Final thoughts on the Katy Trail

Well, we did it. We crossed the state of Missouri, and we did it on the Katy Trail. I’m always hard-pressed to recap such an experience. I think back to when I was in rehab shortly after my spinal cord injury and spending my days staring up counting dots on the ceiling. My future felt so bleak. Access to nature seemed extremely limited, and adventure… ha, yeah right. I wish I could’ve given a glimpse of what was to come to that broken man. Life is what we make it. We all have challenges but don’t let them be a barrier to finding joy.

Boy did we find 280 miles of joy on that 12-foot-wide strip of limestone traversing the “Show Me” state. Spending time with best friends, exploring an unfamiliar region and not knowing what’s around the next bend is intoxicating. Sharing laughs, catching up on life, offering up riddles, observing nature, posing hypotheses, constant teasing and nonstop shenanigans take place while we are covering ~40 miles a day. It’s hard not to get enamored rolling along the greenway seeing constant flashes of color from the Northern Cardinals, Indigo Buntings, Baltimore Orioles or Blue Jays. Or the subtle beauty of the Monarchs, Great Spangled Fritillaries, Cloudless Sulpfurs or Hackberry Emperor butterflies. Never mind the turtles, reptiles, geology and flowers galore. There’s a lot to take in.

I didn’t know what to expect with Missouri. The nature was certainly stunning. Other amazing memories are crossing the Mississippi River and rolling in to see the Gateway Arch (though I was frustrated to find the elevator is not accessible). I loved getting to ride with locals, new friends, and old pals. It was great meeting Hugh on day one and getting boots on the ground knowledge of the Katy Trail and the interesting challenges related to expanding this kind of infrastructure. Having folks like Tristan and Doug travel all the way from Chicago to ride with us provided a different perspective on the trail, and offered some much-needed fresh jokes. Then there was our advocacy event in Jefferson City where we got to meet so many people passionate about outdoor recreation and developing trails accessible to all. It’s these experiences that remind us that what we are doing is so much more than having fun outside with friends. It’s about expanding access to wild and natural places and helping to create opportunities for people to find joy outdoors. It’s also about showing what’s possible for those with severe mobility impairments, and not letting your ability define your life’s course.

There is a real romanticism to exploring our nation’s rail trails. I think back to my childhood vacations where we would drive to various places around the West while I would stare out the window. Often I would see a train or rail line down in a valley meandering by a river or snaking through trees. These locations seemed so remote, so unexplored and so full of wonder to a child’s mind. Getting out there now and being immersed in the wildness that was so inviting to those young eyes is almost indescribable. Getting to do it with close friends makes my heart well over. It also gives me a big shot in the arm to double down on the advocacy side. I'm motivated to create events where people can be in the space and to work with communities, agencies and organizations to take old defunct rail lines and convert them to useful trails that bring communities together. More folks need to experience some of those childhood dreams.

The main reason I was able to spend this time exploring rural Missouri was because of my amazing team. Josh (Dr. B) and Jimmy are amazing guys who make me feel like I can do anything. Everyone should be lucky enough to have friends like these. They are very different sized men but both of their hearts could not be bigger. It’s pretty amazing what we’ve done together. They have literally ridden thousands of miles with me around this country. Together we’ve explored 13 different states, one Canadian province and met countless people to share our story with. Their wit, humor and positivity make spending time with them a pleasure and encourage me to start planning the next big ride.

So yeah, the guys are amazing every day out on the trail. However, that’s the easy part of traveling with me. The hard parts are the long nights and early mornings. I want to first acknowledge my amazing fiancée, Celina Smith. It was wonderful getting to see new sights and experience new joy with the woman I love, but it was far from a relaxing vacation. Each night demanded a bunch of work to get me into bed and then manage my ventilator once I’m asleep. This often requires waking up multiple times throughout the night to clear congestion. It can be miserable when all you want to do is sleep but a damned vent alarm keeps waking you up. Then, once we are up for the day and out the door, she is the driver, blog editor, lunch bringer, media organizer and so much more. She did it all with a smile and was completely supportive along the way. I’m a really lucky guy.

That brings me to another support All-Star, Edwin Menes! Edwin has joined us on three Ian’s Rides now and I can’t imagine doing one without him. He would take over for Celina in the early hours, sometimes as early as 2 AM and get all the caregiving and behind the scenes work done while I tried to eke out an extra hour of sleep. He also drove the pickup truck that helped move bikes around and oversaw the moving days, getting all of our stuff to the next location. His quiet presence and impressive knowledge of my chair and my care made for a smooth 10 days on the road.

There was one other member of the team who joined us for the final four days, my dad, Scott Mackay! He showed up right when we needed him most and really took care of the team. Bringing us coffee, snacks, equipment and just beaming his lighthearted vibe at the rest of us. He really saved the day with his final support task, driving the ramp van all the way back to St. Louis from Kansas City. Having him with us brought extra smiles and some extra rest. Thanks Dad!

I’m always asked what’s next after a big ride like this. I’m currently unsure. It will likely be a rail trail. However, the guys and I felt that with the early starts and rush to beat the Missouri heat we didn’t have enough time to smell the roses. We’re also recognizing that 40 miles a day is out of reach for most wheelchair users and we want to encourage others to explore some of the infrastructure we highlight. So, we are thinking of only doing 20 miles a day for future rides and maybe targeting trails that are a little over 100 miles long. The Mickelson Trail in South Dakota is on our radar, but we would love to hear suggestions. Our nation has so many beautiful places to explore, but for now, I’m going to soak up the incredible memories we made on the Katy Trail. #GetOutside

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