Four Adventurous Men Trade Wheelchairs for Quad Bikes
When quad bikes make the news, it’s all too often to report an accident which someone has had while riding one. These stories typically involve people misusing the quad, but they’ve still managed to create a poor image for ATVs in general. That’s just one more reason why it’s always nice to hear about the ways in which people from all across the world have used quad bikes to overcome injuries.
Four men from Australia did just that. Three are paraplegics and one is a quadriplegic, but they still managed to travel 5,000 km across the gruelling Australian outback, proving that those with disabilities should never be underestimated. Their vehicle of choice: the quad bike.
Jim Cairns, Craig Parsons, Anton Zappelli, and Terry Mader set out from Perth in Western Australia to the Birdsville Track in the northern part of Southern Australia, heading straight through the country’s infamous red centre. Along the way, they toured as many areas as possible to explore the country, and returned to the sites at which each one of them received their life-altering injuries.
Their intended ride soon captured attention, and the team decided to work with Adelaide Hills film producer and director Sandra Cook to produce a documentary based on the journey. Aiming to both inspire those with disabilities and raise awareness concerning road safety, the film – named ‘The Ride’ – portrayed the challenges which pushed the endurance of each man close to breaking point, as well as their eventual triumph.
Screened at the Seventh International Disability Film Festival in Moscow on November 14th of last year, the inspirational story has captured imaginations across the world, and helped to further people’s understanding of how safe quad bikes can be.
The team plan to keep going, and extend the journey across the other states of Australia. Jim Cairns, who undertook most of the organisational details for the trip, has now been made an ambassador for Count Me In, a Western Australian organisation which endeavours to promote the acceptance and abilities of the disabled. Sounds like they’ve found the right man for the job.
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