A Dream Realized on Botanical Beach
This past fall, during a walk on a Power To Be program, a participant shared a dream: to visit Botanical Beach. They had heard stories from friends about its beauty but had been told it wasn't a place they would be able to go. Power To Be staff responded with a simple “Not true.”, and an idea was born.
Our team started planning for the following spring, choosing a day when the tide would be at its lowest midday and the beach would be most accessible. What began as a casual idea became a carefully supported adventure rooted in trust, creativity, and possibility.
There were two participants, one living with MS and another with a spinal cord injury, who traveled in TrailRiders, along with eight staff and volunteers. The trip quickly became a true West Coast adventure, navigating coastal trail conditions such as mud, roots, and rocks. This was one of the most rugged and challenging trails we have ever done with a TrailRider, and while the trip required patience, teamwork, and problem-solving, the outcome was an extremely meaningful experience that created moments of wonder, joy, and connection.
When the forest opened up and the group reached the ocean and the exposed sea floor, there was a profound moment of awe and celebration.
For Power To Be, this experience reflects what inclusive outdoor programming makes possible: not just access to a destination, but access to belonging, confidence, and the feeling of being fully immersed in the natural beauty of a place that once felt out of reach.
“This is my 22nd year in a wheelchair, and I have become resigned to the fact that there are places that I just cannot go. Power To Be continues to break down those barriers for me. This experience has made me think about what else is possible.”
