In Bend, Oregon, Outdoor Adventure Belongs to Everyone
Condé Nast writer Sophie Morgan visits Central Oregon and is impressed by the accessibility to its natural environment, thanks to the AdvenChair hiking wheelchair. “Surrounded by a grinning team of able-bodied volunteers, all strapped onto the Advenchair with ropes, they prepared to lower me into what felt like the set of an epic Western. Smith Rock, a jagged, rust-red marvel shaped by ancient lava and sculpted by wind and water, rises from the Oregon desert like a sandstone cathedral. Ahead of me lay a trail that clung to the cliffside. Behind me: the rope team affectionately known as the “mules.” By all logic, this terrain should have been off-limits to someone like me. But this environment was nothing to the Advenchair, Geoff had taken it to the depths of the Grand Canyon previously.”
halbergman/Getty
By Sophie Morgan for Condé Nast Traveler
On a visit to this adventure magnet, Sophie Morgan goes for a trek in the high desert in an off-roading wheelchair and catches an outdoor concert, washed down, of course, with a few pints of local craft beer.
Bend, Oregon. It is one of those places people talk about with a kind of reverence. “Oh, Bend,” they’ll say, drawing out the vowel like there is a secret there that will only be revealed when you go. A renowned outdoor adventure capital, it draws climbers, kayakers, and powder chasers in droves. But as a wheelchair user, I wasn’t sure if that secret extended to people like me. Curious by nature and intrepid by design, I went to find out.
This small city, tucked into the dry side of the Central Oregon Cascades, home to just over 100,000 people, gets over 300 days of sunshine a year, yet Mt. Bachelor—just 22 miles away— collects an average of 462 inches of snow every winter. The city is hemmed in by more than 1.6 million acres of ponderosa pine forest, laced with nearly 300 miles of biking trails, and yet a mere 20-minute drive away the landscape shifts dramatically into high desert plateaus, where temperatures soar to 90°F in peak summer.
Meaning that within the span of one day, you can sip a hoppy IPA in the sunshine at one of the 30+ craft breweries (the highest per-capita rate in the U.S.), carve through alpine powder, paddle the Deschutes River, and still have time for an afternoon bike ride. The choice of outdoor activities are seemingly endless; few places offer such a surreal yet delightful expanse of climates, altitudes, and, it turns out, attitudes.
Within a few hours of arriving, I was strapped into a bright-orange, off-road wheelchair heading to one of the Bend-area’s most popular attractions, Smith Rock State Park. The AdvenChair, a uniquely human-powered, all-terrain chariot was created by Geoff Babb, a local legend who, after losing the ability to walk after a stroke in 2005, refused to be exiled from the wild, so he built his way back in. Necessity being the mother of all invention, after all.
The writer, Sophie Morgan, in an AdvenChair at Smith Rock
In and around Bend, Oregon —Sophie Morgan
Surrounded by a grinning team of able-bodied volunteers, all strapped onto the Advenchair with ropes, they prepared to lower me into what felt like the set of an epic Western. Smith Rock, a jagged, rust-red marvel shaped by ancient lava and sculpted by wind and water, rises from the Oregon desert like a sandstone cathedral. Ahead of me lay a trail that clung to the cliffside. Behind me: the rope team affectionately known as the “mules.” By all logic, this terrain should have been off-limits to someone like me. But this environment was nothing to the Advenchair, Geoff had taken it to the depths of the Grand Canyon previously.
“For me, it’s never been about conquering the trail, or the outdoors,” Geoff told me. The train of people all paused to let us talk above the Crooked River, its serpentine bend glowing in the afternoon light, a blue-winged heron glided just above the water while the canyon walls rippled in ochre and gold around us. “It’s about belonging to it and helping others feel like they do too.”
—Geoff Babb
Wanderlust Tours, one of Central Oregon’s most experienced outfitters, was guiding us both through the park. Geoff partnered with the company to extend their offering to those of us with physical disabilities, specifically people like Geoff with limited or no upper body strength. Familiar with adaptive adventures myself, I had expected adrenaline, but what I hadn’t expected was the teamwork, the way the ‘mules’ moved as one, hauling, guiding, laughing, and making the impossible feel ordinary.
“There’s something powerful about seeing a place become more accessible,” said Jared Garfield, lead ‘mule’ and one of Wanderlust’s guides. “The outdoors can feel overwhelming. That’s why the right equipment matters. But so do the right people. When you have both, you can bring more folks into places like them, especially those who’ve been told it’s not for them. We want everyone to feel included.”
This is a sentiment I would come to find implicit during my time in Bend; the values people take into the wilderness—respect, collaboration—don't disappear when they come back into town. They seep seamlessly into the atmosphere, shaping the way the city feels. And thanks to local advocates like Geoff, or local drag icon Pattie Gonia, that attitude is inclusive, enabling those of us who navigate the world differently, be that disabled, queer, or any other marginalized outdoor lover, access, an invitation to break the mould and redefine the stereotype of an outdoor lover.
Back in town, writer Tim Neville of Visit Bend showed me around the Old Mill District, once a timber hub, now a cultural centre, and into the vibrant downtown, where murals bloomed across brick walls, and record stores sat shoulder-to-shoulder with boutique shops, coffee bars and outdoor outfitters, and talked me through Bend’s long history.
Long before the climbers and cyclists arrived, this land was home to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. For thousands of years, they fished and traded along the Deschutes River, which ran through the city, as it still does, like a lifeline. Bend’s modern incarnation, born in the late 1800s with the arrival of the Europeans chasing the timber trade, has now grown into a recreation capital of the Pacific Northwest. But its Indigenous history runs deeper than any trail map and can be uncovered at the brilliant local High Desert Museum.
Today, Bend’s outdoor spirit is being shaped by organizations like Wanderlust and local nonprofit Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) who cater for sports lovers with disabilities of all kinds. “People live in Bend because they choose to,” explains Cara Frank, OAS’s executive director, who is deaf and moved to Bend from the East Coast, despite there being a shortage of interpreters in the local area, a testament to her adoration for the place. “That makes a difference; we care about this place and therefore about who gets to access it.”
The Deschutes River, which flows through Bend, at sunset Angelo DeSantis/Getty
Cara gathers a group of OAS’s volunteers and adaptive athletes at Crux Fermentation Project, for a communal sunset. Dogs—including her own deaf pup—outnumbered people. I met Ryan Barbee, an adaptive mountain biker and fellow spinal cord injury survivor who had, like Cara, also moved to Bend because of how free it made her feel. She greeted me with trail dust on her wheels and a pint in hand. “The first thing you need to know about Bend is the community,” she said, gesturing to the crowd, where wheelchairs and mountain bikes blended in. “And OAS is the heartbeat of it.”
The food scene in Bend is also wonderfully ambitious. One standout is Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge, the new venture from brothers Brian and James Malarkey, who recently returned to their home state with a vision to bring a slice of ranch life into the heart of town. Set around a wood-fired oven, the restaurant has canvas tent dining, a lively outdoor patio, live music, and a menu that leans into their ranch-to-plate philosophy, with beef and produce sourced from their nearby Tumalo Ranch. Think high-quality steaks and hearty, unfussy food served with a generous dose of Oregon hospitality.
And just like the food, Bend’s music scene hits all the right notes. Later, I rolled into Hayden Homes Amphitheater, a performance venue on the Deschutes. Leon Bridges was serenading a sun-drenched crowd beneath a sherbet-orange sky while I sat comfortably in the accessible seating area, surrounded by a joyful sprawl of dancing hikers, hipsters, families, and fellow disabled folks—totally smitten.
Inclusion can be an elusive feeling for disabled people, hard to define, harder still to find. As I cruised home past the Craftsman bungalows and ponderosa pines that lined the streets, I caught myself not just longing to return but imagining a life here, and even after just a few days, feeling like I already belonged. On my final day, I sat with Geoff in his home talking about the creation of his ground-breaking chair. “A wheelchair chair powered by people?” he said. “That could only come from Bend.” I nodded in agreement, now finally in on the secret.
Where to Stay
The Oxford Hotel is an eco-luxury boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Bend; it’s ideal for walking or rolling to nearby shops and cafés. For a modern, pet-friendly place to stay, check out Element Bend. It’s located just off of Pioneer Park and very close to the Deschutes River, which winds through the city. Just outside town you’ll find the Tetherow. This upscale resort is tucked between forest and fairway. Stylish, accessible accommodations, and mountain views make it a peaceful retreat after a day spent outdoors.
Where to Eat and Drink
The lively downtown outpost of Thump Coffee is a community hub for coffee lovers—it’s step-free and just the spot for either a quick on-the-go espresso or a slow morning spent with a cardamom latte and a flaky pastry. Drake, a downtown bistro, serves American comfort food with fresh, local ingredients: the deviled eggs, burger, and seasonal cocktails are must-orders. A globally inspired restaurant born from a food truck, Spork is now one of Bend’s most popular spots and loved for its street food fusion and a laid-back vibe: don’t miss the spicy pork noodles. Wood-fired mains, creative cocktails, and live music in the dining area make Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge a standout for dinner. The riverside Deschutes Brewery is the original Bend brewery and still the most iconic, serving a large selection of craft beers and tasting flights alongside pub classics in a relaxed, accessible setting. Crux Fermentation Project, a beloved brewer-owned spot with panoramic mountain views, has a rotating menu of small-batch beers, food trucks, and a lively, accessible outdoor lawn. Check it out at sunset.
The author, Sophie Morgan in Morocco
Sophie Morgan
After training in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College, Sophie turned to broadcasting, a career that gave her a ticket to travel the world. As a TV Presenter, Producer, travel writer and ambassador for brands such as Airbnb, CanAm and PADI, Sophie, recently selected for Women Who Travel's Power List, is on a quest to find the perfect accessible space. Her bucket list includes adapted mountain biking in the Rockies and, one day, riding around the world on her Ryker.
AdvenChair & Wanderlust Tours Connect to Earn Partnership Award at Governor’s Conference on Tourism; Reconnect for 2025 AdvenTours
A collaboration between two outdoor industry pioneers that launched in 2024 yielded a prestigious award last week, even as they were building on the foundation of their teamwork this year.At the 2025 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism held at the Portland Convention Center last week, AdvenChair and Wanderlust Tours were honored with the Partnership Award, which recognizes that leveraging traditional and non-traditional partnerships enables organizations and businesses to maximize their budgets, employee capacity, and skill sets to create an increase in efficiencies and a higher-level of aligned outcome.
((L-R) Courtney Braun; Geoff Babb; Lucinda DiNovo, the Chair of the Oregon Tourism Commission; and Todd Davidson, CEO, Travel Oregon
A collaboration between two outdoor industry pioneers that launched in 2024 yielded a prestigious award last week, even as they were building on the foundation of their teamwork this year.
Thanks to a grant from Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund, AdvenChair, an innovative leader in all-terrain wheelchairs, and Wanderlust Tours, Central Oregon’s trailblazer in naturalist-guided adventures, combined to offer a successful series of “AdvenTours” last year. AdvenTours gave people of all ages with mobility challenges the chance to experience some of Oregon’s most inspiring natural places matching AdvenChair’s unmatched durability, safety, and comfort with Wanderlust’s unique style of education, interpretation, and environmental appreciation.
At the 2025 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism held at the Portland Convention Center last week, AdvenChair and Wanderlust Tours were honored with the Partnership Award, which recognizes that leveraging traditional and non-traditional partnerships enables organizations and businesses to maximize their budgets, employee capacity, and skill sets to create an increase in efficiencies and a higher-level of aligned outcome.
According to an announcement from the Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon):
“Wanderlust Tours and AdvenChair won the Oregon Partnership Award for their innovative collaboration to enhance accessibility to Central Oregon’s outdoor experiences for individuals with mobility challenges. By combining Wanderlust Tours’ expertise in guided outdoor adventures with AdvenChair’s all-terrain adaptive wheelchairs, the partnership has created inclusive, immersive tours that allow individuals with mobility issues to explore iconic locations such as Smith Rock State Park and Lava Lands National Monument. This initiative, supported by tourism grants, not only promotes Central Oregon as an accessible, inclusive destination and improves visitor experiences, but also fosters community engagement and exemplifies how creative collaborations can drive positive change.”
Courtney Braun, owner of Wanderlust Tours, was naturally excited and honored to receive the Partnership Award. “What started as a great partnership idea from Geoff Babb [AdvenChair’s chairman] has blossomed into something big and meaningful,” said Braun. “We’re proud to be seen by the tourism community for making the outdoors accessible in Central Oregon. It means that there is great support and momentum for ensuring that all those who desire to adventure are able to do so, regardless of their age or ability.”
AdvenTours begin where the pavement ends.
In addition to Wanderlust’s regularly scheduled public tours in 2025, the next six months will bring a larger number of accessible AdvenTours to an even more diverse array of trails around Central Oregon, including:
Accessible Guided Scenic Hike at Smith Rock State Park, Sunday, May 25, 8am-1pm
Accessible Guided Hike Deschutes River Trail: Benham Falls, Sunday, June 22, 8am-1pm
Accessible Guided Lava Lands National Monument Hike & Stargazing, Friday, July 18, 7:30 PM – Midnight
Accessible Guided Crater Lake National Park Hike, Saturday, August 30, 8am
Accessible Guided Paulina Creek Hike, Saturday, September 6, 8am-1pm
Accessible Guided Scenic Hike at Tumalo Creek/Shevlin Park: Saturday, October 18, 8am-1pm
All AdvenTours depart from Wanderlust Tours headquarters in Bend’s Fred Meyer Shopping Center on SE Third Street and cost the same as their regular guided hikes.
For Lincoln Foreman, a geologist and stroke survivor, and frequent AdvenTour participant, the appeal of the AdvenChair/Wanderlust partnership is threefold. Not only does the AdvenChair enable him to access the trails of places like Smith Rock State Park where he can actually touch the volcanic tuff, it allows him to enjoy the experience with his wife Cathy and interact with other individuals who share his love for natural sciences, as well as to learn about local history, geology and culture from Wanderlust’s engaging guides.
“Being able to access nature beyond the pavement — actually way past the pavement — together is something we’ve never been able to do since Lincoln’s stroke 15 years ago,” said Cathy Foreman. “So having these opportunities is really important to both of us.”
Get close to nature, as well as friends and family.
In addition to the pre-arranged AdvenTours, AdvenChair is also available to Wanderlust for special custom tours with advanced reservations. Last year, AdvenTour guests ranged from a six-year-old girl with Down’s Syndrome visiting Crater Lake National Park for the first time to a grandfather who got to explore Smith Rock State Park with more than three dozen family members.
AdvenChair’s Geoff Babb was equally delighted with the growing relationship with Wanderlust Tours and for the recognition they’ve received.
“I’ve witnessed the smiles from so many people who wouldn’t be out in the wilderness without the AdvenChair,” said Babb. “Whether it’s a family with a child who is disabled or a grandparent who can be with their grandkids on their favorite trail as they pass the love of the outdoors on to future generations, it’s very heartwarming to see. We are just so grateful to collaborate with a group like Wanderlust Tours who love the outdoors as much as we do and know how to share it.”
About AdvenChair:
AdvenChair is an all-terrain wheelchair designed for people with mobility challenges who want to venture off the beaten path and experience the grandeur of the wilderness. It is the brainchild of Geoff Babb, a fire ecologist and avid outdoorsman from Bend, Oregon, who loved to ski, mountain bike and backpack with his wife and twin boys until a near-fatal brain stem stroke on November 10, 2005 forced him to use a wheelchair.
While the stroke forever changed his ability to move, Babb soon discovered that the biggest obstacle to experiencing a simple outing on local trails with his family again was not so much his body, but the frailties of common wheelchairs. Rather than lobbying for wheelchair-accessible wilderness trails, Babb chose to develop a wheelchair capable of adapting to the trails, and the AdvenChair was born.
On November 10, 2017, exactly 12 years to the day after his stroke, Babb survived a second brain stem stroke, which was a major setback. Yet it made him more determined than ever to share his all-terrain chair with other people dealing with permanent or temporary limited mobility. While developing the first AdvenChair, Babb also launched The Onward Project, LLC, to inspire, encourage and enable outdoor adventures for people of all abilities.
About Wanderlust Tours:
Since 1993, Wanderlust Tours has welcomed guests to vibrantly share the natural and cultural history of Oregon in order to instill appreciation and protection of the environment. We hold great respect for the natural surroundings of our beautiful central Oregon landscape and hope to introduce people to these delicate ecosystems while maintaining a low impact on the environment. Wanderlust Tours is made up of people who are passionate about the intricacies of nature. We thrive on sharing our knowledge and passion for the natural world with those who join our tours!
We are so excited to be partnering with AdvenChair and to help those with mobility challenges get into the outdoors and explore beautiful areas that initially may not seem accessible. With the AdvenChair off-road wheelchair, we can empower every member of our community in their quest for adventure!
Video: Oregon’s travel and tourism industry hits Convention Center this week
On Monday night, many of Oregon’s leading members of the travel and tourism industry were honored during the Achievement Awards at the 2025 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism at the Oregon Convention Center. More than 600 professionals gathered for the event to share ideas, while also discussing how to improve the quality of life, culture, diversity, ecosystem, and economy of communities across the state through these partnerships hosted by Travel Oregon and Portland.
Many of Oregon’s leading members of the travel and tourism industry were honored during the Achievement Awards.
KPTV.com Fox 12
By Dylan Scott
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - On Monday night, many of Oregon’s leading members of the travel and tourism industry were honored during the Achievement Awards at the 2025 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism at the Oregon Convention Center.
More than 600 professionals gathered for the event to share ideas, while also discussing how to improve the quality of life, culture, diversity, ecosystem, and economy of communities across the state through these partnerships hosted by Travel Oregon and Portland.
This year’s ceremony recognized breakthrough achievements across the state, including the following award winners:
Governor’s Award (PDX Next)
Leadership Award (Ana DeVincentis)
Stewardship Award (Alanna Kieffer)
Hospitality Award (Jason Coleman)
Gene Landsmann Gemütlichkeit Award (Dan Schindler)
DEI Award (Remy Drabkin)
Partnership Award (Wanderlust Tours/AdvenChair)
AdvenChair’s Geoff Babb Named One of Conde’ Nast Traveller’s Top 25 People Making the World More Accessible
It’s not every day that someone from one of the world’s most renowned travel publications puts you on one of their Top 25 lists. So it’s easy to understand why Geoff Babb, founder and co-inventor of AdvenChair, a Bend-based all-terrain wheelchair, was somewhat taken aback when he learned that a writer from Conde’ Nast Traveller spotlighted him last week.
Taking a break at the river’s edge on the Shevlin Park AdvenTour
It’s not every day that someone from one of the world’s most renowned travel publications puts you on one of their Top 25 lists. So it’s easy to understand why Geoff Babb, founder and co-inventor of AdvenChair, a Bend-based all-terrain wheelchair, was somewhat taken aback when he learned that a writer from Conde’ Nast Traveller spotlighted him last week.
“While we are doing our best to spread the word about AdvenChair, we have never had any contact with Conde’ Nast before,” said Babb. “So I almost thought it was a joke at first.”
Babb soon realized that being one of an elite group featured in an article titled: Breaking Barriers: 25 people who are making the world more accessible for 2025 was something to take pretty seriously.
As Conde’ Nast writer and internationally known disability influencer Sophie Morgan put it: “Inclusive travel has come a long way in recent years. It’s almost like the travel industry has finally begun to understand more clearly that Disabled travellers are, well, travellers. And who do we have to thank for this progress? The unstoppable, stereotype-shattering champions of accessibility who, like me, are dedicated and determined to turn inaccessibility barriers into a concept as outdated as a fold-out road map.”
Babb earned his place among these most important trailblazers for the world of accessible and inclusive travel by creating a wheelchair that thinks it’s a mountain bike. After surviving a brain stem stroke in 2005, he was committed to continuing his exploration and enjoyment of Central Oregon’s endless trails with his family and friends. Over the course of the past 10 years, the AdvenChair has evolved into a durable, versatile, human-powered vehicle that can handle virtually every type of terrain, while easily converting into a regular wheelchair for indoor excursions and easy transportation.
Since making it available to the public for purchase and rental in 2021, AdvenChair has enabled people of all ages and disabilities to commune with nature, while connecting with those who accompany them. AdvenChairs have taken folks to places like Machu Picchu in Peru, the Camino de Fatima in Portugal, and the floor of the Grand Canyon (and back) via the steep, treacherous Bright Angel Trail, which Babb accomplished with a team of 10 friends (affectionately known as “mules”) in 2022.
“I can only imagine that Ms. Morgan, who is a paraplegic, came across AdvenChair on social media and did some research,” said Babb. “It’s an incredible honor to be included along with two dozen other pioneers and advocates for disabled travel.”
Babb credits partnerships with Wanderlust Tours, Visit Central Oregon and the Oregon Tourism Commission for helping AdvenChair establish connections with international travel entities like Untours Foundation and Conde’ Nast.
“It’s been incredibly helpful for us to receive recognition and support from Sarah Payne at Untours,” said Babb. “I can only imagine what a paragraph in Conde’ Nast Traveller could lead to. I’d love to take Ms. Morgan for an AdvenChair ride and thank her personally.”
Take A Seat For Adventure
All-terrain wheelchairs aren’t anything new, but a former forest firefighter has designed a chair that allows even more adults and children with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) to go off-road, while promoting time with family and friends. The AdvenChair is a patented and convertible hiking wheelchair designed for people with higher levels of SCI/D or limited upper arm mobility, such as from a stroke.
AdvenChair creator Geoff Babb, seated, during a training hike at Smith Rock State Park in central Oregon’s high desert region.
by Andy Nemann for innovations, in February 2025 PN Magazine
All-terrain wheelchairs aren’t anything new, but a former forest firefighter has designed a chair that allows even more adults and children with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) to go off-road while promoting time with family and friends.
The AdvenChair is a patented and convertible hiking wheelchair designed for people with higher levels of SCI/D or limited upper arm mobility, such as from a stroke.
Showcased at last November’s TravelAbility Emerging Markets Summit in San Francisco, the chair is made so the rider is pushed or pulled by one to six people. Inventor Geoff Babb believes that aspect of the AdvenChair allows his creation to do more than allow people with limited mobility to experience places such as mountain trails.
“We think that adventuring is a team sport, and it really takes a team of people to move the chair,” Babb says. “The AdvenChair not only allows people to be out, but it brings peopletogether to do that.”
A Mountain Bike Chair
A beefy-looking chair with a heavy-duty orange frame, the AdvenChair has several unique features that help it stand out from other all-terrain wheelchairs.
One of the biggest is the AdvenChair’s ability to easily be converted from an off-road chair to one better suited to operate and maneuver indoors.
The All-Terrain Mode utilizes a removable 20-inch front wheel with shock absorbers that helps the chair navigate rugged, soft or steep terrain with the stability and durability of a mountain bike. When it’s time to head inside, use a bathroom or even get on a bus, 6-inch caster wheels are lowered into place and the third wheel is removed. Both modes allow a user’s feet to rest on a multi-position footplate with a minimum of 6 inches of clearance.
It’s only natural that the AdvenChair offers the stability and durability of a mountain bike, since it utilizes premium mountain bike parts for the wheels, tires, brakes and handlebars.
The main wheels are 27.5-inch Maxxis High Roller tires with a Cush-Core inner tire suspension system that allows them to be used with low tire pressure. The height-adjustable handlebars at the back of the chair have hand brakes for the 180-millimeter disk brake rotor. The padded seat is adjustable to fit young children up to large adults and features adjustable armrests and hand grips.
Those mountain bike parts also help make the chair easy to disassemble and fold into a compact size that can fit in the back of a small hatchback trunk or stow on an airplane. Babb says using them makes the chair easy to maintain.
“Wheelchair parts are expensive and not as accessible or as available as mountain bike parts,” he says. “This way, you can go to any bike store and get what you need.”
Try & Try Again
As with so many inventive products, this one wasn’t created overnight. It took a few prototypes, several years, and a rough trip to the Grand Canyon to get here. An avid outdoorsman, Babb was working as a Bureau of Land Management fire ecologist in Bend, Ore., in 2005, when a near fatal brain stem stroke left him in a wheelchair and with limited use of one hand.
Babb adapted and found ways to do things outside, such as sit skiing and horseback riding, but he realized he was being limited not so much by his body, but by his rigid wheelchair. With the help of his friend and helicopter mechanic Dale Neubauer, Babb modified his wheelchair with more robust tires and a third wheel to create the first AdvenChair.
Babb and his family used his new creation to explore several parks in Oregon and Washington, which eventually led to a 2016 attempt to visit the bottom of the Grand Canyon via the famed Bright Angel Trail. Unfortunately, a broken axle 2 miles into the descent forced a return to the top of the canyon’s South Rim and the realization that a whole new off-road wheelchair was needed. This one would be designed from the ground up to be less like a wheelchair and more like a mountain bike.
“I was kind of crushed when the first design failed, but we knew we had to start over again and keep going,” Babb says. “Fortunately, I had some some friends who were creative and led me down this path. I certainly had to learn to be open to talk about engineering and prototyping.”
With the help of CAD designer Jack Arnold and Neubauer, along with Babb and his wife, Yvonne’s, direction, AdvenChair 2.0 was born. Everything with the new chair was going well in 2017 when Babb had another stroke.
Despite the personal setback, a determined Babb steadily recovered from his second stroke. Several minor modifications were made to the chair, and the first production run of the current AdvenChair rolled out in June 2021.
Bringing People Together
Available for individual purchase ($11,950), the AdvenChair has seen strong growth through its own rental program, tour groups, schools and nonprofit groups.
Located in the popular outdoor recreation destination of Bend, Ore., the AdvenChair can be rented for a half day, a whole day, a week or three or more weeks with prices ranging from $75 to $850. The chair has also been popular with local companies such as Wanderlust Tours (wanderlusttours.com) and school programs such as the Northwest Regional Outdoor Science School.
Babb says he hopes to have people exploring and enjoying the great outdoors in AdvenChairs throughout the world in the next five years, but he believes he’s created something more than an off-road wheelchair.
“It just means a lot to me to see smiles and hear the laughter of people that are working together to work through a difficult area and problems,” Babb says. “For me, early on, not being able to rock climb, hike or bike again was kind of hard. But being in the AdvenChair, I feel like I’m really part of the adventure again as a team.”