A rolling Stone on Otter Slide

Originally posted by Kevin May at It’s Raining So What

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Teton Adaptive Sports

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An Iron Man’s Journey

This past Labor Day weekend 2013, we had the great opportunity to travel to Teton Valley Idaho and take part in the 4th annual Wydaho RendezvousMountain Bike Festival hosted by Grand Targhee Resort.  Joe loaded all of his IRONMAN gear and an off road hand cycle into a trailer, and along with this trusty companion Henry Dog, he embarked on one of his first solo long distance drives from Missoula to Driggs, ID.

While at the event we teamed up with the Kurt, Ryan, and Michael from Teton Adaptive Sports to help spread the word about adaptive outdoor recreation and demonstrate some of the equipment Joe will be using for IRONMAN Florida.  On Saturday the great staff at Grand Targhee Resort, our friends from Teton Adaptive Sports and resident photographer Eric Helgoth, all teamed up to get Joe, his hand cycle, and our film crew on the chairlift to the top of Fred’s Mountain. Once up there, Joe and Ryan did the first ever downhill runs on off-road hand cycles at Targhee!  It was one of the most incredible experiences for all of us! It also validated the fact that the new trails they are putting in can indeed work for hand-cycles.

Sunday we met Geordie Gillett, owner of Grand Targhee Resort.  Geordie had heard that we rode Bullwinkle Trail the day before and suggested we might try their newest flow trail called Otter Slide.  We loved the idea but realized that it was not yet accessible for hand cycles because started half way down the mountain and was usually accessed from other trails. Not wanting to miss this opportunity to make things work, Geordie offered to get a pick-up truck and load Joe, his hand cycle, 5 other riders, our bikes, and our camera gear.  He then drove us up the mountain so we could give Otter Slide a try.

That is exactly what we did and it was truly one of the greatest highlights of our weekend!

It was a perfect example of the what Joe Stone, as a quadriplegic, is so passionately trying to promote; pushing through the boundaries of perceived limitations to discover what is possible.  We all had a great time enjoying outdoor recreation together and learning more about what is possible, no matter what your physical ability or type of gear you use.

We are so appreciative of all the support we got from all of our friends at Wydaho Rendezvous, TVTAP, MBTV , Grand Targhee Resort and Teton Adaptive Sports!