After rain, it’s best to avoid tracks for a few days that are known to get boggy (The Narrabeen Lagoon trail is a good example). Having said that, if you come across an unexpectedly boggy, a great technique that you can use is ‘huskying’. ‘Huskying’ is where you attach a rope to the frame of your wheelchair, and you get a buddy or two who don’t use a wheelchair to pull you along. Reducing tyre pressure on softer tracks can make pushing easier as the load is spread wider, meaning the tyres do not dig in as far. However, lower tyre pressure and increase drag on firm surfaces.
Gates are often installed at trailheads to keep out cars and motorbikes. Locked gates can be a significant barrier for a wheelchair user, but it’s worth considering some alternative options to navigate gates. Some locked gates have gaps large enough for people to “duck-under” while still blocking vehicle and motorbike access. Duck-unders are a good situation for people who can’t easily climb over a locked gate – and in this circumstance it’s good to know the dimensions of the duck-under option of the locked gate ahead of time to make sure your chair will fit.
Otherwise..
– Go around
– Go under
– Look for alternatives go far to the right or far to left
– If wire barrier, lift up and duck under
– Hop out of the chair and bum shuffle under (if you’re comfortable getting in and out of your chair)
A common repair that you’ll have to do on a bushwalk is for a punctured tyre. Getting a puncture when you’re out and about is annoying. That’s why it’s important to pack a puncture repair kit in case you get a puncture when you’re setting out for an adventure on a bush track. You can bring a repair kit to manage the risk of punctures.
Things that should be in your puncture repair kit; pump (or CO2 canisters), 2 inner tubes, allen keys, puncture patches & repair glue, tyre levels, wrench). Worst case scenario, you can probably find a mountain bike rider and borrow their repair kit.
There’s no point bringing the repair kit if you don’t know how to use it, so practise at home beforehand! Be aware if someone else is carrying a repair kit, their spanners and screws might not match up with your chairs. Check over your chair before you go and make sure it is in good repair, bolts are tight, tyres have good tread and pressure.
