Extreme Wheelchair Van Adventure

The whole point of wheelchair accessible vans or vehicle is to allow people with disabilities to experience the fullness of life that able bodied individuals have.  Maybe that means taking the wheelchair van to the mall, to a ball game, or out for a night with friends.  For one non profit organization, it means off road adventures:

Disabled Explorers is a non-profit organization that exists to enhance the lives of disabled people through independent four-wheel-drive backcountry travel.

The Wheelchair Accessible Van for Expeditions (WAVE) is an off-road capable, four-wheel-drive recreational vehicle equipped with a wheelchair lift and hand controls. It is designed to be driven by a wheelchair user, taken into remote areas, and lived in while traveling. Disabled guests on the Desert Solitude Series of trips will drive the WAVE on remote roads and trails and experience independent adventure travel.

An accessible wheelchair van is one thing.  But it is entirely different to take a fully accessible vehicle offroad in rough terrain.  Most mobility vans have lowered floors or raised roofs and don’t exactly do well on back roads.  But these beefed up vehicles for wheelchair users are specifically designed to withstand the demanding nature of off road activity.