Comments on: Camping with a Physical Disability Made Practical in a Dodge Sprinter Conversion Van http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-travel-and-vacation-solution Motivating and Inspiring People with Physical Disabilities! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:35:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: 5 mistakes http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-23655 5 mistakes Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:20:26 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-23655 Your site is really cool to me and your topics are very relevant. I was browsing around and came across something you might find interesting. I was guilty of 3 of them with my sites. "99% of blog managers are committing these 5 HUGE errors". http://is.gd/tLGOTx You will be suprised how fast they are to fix. Your site is really cool to me and your topics are very relevant. I was browsing around and came across something you might find interesting. I was guilty of 3 of them with my sites. “99% of blog managers are committing these 5 HUGE errors”. http://is.gd/tLGOTx You will be suprised how fast they are to fix.

]]> By: Jens Moller http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-20947 Jens Moller Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:35:48 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-20947 I am a year into converting my 2002 Cargo Sprinter into a handicapped accessible RV. The model I got was the 140 inch wheelbase, low top (the high top version is 6 inches taller inside). We have made many trips in it and it has a full sized (75 inch by 54 inch) futon that we have slept on when camping. The main things I learned were: 1) To not clutter up the inside with anything mounted on the floor - I need lots of easily reconfigurable open space. The only storage is under the Futon and at the very back. These vans are big, but you can't waste space if you want to keep things inside the van with you. 2) We use a porta-potti (My wife can walk a little as long as there are grab bars available), and it gets moved to different areas of the Sprinter as needed - it travels behind the passenger seat while driving, and there is a dedicated area in the back for it when the futon is folded out for sleeping. At all times the porta-potti is never more than a few steps from where my wife might be in the van. I use tie downs and bungie cords to keep it in place while traveling. 3) I need to be able to load and unload mobility gear from the rear of the Sprinter - its hard to find parking where we have the space to unload from the side (we have a handicapped placard, so we can park in handicapped spots, but they are not always available) 4) I have to fabricate most of the things I need - almost nothing in the RV marketplace is adaptable for handicapped use. We travel with a larger 4 wheeled Mobility Scooter as well as a fold up Wheel Chair on our longer trips. There is room for a power wheelchair, the 4 wheel mobility scooter and the fold up wheel chair if we want to bring them all. I also have 120V AC sine wave inverters that allow us to charge mobility devices while driving, or off our battery bank when stopped. I added a 30 amp RV plug for when we have shore power as well. The Mobility scooter gets parked outside at night when camping (under a tarp) - no room for it otherwise. We don't cook on board (we never did even when we had a regular RV), so that was considered a waste of space, as was a microwave (uses way too much power from my on-board battery bank). Its been a lot of work, but each trip we take in it teaches me more about what works and what is unnecessary. I am a year into converting my 2002 Cargo Sprinter into a handicapped accessible RV. The model I got was the 140 inch wheelbase, low top (the high top version is 6 inches taller inside). We have made many trips in it and it has a full sized (75 inch by 54 inch) futon that we have slept on when camping.

The main things I learned were:

1) To not clutter up the inside with anything mounted on the floor – I need lots of easily reconfigurable open space. The only storage is under the Futon and at the very back. These vans are big, but you can’t waste space if you want to keep things inside the van with you.

2) We use a porta-potti (My wife can walk a little as long as there are grab bars available), and it gets moved to different areas of the Sprinter as needed – it travels behind the passenger seat while driving, and there is a dedicated area in the back for it when the futon is folded out for sleeping. At all times the porta-potti is never more than a few steps from where my wife might be in the van. I use tie downs and bungie cords to keep it in place while traveling.

3) I need to be able to load and unload mobility gear from the rear of the Sprinter – its hard to find parking where we have the space to unload from the side (we have a handicapped placard, so we can park in handicapped spots, but they are not always available)

4) I have to fabricate most of the things I need – almost nothing in the RV marketplace is adaptable for handicapped use.

We travel with a larger 4 wheeled Mobility Scooter as well as a fold up Wheel Chair on our longer trips. There is room for a power wheelchair, the 4 wheel mobility scooter and the fold up wheel chair if we want to bring them all.

I also have 120V AC sine wave inverters that allow us to charge mobility devices while driving, or off our battery bank when stopped. I added a 30 amp RV plug for when we have shore power as well.

The Mobility scooter gets parked outside at night when camping (under a tarp) – no room for it otherwise.

We don’t cook on board (we never did even when we had a regular RV), so that was considered a waste of space, as was a microwave (uses way too much power from my on-board battery bank).

Its been a lot of work, but each trip we take in it teaches me more about what works and what is unnecessary.

]]> By: Luc http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-7044 Luc Sat, 23 Oct 2010 02:12:06 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-7044 Hi Marilyn, Thanks for your nice compliments! To answer your question, adding the standing capabilities was about 12K if I remember it well - that was five years ago. I know, not cheap, but I am very happy to have it. It really changed my perspective on life. I stand up a lot, like five hours a day. And yes, I agree, it would be nice if there were subsidies for having this kind of equipment. Good luck with trying to find the right standing chair next time! Luc Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for your nice compliments! To answer your question, adding the standing capabilities was about 12K if I remember it well – that was five years ago. I know, not cheap, but I am very happy to have it. It really changed my perspective on life. I stand up a lot, like five hours a day. And yes, I agree, it would be nice if there were subsidies for having this kind of equipment. Good luck with trying to find the right standing chair next time!
Luc

]]> By: Marilyn http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-7012 Marilyn Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:54:23 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-7012 Luc, thanks for the demo of both your camper van and cool wheelchair. I covet it. I had polio as a baby and used to be able to walk with braces and crutches. Now it is too hard and I use a chair full time. I use an electric one mostly because I was burning out lots of neurons not to mention rotator cuffs. I kind of wish I had seen your video for the standup wheelchair before I got a new one. My doctor and physical therapist want to buy me a standup machine to get some weight on my bones etc. I will have a tilt that will help with pain. With polio you get a twofer you have full body sensation even where you are paralyzed, a good thing most of the time. Can I be rude and ask you how much extra the standing device cost you? I have fairly decent upper body strength(which I am trying to conserve) and my torso at least up to my lower hip area. Maybe the next time I order a wheelchair, I will try to see if I can get one. Sure would be nice if there were subsidies to help us with that. Heck, tax payers pay for bike lanes and highways to help people get around why not wheelchairs and enter vans? Anyway, you were very generous to share these videos with the public, it is getting my brain whirring. If you can enjoy camping as a quad, I should be able to as a para(I used to camp all the time before I went in the chair. Regards Marilyn (ps. you have a cute dog) Luc, thanks for the demo of both your camper van and cool wheelchair. I covet it. I had polio as a baby and used to be able to walk with braces and crutches. Now it is too hard and I use a chair full time. I use an electric one mostly because I was burning out lots of neurons not to mention rotator cuffs.
I kind of wish I had seen your video for the standup wheelchair before I got a new one. My doctor and physical therapist want to buy me a standup machine to get some weight on my bones etc. I will have a tilt that will help with pain. With polio you get a twofer you have full body sensation even where you are paralyzed, a good thing most of the time.
Can I be rude and ask you how much extra the standing device cost you? I have fairly decent upper body strength(which I am trying to conserve) and my torso at least up to my lower hip area. Maybe the next time I order a wheelchair, I will try to see if I can get one. Sure would be nice if there were subsidies to help us with that. Heck, tax payers pay for bike lanes and highways to help people get around why not wheelchairs and enter vans? Anyway, you were very generous to share these videos with the public, it is getting my brain whirring. If you can enjoy camping as a quad, I should be able to as a para(I used to camp all the time before I went in the chair. Regards Marilyn (ps. you have a cute dog)

]]> By: Aaron http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-6096 Aaron Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:03:23 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-6096 Barbara, so glad that you liked the article, and glad to hear you're getting some really good use out of your van. We would be happy to take a look at some of the photos you have of your van and how you've been using it. I'm sorry to hear about your pain and the discomfort it's put you in, but glad to hear you have such a good attitude about it. If you want to share some of your photos you can contact us at: contribute@disabledandproductive.com Thanks! Barbara, so glad that you liked the article, and glad to hear you’re getting some really good use out of your van. We would be happy to take a look at some of the photos you have of your van and how you’ve been using it.

I’m sorry to hear about your pain and the discomfort it’s put you in, but glad to hear you have such a good attitude about it.

If you want to share some of your photos you can contact us at: contribute@disabledandproductive.com

Thanks!

]]> By: Barbara A Schaffer http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-6062 Barbara A Schaffer Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:23:59 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-6062 My husband and I used Sportsmobile to customize a RV for us also. We started planning ours in 2008 but we wanted a Braun UVL (under vechile lift) and not the lifts that Sportsmobile offered. This created xa little more researcbut finally we found CCI in Michigan to put the uvl in and lower the floor so I could sit next to my Husband while we drove I laughed when I read your post because one of our major motivating forces for this RV was that ! We wanted to sleep under the stars at arches National Park. We also go to many folk music festivals and camping there was another goal back to building the van,,,,it was quite complicated but when we got the van we were delighted. with help I came take a few steps so we were abler to havdethe lift put me in the van. Is it next to the driver. directly brreehinf the driver we have a 5 foot sera that is open so I can move in thewheelvhair and there is anareathat is open to help me dress and other care. Behind that are-' we have a bathroom with a toilet, sink, medicine cabinet and sort of a dower. Across from that is a small kitchen with refridgerator, 2 burner gas stiff and microwave. Then there are two couches that open up into either s wren size bed ot two Indibidual bed which is how we use them. We opted for the TV but no antennas or dish. When the whether igs brad,u we will watch a movie but we usually choose to be outdoor, reading books or other activities We spent a month in Florida last winter ands many nights going into weeks in the van this summer. We get 20 miles per gallon on the road and my husband loves driving it. This is also a second van and the only vechile we have that we can take the who lee family in. We have 6 seat belts in back plus the driver and myself, I have a very painful neurological condition thst causes severe contractions and slow to little movement in my legs , right wry and torso. I had spent many years suffering from systematic infection that landed me in the hospitals for close to half of every years from 1990 to 1997. Now I have control of the infections. I have always gone out, helped care for my 3 grandsons and enjoyed my life. I will be in pain and disabled if I do nothing and I will be in pain and disabled if I am busy and constantly challenging myself and society to accept mye as they accept anyone else I would love to share adventures and photos of e My husband and I used Sportsmobile to customize a RV for us also. We started planning ours in 2008 but we wanted a Braun UVL (under vechile lift) and not the lifts that Sportsmobile offered. This created xa little more researcbut finally we found CCI in Michigan to put the uvl in and lower the floor so I could sit next to my Husband while we drove

I laughed when I read your post because one of our major motivating forces for this RV was that ! We wanted to sleep under the stars at arches National Park. We also go to many folk music festivals and camping there was another goal

back to building the van,,,,it was quite complicated but when we got the van we were delighted. with help I came take a few steps so we were abler to havdethe lift put me in the van. Is it next to the driver. directly brreehinf the driver we have a 5 foot sera that is open so I can move in thewheelvhair and there is anareathat is open to help me dress and other care. Behind that are-’ we have a bathroom with a toilet, sink, medicine cabinet and sort of a dower. Across from that is a small kitchen with refridgerator, 2 burner gas stiff and microwave. Then there are two couches that open up into either s wren size bed ot two Indibidual bed which is how we use them. We opted for the TV but no antennas or dish. When the whether igs brad,u we will watch a movie but we usually choose to be outdoor, reading books or other activities

We spent a month in Florida last winter ands many nights going into weeks in the van this summer. We get 20 miles per gallon on the road and my husband loves driving it. This is also a second van and the only vechile we have that we can take the who lee family in. We have 6 seat belts in back plus the driver and myself,

I have a very painful neurological condition thst causes severe contractions and slow to little movement in my legs , right wry and torso. I had spent many years suffering from systematic infection that landed me in the hospitals for close to half of every years from 1990 to 1997. Now I have control of the infections. I have always gone out, helped care for my 3 grandsons and enjoyed my life. I will be in pain and disabled if I do nothing and I will be in pain and disabled if I am busy and constantly challenging myself and society to accept mye as they accept anyone else

I would love to share adventures and photos of e

]]> By: Kim Gerring http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-5926 Kim Gerring Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:19:05 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-5926 Here is the website for you to check on.. www.mobilitycamper.com Kim Here is the website for you to check on..
http://www.mobilitycamper.com

Kim

]]> By: Kim Gerring http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-5925 Kim Gerring Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:16:38 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-5925 I work for a company that builds travel trailers with accessible floor plans. our product line is being improved as we get more feed back by our customers and dealers. Take a look at our web site and also at the other products such as Goshichi. 4X4 GM accessibe pick up truck which is also a great tow vehicle for what we build.. Happy Camping! Kim Gerring I work for a company that builds travel trailers with accessible floor plans. our product line is being improved as we get more feed back by our customers and dealers.
Take a look at our web site and also at the other products such as Goshichi. 4X4 GM accessibe pick up truck which is also a great tow vehicle for what we build..
Happy Camping!

Kim Gerring

]]> By: Luc http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-5402 Luc Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:00:09 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-5402 Hi Mike, Yes, there is plenty of room for a wheelchair on the passenger side. We will do a video soon about the van interior and post it on our site. Hi Mike,
Yes, there is plenty of room for a wheelchair on the passenger side. We will do a video soon about the van interior and post it on our site.

]]> By: Mike http://www.disabledandproductive.com/articles/a-travel-and-vacation-solution/comment-page-1/#comment-5395 Mike Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:12:44 +0000 http://www.disabledandproductive.com/?p=81#comment-5395 Ooops, I meant aaron. Ooops, I meant aaron.

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