjoyed telling a few people on the radio about the crazy young guys he took in that were actually trying to camp in this storm.

That night we all slept peacefully in the living room instead of the basement. As soon as the sun rose we all enjoyed a hearty home cooked breakfast prepared by our gracious hosts. As soon as we were done with our delicious breakfast we got shovels and dug out our kind host’s truck.

As we were digging it out with joy and gratitude, he told us a helicopter was coming to take him to try to find his workers. By now the snow had stopped. We noticed the thermometer on the porch registered 10 degrees. This made me wonder how cold the temperature was when it was dark outside or when the blizzard was in its most fierce stage.

After we had freed Ralph’s truck we then placed plywood over his windows on his house to keep the snow from breaking them before the snow plow/ blower came up the road. We had to cover the windows because the snow plow’s blower chute was broken and wouldn't change directions allowing the snow to be blown away from the house.

Soon the snow plow/ blower came and cleared the road. We watched in anticipation as the snow plow/ blower driver just missed the Alfa Romeo I had ridden up in by inches. The driver cleared the road so close to Stan’s car that after the snow plow/ blower passed some red paint on one of the doors was now exposed. The car antenna was now bent possibly from the weight of the snow.

We had to move our cars before they could land the helicopter. After we dug around our cars we pulled them out from the snow banks with Ralph’s vehicle. Not long after our cars were free the helicopter landed in the road and picked up Ralph, our caring and thoughtful person, who may have saved our life’s and was now off to attempt to rescue his own workers.

Time to Depart Our Winter Wonderland and Celebrate

After our cars were free from the snow bank we quickly packed up our two cars and left for home on April 2^nd before any other snowstorms rolled in. In our car with Stan, Terry and myself we celebrated by singing songs with joy in our hearts, listened to music and talked all the way home. We had conversations about the happiness of life and how lucky we were to survive such an ordeal. We also talked about our gracious hosts Ralph and Asbestos and how some people can be so caring and generous. I also thought about Miss Vivian who declined to assist us when we first made it back from Lucky Dog to Forest City. It could be she was afraid of six strangers and did not know how to react. I was grateful to have had previous experiences in the mountains which helped with this challenging blizzard adventure.

Safely Back Home

When we arrived home, our families, friends and co-workers were happy and relieved to see us alive and safe. I felt my ability to return home safe was a joyous celebration and a second chance at life. The blizzard had been on all the local news channels and everyone who knew where we were had been a bit worried knowing we were out in such severe elements.

When I returned to my then employer Gemco department store in Cupertino California one of my managers Clint quickly walked over to me and said with joy in his voice “we thought you had died”.

I did not know at the time how beneficial experiencing such a perseverance to survive our cross-country ski trip in an extreme blizzard would assist me later in life. This experience may have assisted me in some way when in May of 1999 I had my second experience with the possibility of dying. This experience was due to suddenly going into a coma for 3 months, going completely blind, losing the ability to walk for 1 year, enduring many surgeries, medical procedures and countless hours of therapy and training to re-skill myself.

One thing I do regret about the trip is that my fingers were so cold I could not get my camera out of my backpack during our cross country ski trip. When we made it back to Forest City I was focused on how we would get out and back home therefor I was only able to take the few picture's below.

Captions to Pictures

John, Terry, Stan, and Tom all dressed in wool shoveling snow around a vehicle as Terry smiles.

 

Ralph’s house as the snow plow/ blower makes its way up the road.

Stan’s Alfa Romeo buried in snow

Beautiful snow covered hillside and snow covered trees

 

Statistics from This Major Storm We Survived

From Tahoe Nuggets #230 WINTER OF 1982: 

It’s been 30 years since one of the deadliest avalanches in Sierra Nevada history broke loose at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and killed seven people. For those of us who remember this tragic event on March 31, 1982, and the days of grief and hope that followed, it represents a benchmark in time. The 15.5 feet of snow that fell at the Central Sierra Snow Lab between March 27 and April 8, 1982, still ranks as the greatest single snowstorm total on record for Donner Summit.

The Donner Summit Caltrans rest area on Interstate 80 is approximately 37 air miles from Forest City.

Noted in the San Francisco Chronicle for Thursday April 1 and Friday April 2 1982:

6 feet of new snow fell on April 1st and then 4 additional feet fell on April 2nd.

216 inches or 18 feet of snow fell at the Mammoth Lakes area.

The article called it “the biggest early spring storm on record”.

Read the complete articles San Francisco Chronicle graciously provided below. Note to some Assistive Technology Users the PDF files will need to have Optical Recognition performed on them.

Download 1-SFC-April_01_1982_page_1

Download 2-SFC-April_01_1982_back_page_column_1

Download 3-SFC-April_02_1982_page_1

Download 4-SFC-April_02_1982_page_4_column_1

Download 5-SFC-April_02_1982_back_page_column_1 

Conclusion and Reflections

One does not know how one’s previous experiences can be invaluable for any future challenge. You never know how the current challenging and difficult times can provide invaluable learning opportunities. Has anyone else experienced such compassion as we did when Ralph rescued us you want to tell us about? Do you have any camping, backpacking or cross-country ski trips experiences where you needed to push yourself demonstrating perseverance you want to share? Does anyone have comments about our trip?

We all look forward to hearing from you.

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.tipton.39

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Quick Exploration of Boulder Creek Area: Plus Some Needed Relaxation

In July I had a couple of day’s free from my profession (work) which I truly enjoy although I wanted to take full advantage of my time off from work. Generally I work 5-7 days a week and approximately 50-60 or more hours a week and was ready for some relaxation.  I am completely blind and cannot drive myself to locations I enjoy although I could take a taxi even Uber to travel if I really wanted to get away by myself.  When my friend asked me to join him on an overnight trip to Bolder Creek I jumped at the chance to get away. I love mountains and I used to go to them weekly if not daily when I could see and drive myself. To be sure this was a successful trip I carefully packed my things I would need and made sure I could find each item by touch alone. My loving wife Kathy assisted me with packing even though she would not be accompanying me on this trip.

Time for Fun and Relaxation- Day 1:

As soon as we arrived at my friend’s cabin in Bolder Creek I got out of the car and felt the warm air against my skin and breathed in the fresh dry mountain air scented by the trees and shrubs which immediately began to relax me. After unpacking we sat out on the deck at the back of the cabin that overlooks the San Lorenzo River and had lunch. I could hear people laughing as they swam or waded in the river. I could also hear the occasional ducks quacking in the background as I imagined them swimming in the river.

After lunch we stopped by a nursery where I purchased a native California plant to plant in my yard to attract Monarch butterflies.

Besides some relaxing and visiting with each other as we drove around we went on a walk completing the Redwood Grove Loop Trail at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton. I enjoyed the relaxing walk through the very large Redwood trees and through a variety of other native plants and trees. I even enjoyed feeling and smelling the trees bark and plants as we took our leisurely walk in the filtered sun. 

After our walk since my wife Kathy is full blooded Italian, plus I like Italian cookies as well, I had to stop by Ben Lomond Baking Company to sample some Italian cookies including Cucidatis (Italian fig cookies). 

To conclude our enjoyable Thursday my friend and I met up with one of my longtime friends who I have known since 1^st grade for a nice dinner and conversation in town at Scopazzi's Restaurant. Since the night was so pleasant we were able to enjoy our delicious dinner on the outdoor patio. To end our evening all three of us went back to the cabin where we continued our conversation.

Time for More Fun and Relaxation- Day 2:

After a nice breakfast at my friend’s cabin we visited with a few friendly nearby neighbors in the warm air surrounded by Pine, Oak and Bay Laurel trees with some birds chirping here and there. When we concluded our visiting and exploring the forest /woods we drove to Spanky's Cafe where we had an enjoyable lunch in this restored old farm house. When we finished our lunch my friend and I did some other exploring including visiting a place where they sell wooden carvings so I could feel the beautiful wood work and imagine in my minds-eye what each piece looked like.  We then planned to conclude our day by relaxing on Davenport Landing beach.

To get to Davenport from Boulder Creek we cut over the mountains and headed directly towards Bonny Doon Beach. The roads were windy with a lot of elevation changes until we eventually dropped off onto Highway 1and headed north to Davenport Landing Beach. Once we arrived we carried our beach essentials down a large sand dunes until we found a perfect spot near the ocean and a cliff face and cove. Relaxing in the nice warm air with the gentle breeze on the beach was very refreshing since it was 68 degrees which was more than 30 degrees cooler than BC which was 98-100 degrees which we had left earlier in the day. I also enjoyed listening to the waves and the people around us enjoying themselves by playing an acoustic guitar or playing music on boom boxes very softly off in the distance. It was very relaxing as I laid on my back in the sun on the soft warm sand imagining in my mind’s eye the surfers, wind surfers or others playing in the waves that were actually out there although I could not physically see them. 

Time to Conclude Our Fun and Relaxation:

When we concluded our enjoyable beach experience it was time to return home. After returning home to the very hot Santa Clara Valley (on that day ) it was time to unpack and return to my standard daily routine, which I also enjoy, although quite different than the exploration and relaxation I just experienced over the last two days.

Have you been able to find methods to relax like I describe above? Did you have any opportunities for exploration you were not expecting? Do you have any tips to make our opportunities turn out the best for all involved despite any perceived or actual challenges you may have?

We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bill.tipton.39

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton 

Fresh Ocean Air, Quality Time with Family & Friends Heals & Revitalizes

In late June I was blessed to be able to participate in a family vacation in Aptos California with 18 members of my wife Kathy’s side of the family. What made this experience extra special besides the obvious of sharing exceptional memories with others one cares for, I had not been back to the ocean for a family vacation since 2012 which I describe in Family Vacation: Creating Memories, Enjoying Companionship and Nature.

Although I had an enormous amount of work to complete (which realistically for all never ends) I am grateful I allowed myself to take this needed vacation and had faith I would be able to catch up on my work when I returned.

As soon as we arrived at our destination I immediately sensed the stress melting away from my body as I felt the sun against my skin, listened to the ocean waves and breathed in the fresh ocean air. I had no idea such a vacation would positively and immediately affect my mental and physical health (beside one mishap I will explain later). Being completely blind I utilize other senses to interpret my environmental surroundings and mood of the occasion since I can’t see facial expressions. As I listened to the excitement of the others around me my senses instantly confirmed that we were about to experience a fun-filled vacation.

Just a Few of the Enjoyable Activities I Experienced:

• Lounging and relaxing while sitting by the pool feeling the warmth of the sun on my bodyRelaxing at the beach lying on my beach towel on the comfortable sand as the gentle sea breeze cooled me slightly from the heat of the sun
• Lounging and sitting out on the patio at the condo we were staying in listening to the ocean waves, breathing in fresh air and feeling the warmth of the sun on my body
• Sharing many meals with my family members including the ones we prepared ourselves and the ones we went out to restaurants for
• Listening to my cousin play his guitar as we sang along under the stars with the ocean waves glistening from the star light as our backdrop
• Listening to the happy laughter from my family as they played fun games together
• Going on nature walks with my wife Kathy as she described the beautiful scenery to me which was filled with the ocean, bushes, trees, hills and ravines which we crossed on footbridges
• Experienced the excitement of the others as they described to me the many dolphins jumping completely out of the bright blue clear ocean water which they could see from our condo’s patio and balcony
• In the mornings and the evenings I would picture in my mind’s eye as the others described to me such as the many fawns (baby deer) with their parents close by eating right outside the windows of our patio
• Engaged in many conversations in which I seldom have the opportunity to experience the sustained quality time together
• Experienced the joy of partnering with many as we shared living quarters
• Going to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with my wife Kathy, two of my great nieces and one friend we each drove the bumper cars, played arcade games, went on other rides, ate corn dogs, hamburgers and deep fried artichoke hearts
• Not letting a nasty fall the first day of our vacation slow me down in which I bruised and scraped up my left knee badly and slightly sprained my left ankle and foot (I found out about the sprain when I returned home and was examined by my doctor)

 Observations and Reinforcements of Experiences:

• Life passes us by very quickly therefore we should make time and cherish time with loved ones instead of focusing on non-critical activities or inanimate objects
• In our very hectic and fast paced world most of us live in today we can always justify not taking time out of life to spend with loved ones because we feel we are too busy
• Taking time for rest and rejuvenation actually enhances our productivity and creativity when we return to our career or other important personal or professional commitments
• If you are fortunate enough to receive invites to be with others do not selfishly decline thinking only of yourself because possibly others might benefit from your presence
• If you happen to fall and receive injuries like I did (which I am almost completely healed), it is best to have such good fortune of having an emergency room doctor see me fall, causing them to stop their car and get out to help my wife Kathy deliver first aid to me
• Lastly, you never know what will happen in life and the opportunity you pass up to share with others may be your last chance

Does anyone have examples of vacation experiences that benefited you? Do you have any other  experiences I did not list that reinforces the fact that we need to take time out of life’s busy schedule to spend it with others rather than spending our spare time focusing on non-critical activities or inanimate objects? Do you happen to have a disability like I do or have any temporary challenges that you were able to overcome in order to participate in family vacations?

I look forward to hearing your valuable comments to help us continue this important discussion.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton 

Seek Out or Accept and Enjoy New Activities Life Offers Us

Do you enjoy the sensations of experiencing activities you have never done before? I love the excitement, sensations and challenges of experiencing new opportunities life offers us. Since I lost my eyesight a few years ago I am blessed to experience many activities as if experiencing them for my first time. Participating in and experiencing activities with eyesight was much different then compared to the way I participate today. After awakening from a   three month coma and losing my eyesight I temporarily lost the ability to walk for one year among losing the capabilities of performing many simple tasks for most people including speaking and feeding myself. Although this life changing medical situation provided plenty of opportunities to experience new activities and re-learn others, I continue to make an effort to look for new opportunities to experience life.

 

Opportunity for a New Activity:

Last month I was grateful to get the opportunity to experience two activities with a friend I had never done before, even when I had eyesight.

The first activity was taking a ferryboat ride from the Ferry Building in San Francisco (SF) CA to Sausalito CA crossing part of the bay to get there and back.

It was a bright clear warm sunny day without any wind when we arrived in San Francisco the day of our trip. We found a parking spot in a parking garage and walked to the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street, which was a few blocks away from where we parked our car. As we quickly made our way through the Ferry Building my friend described some of the stores and the farmer’s market items in the building. Walking down the city streets and through the building allowed my senses to be filled with enjoyable sounds, smells and the sensation of a large city along with the scents of what smelled like delicious food lofting through the air in the farmers market. Before I knew it we were at the terminal where our ferryboat was to depart.

Boarding the Ferryboat:

To get to the ferryboat we walked across a ramp or two that lead to the boat. One of the ramps I was walking on swayed slightly from the movement of the waves at the point where one ramp connected to the other. This required more concentration on my part as I was walking to help prevent me from slipping off the ramp. After boarding the ferryboat my friend guided me through what seemed like a simple maze of corridors and ramps. Very soon we had reached our destination on the top level of the ferryboat near the front (bow) so we could sit outside in the sun and fresh air and be away from the noise of the engines.

Ferryboat Ride to Sausalito:

After we reached our destination on the top level I took a seat in the sun and the fresh bay air and began to happily anticipate the ride. I had never been on a ferryboat ride so I had no idea of what to expect.  To my astonishment the ferryboat took off so smoothly and quietly I could hardly feel it moving. Once we picked up some speed I could tell we were moving by listening to the sounds of the mild waves lapping against the boat as we moved effortlessly through the water. As I sat in the sun hypnotized with intense relaxation I enjoyed the feel of the cool wind against my face.

My friend described the amazing scenery to me as we passed the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Coit Tower, San Francisco, Sausalito and the Golden Gate Bridge among many more incredible sights on this clear day with dazzling blue skies above.

As I sat on the ferryboat listening to the sounds of the few commuters, many tourists and feeling the gentle movement of the ferryboat I was so intensely relaxed I could not believe it. Although I wished the ferryboat ride would never end we soon arrived at Sausalito and it was time for a new adventure.

 

Walk and Lunch in Sausalito:

The second activity started after departing the ferryboat. We walked on paths near the water and by a park filled with people enjoying the town and excellent weather. Since it was lunchtime when our ferryboat docked, we soon found a great place to eat lunch with an outstanding view of the bay just outside the window from our table. After our relaxing and delicious lunch we felt refreshed so we walked through the town experiencing the many interesting sights. I had never been to Sausalito and as my friend described the water/bay, boats on the bay, buildings, old Victorian houses and the natural sites I took it all in my mind’s eye and could imagine it all clearly.

Ferryboat Ride Back to SF to Conclude my Trip:

After our lunch, leisurely walk and relaxing on a park bench in the sun listening to and talking with some of the friendly tourist from all over the world we took the ferryboat back to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. On the ride back the wind had picked up compared to our first bay crossing although still an extremely pleasant ride I wished was longer. To conclude our trip we had a relaxing walk back through the Ferry Building, Farmers Market and down the city streets ending up where we had parked our car.

My friend described my surroundings so well on our day trip along with the physical sensations all around me making me feel so entirely immersed in the visual sensations that I never once even thought about not having my eyesight.

 

Does anyone enjoy experiencing new activities? What did you learn from taking calculated risks to overcome any discomfort and what seemed like obstacles to experience joy, gratitude and inclusion? Does anyone have examples of when you had the chance to experience new activities life has to offer and chose to participate instead of sitting on the sideline?

I look forward to hearing your valuable thoughts and comments.

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Family Vacation: Creating Memories, Enjoying Companionship and Nature

On a recent family vacation this July, I was grateful to have the ability to visualize in my minds-eye multiple dolphins jumping in groups and individually, whales spouting water into the air from their blow holes with each breath as they surfaced and swam in the vivid blue Pacific Ocean in Monterey Bay, CA. there were adult and baby deer grazing in the nearby fields, seagulls squawking, pelicans and many other birds flying overhead and running on the ground. There was even one raccoon who was attempting to get into one of the places where some of our family members were staying.

I am truly thankful to have had the opportunity to experience this trip with 11 other family members, which included my wife Kathy, two of my nieces, two of my nephews, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, 3 great nieces, 1 great nephew, and my great niece’s friend, ranging in ages from 8 to 71 years.

Even though all I see is blackness due to my blindness, I can still look into the deep blue ocean, clear blue sky, hills, mountains and ravines filled with grasses, bushes and trees to see, feel and sense nature surrounding me. I am also grateful to have had family with me who did not mind describing some of the surroundings and wildlife, as we walked or rode to local destinations, in golf cart type vehicles that were provided to assist guests in getting around the facilities and the local recreational activities at the place where we were staying.

Besides the enjoyable companionship, I enjoyed waking up each morning and listening to the sound of the peaceful ocean waves, birds singing, seagulls squawking, experiencing the warm breeze and the feel of the sun’s rays warming my body, which  created a truly relaxed atmosphere. The fragrance of the flowers, bushes and trees were exhilarating and awakened senses that are, in my opinion, stifled, living in cities or large towns away from nature. 

During our vacation, we enjoyed many wonderful activities, including going to the beach multiple times to enjoy the sun and water. After lying on the beach relaxing on a blanket in the sand, I decided to cool off. I walked into the ocean water with my support cane and felt the crisp, cold water splash up against my legs as the ocean water rushed in all around me. Lying on my back in the sun I listened to the thrill in my family’s voices as they watched the dolphins jumping and the blue whales spouting in the magnificently blue ocean. This was a wonderful experience. I had never seen a dolphin in the wild and never been so close to a whale in the wild when I had eyesight, therefore I was grateful to have these experiences seeing through my family’s eyes and their descriptions of dolphins and whales swimming so close to all of us.

Listening to my great nieces and great nephew riding boogie boards, and building remarkable sand castles filled the environment with very cheerful sounds of joy and exhilaration.

There was also the sound of happiness of others watching one of my nieces and my wife Kathy wading in the ocean surf, as a large wave caught Kathy off guard and got her a little more wet than she anticipated as she yelled out with joy when the wave splashed up against her. From the sounds that filled the air I could sense everybody was having a delightful time, including me!

While my nephews played Frisbee, the rest of us enjoyed just being together, eating, laughing, playing and having a great day at the beach.

We all enjoyed sharing great meals together on our vacation. One of the highlights was when we had a delicious dinner, perfectly cooked barbeque (BBQ) with a variety of delicious side dishes and salads some of us caringly prepared to go with the BBQ. We had such a large group we all could not sit together, therefore some of us enjoyed our dinner inside and others sat outside while we watched dolphins and whales jumping and spouting in the ocean just off the seashore. After a delicious dinner we all went to the beach and sat around a large fire under the twinkling bright stars in the dark sky, where we all roasted marshmallows and made smores, which were delicious. The smell of the burning wood and the crackling sound of the campfire was relaxing, since these smells and sounds reminded me of camping.  While we all enjoyed each other’s companionship sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows and making S’mores, large brightly colored fireworks exploded above our heads on the beach. They exploded with bright shapes in all directions as my family described to me so I could vividly visualize this in my minds-eye. Other highlights of our vacation were eating delicious breakfasts, drinking coffee, tea or juice each morning with the companionship of family while breathing the clean fresh ocean air and listening to the ocean waves outside. Each morning we would look out the windows of the place where we were staying and could see deer grazing with their fawns which had white spots.  This was a wonderful and peaceful sight with the grey blue ocean just off in the distance.

What also made me happy was when other family members would visit each morning to share gratitude and joy, (and food and beverages too), while we prepared to experience a wonderful day at the ocean. I say visit us, because of the size of our group we needed to stay in two places.  Our places were so close to each other, we could walk to them when we wanted to. 

Over the couple of days we all spent together I never felt like I was limited by not having any eyesight. I participated in all of the activities and fun. If I needed assistance, there were family members around to assist. Even my great nieces and great nephew were happy to sight guide me to some locations I was not familiar with. I felt so comfortable on our vacation, if I got disoriented while walking outside by myself using my long white cane for navigation and short support cane, the strangers I met on my walk were so friendly, accommodating and helpful with any verbal guidance I ask for, I never experienced any limitation I could not overcome. Having my wife Kathy to also assist significantly helped to ensure a successful and wonderful vacation.

I understand that packing, planning, prioritizing and preparing for a vacation is time consuming, especially if you have a disability or are experiencing other challenges which may limit some of your activities. I also understand without assistance it might not be possible to go on a vacation for many reasons. Since I am completely blind and can’t drive  a motor vehicle, and public transportation is not always available or accessible without the assistance of others getting to some locations, and receiving some assistants locating what I need to pack for a vacation I might not be able to attend such vacations. And there are some people without any challenges or limitations, who choose not to participate because they do not want to take the time to plan and prioritize their personal or professional life to experience an enjoyable vacation.

I hope you will not let any challenge deter you from participating in trips or vacations with family or friends. I also hope you can cherish the value of sharing companionship with others, and the value of unselfish behavior and attitude. Even if some trip modifications and assistive technology (Low or High Tech) are necessary for an effective and enjoyable vacation, it is worth the planning and sacrifices to create lifelong positive memories.

We all look forward to hearing your comments, vacation stories and the value of sharing your experiences and how they were of value to you and others. 

Bill Tipton

 

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Day at the Races 2: Life’s Circumstances Change - Adapt, Participate and Enjoy

A few years ago, I experienced my first auto race as a person who had become completely blind suddenly, which I describe in Day at the Races.

 

I am happy I had the opportunity to attend my second race, American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at Laguna Seca Raceway, as a person who is blind, with my brother. I am also pleased my wife Kathy was able to accompany us and visit with my brother’s girlfriend while my brother and I were at the races in the beautiful hills above Monterey, California.

 

 

I attended these sports car races for two straight days which presented unique learning opportunities for prioritizing, planning and preparation, which included ensuring I packed Assistive Technology (Low & High-tech), food, beverages and any essential medical supplies to promote a successful trip. When I had eyesight I had been to this 2.238 mile (3.602 KM), 11 corner road race course track with many elevation changes many times, therefore I was prepared to do some walking throughout the days.

 

Day One:

After an excellent lunch in Carmel we dropped off my wife Kathy at my brother’s girlfriend’s house and my brother and I spent a few hours at the race track getting ourselves oriented to prepare us for the main race day. I will explain more about the track and the cars in Day Two. While my brother and I were exploring the race track, Kathy was visiting with my brother’s girlfriend and keeping their dog company. After a short exploration around the race complex and track, watching and listening to some cars practicing and qualifying, we returned back to my brother’s girlfriend’s house and we met up with my wife Kathy, my brother’s girlfriend and we went out and had a delightful dinner. After dinner we sat and enjoyed each other’s company, visiting and talking throughout the evening.

 

Day Two:

When we arrived at the race track complex and found the parking for the disabled, I was pleasantly surprised to find they also had special golf like carts to assist the disabled to get to the race track from the parking area, and return rides after the event. I remember when I had eyesight and drove myself to many races at this track I would park for what seemed like miles away, and walked over multiple hills to get to the race track. Therefore, you can tell why I was so happy to find these accommodations.

 

After arriving at the race track I was very glad to find many of the dirt paths that used to be steep and narrow trails around some locations at the race track many years ago were now paved, widened and from my observation (sense only), the paths I did walk on seemed to be wheel chair accessible. Finding the paths around the race track to be more accessible was a great relief since I walk with the assistance of two canes, one long white cane and one support cane. Walking on steep, narrow and rocky dirt trails with a variety of elevation changes could have been hazardous with no eyesight.

 

When I first arrived at the race track there wasn’t a problem holding a conversation with my brother as the cars whizzed by us producing a consistent sound. My brother looked at the paper schedule we were given and found this race to be cars from one auto manufacturer and one type of car. This was the reason for the consistent sound emanating from the cars. After that race ended we took the opportunity to walk to and through the pits where I was able to touch some racing wheels and tires that were stacked near a semi truck trailer from one of the many tire manufacturers that supplied tires to the racing teams. We took this opportunity of being close to the racing teams to talk with a member of my favorite ALMS GT racing team, the Flying Lizard Motorsports.

 

After exploring the pits enabling us to get close to the race cars, race teams, food and drinks, along with many other things to do and see we stopped shortly for some freshly grilled lunch. After our lunch we walked back to a location near the track for the start of the main race of the day which the Flying Lizard Motorsports Team was racing in. We set up our portable chairs we carried on our backs, that doubled as day packs just outside the two fences that protected us from the cars on the track. We relaxed in the sun and took time to replenish ourselves with cool drinks we carried in our daypacks, along with some snacks.

 

Before we knew it, it was time for the cars to start their engines and do some warm up laps. I immediately noticed a drastic difference in the sound of these cars compared to the cars we heard when we first arrived at the race track. Then the flag person waved the green flag to start the race, I imagined in my minds-eye, since even if I had vision we could not see the flag person from our position on the race track. Soon after the start of the race the scream of the cars breezed past us at much faster speeds then the cars in the earlier race. The cars produced a variety of sounds which I enjoyed. Some produced loud deep growls, some loud wines, some smooth quiet whirling noises and other unique sounds came from the variety of cars and manufacturers. Not long after the start of the race the cars were spread all around the track, in clustered groups as I listened to the noises blast past me and felt the rumble in my body. I could distinguish the speed differentiation between the cars, since there were five races within the one race with all types of cars on the track at once racing within their class. This meant that some faster cars were required to negotiate their way around the slower cars, as they battled between others within their own class. When the cars roared, growled, whizzed and buzzed as they accelerated by me I could not hear my brother talking right next to me. I was filled with exhilaration and was having a wonderful time sensing, feeling, smelling (rubber, brakes, oil and hot engines), and hearing the race. This race was a six hour endurance race, therefore we moved to different locations around the track throughout the race to observe and sense the cars at different locations around the race track. This allowed my brother to see, and for me to sense how the cars handled the different terrain and corners during braking and acceleration points.  Moving around the track also gave us the chance to stretch our legs and increase blood circulation.

 

While my brother and I were out in the bright sun,  enjoying the fresh air, gentle breeze, and experiencing a wonderful day at the races, my wife Kathy and my brother’s girlfriend were off near the beach having their own enjoyable day shopping and going to yard sales.

 

After our enjoyable day at the races we met up with my wife and my brother’s girlfriend to share a pleasurable and delicious dinner and dessert, before we packed up to leave the next day.

 

I hope my experience of attending an auto race with no eyesight will encourage you to focus on your abilities, adapt to any life altering circumstances that will enable you to participate in activities you enjoy.

 

I also hope we can look beyond our disabilities, differences or temporary challenges and focus on our abilities with a positive can do attitude (with medical advice as required prior to ensure safety) despite any discomfort we might be experiencing.

 

Has anyone left their comfort zone to participate in an activity they would think could be a challenge? Does anyone have examples they want to share? Any other comments to assist in encouraging us to focus on our abilities and to assist us to adapt to any life altering circumstances to participate in activities we enjoy?

 

We all look forward to hearing your comments and experiences.

 

Bill Tipton

 

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Trust; Walking Without Eyesight

During a leisurely walk on a route I take frequently for exercise and relaxation, I contemplate the importance of trust. I believe the mind-set of trust can be in a person’s own ability, self-confidence, faith, or in others to do the “right thing”.

 

The thought of trust and the value of it occurs frequently when I pass certain locations on a local walking route.

 

I am completely blind and walk with a white support cane in my left hand and in my right hand I swing a long white cane.  I use my long cane to detect obstacles and receive feedback about the surface I am walking on from the cane tip as it touches the ground on every swing. I am constantly listening to the environmental sounds to help with orientation by remembering unique sound landmarks and utilizing auditory senses to detect obstacles by interpreting sound waves as they travel from their source and bounce off surfaces. Soon I hear the noise of motor vehicles passing in front of me getting closer and closer at a perpendicular angle. This is an indication that I am reaching a cross street. Feeling the light prick on my left hand from a sharp Yucca leaf that hangs over the sidewalk causes me to quickly feel my hand for possible injury (blood or deep scratches). I do not feel anything out of the ordinary, so I continue my leisurely walk with a chuckle and a smile.  Not far after passing the Yucca plant I slightly touch a fence to my left with my cane as the sidewalk slopes down and turns left onto another street and I reach a curb cut for a wheelchair access ramp.  I hear noticeably more motor vehicles passing me, going much faster than they were on the street I had just left. My senses and long cane tell me this part of the sidewalk is narrow because I cannot swing my cane to the left too far without hitting a fence, or feeling an abrupt drop off to my right with my cane tip.

 

When I explore this part of the route I discover the sidewalk is a considerable distance above the street which reinforces the need to pay attention so I do not accidently step off the curb. As I get closer to the next corner the motor vehicles are even closer, due to the fact they are coming from the west and turning to the south (cutting the corner). At this point the sidewalk slopes down for a curb cut for a ramp that gently turns to the left as the sidewalk abruptly ends. I carefully step off the curb paying attention to the direction I was walking to enable me to make an accurate direction adjustment, angling my walk to the left slightly enabling me to find a footpath rather than walking into the motor vehicles just in front of me.  Just after stepping off the sidewalk in search of the asphalt footpath, I cautiously walk through grass and dirt sensing hidden obstacles with my feet and canes. I soon feel my feet touch something solid as I then hear the tap of my cane against a hard surface alerting me I have reached the footpath. Feeling the border of the path with my feet I turn left and continue my leisurely and joyful walk.

 

Not long after I get my rhythm going, my cane hits something metallic sounding and very solid causing my body to slightly collide with the obstacle from my forward momentum. I explore the unknown object with my cane while attempting to figure out what could be blocking the footpath.  After some investigation I determine the obstacle is a vehicle parked across the footpath. As I maneuver around the vehicle towards the left, so I do not walk into motor vehicles passing on the street to my right, suddenly my cane hits another metallic obstacle. This obstacle does not sound or feel (with my cane) as solid as the vehicle, although this obstacle has blocked me from continuing down the path. I attempt to find a way around the two obstacles, when I hear a voice speak to me in a language I do not understand. I ask this person I do not know with self confidence and friendliness in my voice, if the path around to the left is clear.  This person answers me in their language which I do not understand. I then feel a trusting and caring hand touch my arm and gently guide me safely around the obstacles. At this point I remember, at times, a person would set up a stand to sell fruit at this corner, and the stand and their vehicle might be what the obstacles are. As I maneuver around the vehicle and other obstacle I ask the friendly person if they are selling strawberries.  This caring person understands the word strawberries and responds “yes”.

 

As I continue my peaceful and exhilarating walk I listen to the babbling creek to my right, and light breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees' canopies. I imagine in my mind’s eye what these images looked like when I had eyesight as I smile with remembrance of the beauty of nature. Suddenly I hear the sound of a bicycle coming up from behind me. Staying calm I demonstrate faith and trust that the rider would see me and my white canes. I slowly move to one side and stop to wait for the bicycle to safely pass. After I hear the bicycle pass very close, I say “hi” to the rider as I wave in their direction and continue my relaxing walk.  The silence of nature and solitude is interrupted by the sound of feet hitting the ground and quiet human breathing coming towards me, providing awareness a jogger is approaching. I continue to walk trusting the jogger will see me and not run into me, but move to one side of the path to allow the jogger room to run by as I say “hello”.

 

As I continue my relaxing walk, the path gently starts to slope down and gradually turns to the left, then to the right. This change of direction and slope is my landmark to start searching for the end of the paved path to enable me to find the sidewalk on the next street. Soon I do not feel anymore dirt border to the left of the path with my cane   alerting me I have passed the end of the path and have started to cross the street. At this point I quickly and abruptly turn to the left and walk back in the direction I had come from, at an angle that will enable my route to end up near the intersection of the street and the sidewalk. Suddenly I touch a dirt border with my feet and cane and follow the border until I feel a curb rise up with my cane tip or my foot (whatever hits it first). I carefully step up on the curb using my support cane to assist. I am now safely half way on my relaxing journey.

 

Continuing my joyful walk, I anticipate the possibility of running into obstacles to keep me alert, providing practice negotiating obstacles, improving my orientation and mobility and cherishing the gratitude of meeting friendly people.  Soon my walk is over leaving me with the desire to take another joyful lap around the block. Every time I go on a walk I am reminded how grateful I am to have the ability to walk.  This attitude comes from knowing what it feels like not being able to walk, get outside or move at all without great difficulty. This is because the same medical condition that took my eyesight away caused me to be unable to walk for one year while I regained my strength and learned how to walk again. I am also grateful I demonstrated faith and self-confidence when the medical specialists told me I would never walk again, and I decided to pursue my dreams of walking again.

 

Do you have examples of when you demonstrated trust? What did you learn from trusting your own ability, self-confidence, trusting others to do the “right thing” or believing in your faith? Do you have any tips to help us increase our trust?

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

Getting Lost is Not Always Bad

Have you ever been in complete pitch blackness where you could not even see your hand in front of your face and been completely lost? I have been in this situation. Read this true story below to learn more.

I was walking down the sidewalk in my neighborhood one day like I do for exercise and relaxation. Daydreams went through my mind as the suns relaxing rays warmed my body. The air smelled fresh as it blew all around me rustling the leaves in the nearby trees. I heard the occasional leaf rustle as it slid and tumbled by me. The delightful fragrances of the flowers and scented trees; like the Pines, Magnolias and Eucalyptus, lofted in the air.

Soon the sidewalk felt unfamiliar to the bottoms of my feet. I was stepping on unfamiliar cracks, gravel and dirt I was not used to be stepping on. As I walked further down the sidewalk, my arm brushed against bushes I was not familiar with. I reached out with my hands and explored the bushes with my finger tips and was correct. This unfamiliar bush did not grow this fast since the last time I had walked on this route; I thought to myself, as my uncertainty grew. I was crossing driveways with unfamiliar slopes and cracks and traveling unfamiliar distances to cross the driveways I would have passed normally on this route. The top of my head and forehead was brushing against low hanging branches and leaves from trees I never used to bump into at this point in time and distance on my route. Corners and intersections to the streets came up at unexpected times and locations.

Starting To Panic?

A small wave of panic ran throughout my mind and body. I thought to myself I must be lost! As this thought of being lost ran through my mind I tried to stay calm so I could concentrate, think clearly, get oriented and get back on course. I am diabetic and panicking would burn more blood sugars at a quicker rate, and I did not want to have a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) attack while lost. I knew that having a hypoglycemic attack would cloud my mind and not allow me to reason and think clearly enough to get me out of my lost state. I did have my glucose pills in a plastic pill container in my pocket like I always do just in case of such an emergency.

You might think that being lost in your neighborhood is not such an obstacle to overcome.

Being lost in your neighborhood does create a special challenge for some when you have crossed a few streets in your route and you are completely blind and can not see a thing; only pitch blackness. The darkness I see is darker than if you put your cupped hands over your eye sockets attempting to block out all light. This is what I have seen since I lost all of my vision instantly one day after work in 1999 when I had a very critical unexpected medical condition.

Finding My Way Again

I continued to breathe at a steady pace so I would not get over excited. I walked for a while down the unfamiliar sidewalk listening for familiar sounds from wind chimes, fountains in yards , water running in nearby creeks and echoes and reverberations bouncing off of objects I would normally pass. I would feel for clues to where I might be with my feet and canes. I walked back and fourth and around a couple of corners to see if I could figure out where I was, based on external signals and sensations. I did not go too far in any one direction fearing I would walk further away from my destination. I tried to listen carefully to traffic on the nearby streets. I live in an undeveloped area and there is not much traffic for me to judge where I was by listening to traffic flows and patterns.
I stood in one position trying to determine where the sun was in the sky from where I felt the warmth of the sun rays hit against my body. By knowing the time of day from my brail watch and where I thought the sun was in the sky, I might have been able to tell if I was heading north, south, east or west. This method did not work well enough for me to get back on track.

Where Did I Get Lost?

I thought back along my route to see in my minds eye when and how I made a wrong turn and got off my attended route.

In my neighborhood we have rounded curbs that gently slope to the street on all sidewalks. On each corner there is a curb cut that cuts into the sidewalk from the street for wheel chair access. This curb cut gently slopes down and up on each side as you round the gradual curved corner on the sidewalk. A lot of the intersections do not meet up with each other in orderly four way intersections that are laid out in the typical plus sign configuration as two streets cross each other at even ninety degree angles. I think one possibility of what might have happened to cause me to get lost; as I walked on the sidewalk just before one of the corners where the street teed up against another street. The sidewalk became littered with small branches, dirt, leaves and small rocks. I veered towards the street to go around this minor obstacle. The sound and feedback sensations coming from the tip of my long white cane as I tapped it against the asphalt in the street felt and sounded similar to when I walked on the sidewalk with all the debris. When I veered back towards the sidewalk I still felt debris below my feet. I stayed towards the street to keep away from these obstacles and kept walking. Soon I felt a curb directly against the side of my foot. I stepped up onto the sidewalk which was clear of obstacles and debris. My only idea of how I got off track and got lost is that I must have crossed a street instead of rounding the corner as I had hoped to accomplish.

As I walked around some more attempting to get oriented I heard voices. I followed the voices until I was close enough to the person who was talking. I asked Where am I? When this question did not get a response I rephrased my question. To my astonishment this person did not know how to explain where they were. I thought to myself they might not have noticed I was carrying one long white orientation cane and one short white support cane with red tips on each and was blind. I walked some more and heard other voices in the distance. I followed these voices until I was close enough and asked again. “Where am I? What street am I on?”” I am blind and can’t see the street signs.” To my frustration and amazement this person did not know where they were either. I asked in a slightly different way what direction it was to a local street I knew I was relatively close to. They told me a direction to walk. I started walking and it did not feel or sound like it was the correct direction.

I heard another voice and once again I followed the voice to find the person who was talking. I asked the same type of questions I had asked the other two people. To my delight and excitement this person did know where they were. The last person told me the incorrect direction, and as I had thought I was walking in the opposite direction I needed to go to get back on course. These two nice and friendly people I met told me exactly where I was in relationship to where I wanted to go. They told me exactly how to get back on course. They were correct! I was back on course and back on my route once again. With great relief. I felt the sidewalk and other familiar landmarks once again that verified I was on the correct route and I was no longer lost.

I Found My Way and Made It Home

Soon I was home again. I took two hours on a walk that would have normally taken one hour. I sure had an adventure to tell my wife when I got back home after my walk.

This trip turned out to be a very good experience that provided great exercise and some good learning opportunities. Some of which I have listed below.

• Pay attention to surface changes in the routes you travel. These changes might be your only clue that you have gone off your desired route.

• Be prepared to stay out longer than you anticipate. Bring small items like I did with my glucose tablets just in case you do get lost on what you might think are short and uncomplicated walks.

• Know the surrounding streets in your route. Then if you get lost and meet up with others and they give you directions you will know how to get back on course based on their directions. Remember from my experience not all people you will meet will know where they are; or can give accurate directions. Be optimistically cautious.

• Even on short walks it is possible to get lost. I have a standard cell phone and a talking GPS system built for the blind and visually impaired which I left at home. I thought on such a short walk, which I have done dozens of times, nothing could go wrong.

• Stay calm and do not panic. This extra unintentional adventure into unknown areas should be just as enjoyable as your desired walk was meant to be. Keep smiling; it will keep you calm.

• You can think of this unintentional diversion of being lost and finding your way again as good practice. The more you get lost the better you will be at finding your way again in unfamiliar areas. Plus if I did not get lost I would have never had the opportunity to meet two very nice people.

Has anyone else been lost and been successful at finding your way again? Do you have any other tips or suggestions to help us have better orientation and navigational skills in our travels? We all look forward to your stories, comments, ideas and suggestions.

Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/