Can you guess who holds the Guinness World Record for the furthest distance traveled in 24 hours in a mouth-operated power wheelchair at approximately 184 miles?
That would be United Spinal’s very own Tech Access Group member, Ian Mackay. He is the Executive Director of Ian’s Ride, a nonprofit that focuses mainly on outdoor accessibility but also connects people with technology. Ian was featured in Sports Illustrated for this feat, and his nonprofit has consulted with Apple for over five years, focusing mainly on improving Voice Control and Switch Control for iOS devices. Ian has been featured in two national commercials for Apple.
Earlier this year, from August 25th-27th, Ian’s Ride hosted its annual Sea to Sound event. The 74-mile, three-day, multimodal group ride spans the entire length of the Olympic Discovery Trail on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and people of all abilities are encouraged to join. They also offer a virtual option where folks can log their 74 miles from anywhere they would like and still receive all the great swag that those in attendance receive.
Ian’s Ride encourages cyclists from the community to get involved and spend time with folks living with disabilities who are out really enjoying some outdoor recreation. In addition, they challenge local policymakers to use a powerchair for 5 mile increments. This gives them a unique perspective of the challenges and joys wheelchair users encounter daily. Their hope is that the policymakers will consider this experience when making decisions around accessibility.
Everyone is invested in everyone else’s success by the end of the ride.