A man who was paralyzed after a bike accident rode his wheelchair 350 miles across Washington state
In 2008, Mackay was riding his bike home from UC Santa Cruz when he crashed headfirst into a tree. His helmet broke and he became paralyzed from the neck down.
He moved to Washington to be with family, and the state’s accessible Olympic Discovery Trail helped him rediscover his love of the outdoors.
“I was a biology student, I spent a lot of time outdoors, I was really into cycling," he said. "To get out there on the trail and hear the birds singing, and meet other people that are just out cruising around was where I found my solace and started to enjoy being out again, enjoy living.”
Spending time on the Olympic Discovery Trail inspired him to explore even more of the state.
Last year, he put over 2,000 miles on his wheelchair on the trail systems around his home.
“I really wanted to look at Washington state and see how accessible it was for a chair, as far as long-distance riding goes,” Mackay said.
“I'm not a Washington native, so I decided to take my chair from one end to the other.”
To plan his route, he partnered with Washington Bikes, an organization that advocates for a more bike-friendly state.
“It turns out that myself and bicycles use much of the same paths and thoroughfares,” he said.
He enlisted his brother and a few friends to cycle alongside him for visibility along the shoulders of roadways.
Local businesses helped sponsor his ride.
“It was amazing that not only my local community here got behind me, but then the whole bicycle community in Washington state rallied and helped a lot with the planning of the route and fundraising,” he said.
Their support continued throughout the trip. When their bicycles were stolen four days in, community members promptly replaced them.
“The bike community and the disabled community were really there for us, and within two hours of us realizing our bikes were stolen we were able to get loaner bikes and continue on our way,” he said.
Mackay stopped in local breweries along the way, and every single one agreed to sponsor him, too.
“I do really enjoy craft beers, and I figured if I could end each day at one of Washington's micro-breweries, and sample Washington's finest craft beer, that would be all the better,” he said.
Much of their route was on roadways, but Mackay said that drivers were accommodating.
“They all gave me a wide berth, and most of the time gave me cheerful honks and fist pumps out the window,” he said.
The chair held up surprisingly well.
“I lost an armrest at one time, which was a bit of a setback, but mainly that's just due to rattling bolts and screws that come loose after 350 miles,” he said.
After 11 days of riding through Washington, Mackay and his crew arrived at Tom McCall Park in Portland, Oregon.
“My family was there to greet us and film us, and it was emotional,” he said. “We'd come a long way. It was hard on the body, but we were also happy to have it done, and the experience is definitely something I'll never forget.”
He hopes to inspire others with physical limitations to continue to do what they love.
“So many of us with extreme mobility impairments end up being stuck indoors and watching TV all day,” he said. “They don't have to let a disability limit what they do.”
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