Jeff Babb (seated) did not walk again after suffering two brain stem strokes 14 years ago. That led him to focus on helping severely disabled people access trails, as well as the outdoor lifestyle.
Five people were side by side on a path, wheelchair-bound.
Popular with families in Bend, Oregon, this hiking trail was the site of inventor Jeff Babb's experiments. At one point, when he misjudged how to navigate narrow boulders, he could have tipped over on the edge and walked down a frozen river. But that didn't matter to Barb, who didn't walk after a stroke 14 years ago.
"I don't feel scared on the road," Barb said. I'm sure these people will think of it." He added that he found it easier to cross city streets.
With a love of the outdoors, he spent countless hours building a prototype of the all-terrain wheelchair while creating a new team sport. His hair looks like a mountain bike. It has handlebars, disc brakes and a bright orange frame. Its purpose is to help severely disabled people access the sidewalk system because, as Barb says, "we need to celebrate that we're alive."
Despite stroke being the leading cause of severe disability in the country, he found the existing all-terrain wheelchairs were not suited to his needs. The rider can power the thrusters, but like many stroke survivors, Barb's arms won't propel him. Instead, he relied on his teammates to push and pull and control.
"Even though we had a planned route, you don't always know what's going to happen along the way," said friend and mule Amy Kazmir.
In 2016, the host earned a nickname after a trip to the Grand Canyon. On the steep terrain, Katzmaier recalled, the axle broke. "We had to take his chair apart and carry it up the hill."
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Jeff Babb's arms couldn't push him, so he was helped down the path by his teammates.
Then Jack Arnold, a product development engineer, headed to the mountain bike industry for a design overhaul.
"Advancehair is not based on wheelchair parts, it's based on mountain bike parts that are more durable and less expensive than wheelchair parts," Arnold said. .
Still, the cost of building the prototype is high, totaling about $10,000. They are pitching the idea to travel companies that offer adventure trips to people with disabilities. This fall, the team participated in the "Shark Tank" competition in Bend, Ore., to attract investors from the outdoor industry.
There's a $5,000 prize online, decided by the audience. Barb has seven minutes to throw the ball. So far, only a handful of people are sitting in the crowd.
Michele Pearson's trip last year was her first since she was disabled by a stroke in 2015.
"Today is a really good day," Pearson said. It feels good to go out. It's not just your yard, it's not just your own street, it's not just driving around the window." .
She hasn't hiked since. She said her wheelchair broke as soon as she came out the front door.
Pearson erupted in cheers when the result was announced. Bei Bei's team pulled him up the stairs to collect his $5,000 check at advanchair.
The victory helped a project inspired by extreme setbacks. This spring, the team plans to return to the Grand Canyon and test the courage of their latest design.
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