By Kara Aiello

Wilderness Inquiry is one of the most amazing organizations I have come across in a long time. They provide the equal opportunity for all people, regardless of financial status or ability, to reach high and view the world in ways never thought to be possible.  The experience allows people to get together and share a spiritual encounter that can create a greater awareness of nature’s beauty and power, which inspires people to realize that, if we learn to respect it, nature will invite us in and embrace us with all its wonder.

I love to travel, and having a disability has never slowed me down, unless I let it.  I spent many summers as a child on campgrounds and beaches. Traveling in the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe, as well as taking several cruises to beautiful islands, I consider myself to be someone who is never happy staying at home for very long.  I love to embrace new cultures, its people and the mysteries that come along with it.

Testing myself in the eyes of nature was another step to fulfilling my goals and challenging the inner restrictions that still creep up on me from time to time. My next challenge was signing-up for a Wilderness Inquiry adventure.

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Last summer, I took a three-day kayaking trip to the Apostle Islands, located on the south shore of Lake Superior. Made up of 22 islands in far northwestern Wisconsin, visitors revere the Apostle Island archipelago for its beautiful sea caves, sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, and sunken shipwrecks.  All of these wonders and more awaited us.

The trip began with a several-hour drive to our campsite, with two other women and Jay, one of the trip leaders.  I had never kayaked before, so I was nervous, yet very excited to find out what lay ahead.  One of the first things we did was set up camp and acquainted ourselves with one another around the campfire.   Even though I use a wheelchair, I was expected to take part in all the activities and chores.  I helped set up my tent, I cooked, gave a hand with kitchen chores, and prepared my gear for the coming days of kayaking. 

The next three days brought many exciting experiences that I will never forget.  We were fortunate to have our first kayaking day take place on Lake Superior. The water became calm and clear just after we bravely set sail.  Minutes before, the sky had been dark grey and threatening white caps had roared toward us.  But that changed quickly. Before we knew it, the sun was shining on us and we were sailing on water that was as smooth as glass.  We saw eagles following us as we glided over the waters, and just beneath us we saw the skeletal remains of old shipwrecks.  We took pictures and raced one another, enjoying a wonderful time. 

After about three to four hours on the water, we returned to base camp. With the help of my “trusty servant” Jay, we swam in the lake to cool off after being cooked by the sun.  Later we had dinner, sat around the campfire and enjoyed the clear sky that lay above us. 

When it was time for bed, we went to the restrooms to get ready and freshen up, and within minutes a rain storm appeared out of nowhere. The two girls and I who had gone to the restroom knew we would have to risk life and limb to get back to our tents in one piece.  So with one pushing my chair and the other running behind us with her head light, we took off and ran for our lives.  We ran so fast that we went past our tent and would have kept going if Jay did not run after us to get us back on the right track.  With my clothes and poor chair soaked, I made it back to my tent, got warm and fell asleep to the beat of the rain pounding on my tent.  I never slept so well in my life as I did those three nights. 

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The last two days of the trip took us to other kayaking destinations.  Although Lake Superior was on the top of our list for Saturday, the white caps came back within minutes of getting our boats set up and ready to go, so we packed all of our boats back up and proceeded to another lake to enjoy the day.  At the other lake we kayaked in two boats, went hiking, swam and got to sun bathe while doing everything we wanted to do.  That night we celebrated with food and drinks around the campfire, told stories, played games, laughed and solidified our family experience with sharing what we enjoyed most about our trip.  Then we went to sleep under the roaring wind and I know I prayed that a tree would not come down on me and ruin the rest of the weekend.

The last day we kayaked on a lake that merged into Lake Superior.  We zigzagged through streams, saw beautiful homes that were sun-powered, took in the beautiful wild flowers that greeted us as we went by, and enjoyed the animals that would show up from time to time to say ‘hi’ as we sailed through. We stopped for pictures, watched the roaring waters rush past us on Lake Superior and were glad we were not on that water at that time. 

After we finished our last day of kayaking, we came back and stood in a circle to talk about what we enjoyed most about our trip.  Many of us loved the bringing together of women from many parts of the country, as well as England.  Others talked about how the program promoted diversity and gave opportunity to all who wanted to participate. 

For me, the highlight of the trip had been the experience of unconditional support from others and a newfound belief in myself; I could be a part of anything that nature and man had to offer.  I also learned to have great respect for nature that weekend, recognizing the moodiness of nature and how at one moment she can invite a person in with open arms, and in an instant force the same person to seek shelter. Adina, the other trip leader, found a rock that we agreed would represent the memories of our shared experience on the trip. Then we threw it into the lake for we will await other rocks that are yet to come.

Editor’s Note:

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wilderness Inquiry is a nonprofit organization designed for delivering outdoor adventures, like canoeing, kayaking, dog sledding, horseback riding, and backpacking. With over 150 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Africa, the possibilities are endless.

Outdoor adventures range from under a week to 26 days.  The longest trip, a 26 day journey on the Porcupine River, offers wilderness enthusiasts a breathtaking excursion through the beautiful wilds of north-central Alaska. Participants have the option of signing up for a trip or forming a group outing – the choice is yours!  Wilderness Inquiry’s extraordinary organization seeks to fulfill its mission of providing outdoor adventure to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Another key component vital to the organization’s success is integration. Integrating, involving, every member on a trip, Disabled and nondisabled alike, is a high priority for Wilderness Inquiry, which makes every trip a wonderful and unified experience.

I’ll never forget my experience as a trip assistant last summer. Each day brought amazing, new opportunities and a chance to meet people from all over the world. Camping, canoeing, kayaking and hiking were all new challenges that I welcomed. Wilderness Inquiry trips are not just about getting into the outdoors; they are also about sharing experiences with others and realizing new capabilities.