In this episode, Geoff shares his inspiring journey of recovery, the creation of the AdvenChair, and his groundbreaking 4-day expedition through the Grand Canyon, featured in the Outback Film – DREAM BOLDLY. He discusses the physical, mental, and emotional challenges he faces while navigating life with a disability, and how the AdvenChair has empowered him to experience the great outdoors once more. Geoff also offers valuable advice for others with similar challenges, particularly those interested in gravel cycling, and explains how others can be more supportive and understanding of the obstacles people with disabilities face.
Transcript
Dirty Freehub 0:06
This is the connection. A Dirty Freehub podcast connecting gravel cyclists to where they ride through short stories about culture, history, people, places in lands.
In 2005, Geoff Babb was a BLM fire ecologist, an avid outdoorsman living in Bend, Oregon. He loved to ski, mountain bike and backpacking with his wife, Yvonne, and twin 12 year old boys. That is until November 10th, when a near-fatal brain stem stroke left him in a wheelchair and with only limited use of one hand while the stroke forever changed his ability to move. Jeff soon found ways to get outdoors again since skiing with Oregon adaptive sports and adaptive horseback riding through Healing Rains Therapeutic riding center. However, he immediately discovered that the biggest obstacle to experience the great outdoors with his family again was not so much his rigid body, but his inflexible wheelchair. In this episode, Jeff shares his inspiring journey of recovery the creation of the adventurer in his groundbreaking Ford expedition through the grand Canyon featured in the Outback film Dream Boldly. He discusses the physical, mental and emotional challenges he faces while navigating life with a disability and how the adventure has empowered him to experience the great outdoors once more. Well, kind of to kick it off. Like what does inspire you to get outside and ride?
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 1:30
Well, I grew up in the coming of age and then professionally I’ve worked environments, but for almost 45 years. And so being outside, creating and working has always been part of my life. When I had my strokes, it was natural that I would go to my happy place of being outside for inspiration and recovery.
Dirty Freehub 1:59
Yeah, being outside is so healing. What is the unique challenge or disability that you face in cycling or doing these things outside?
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 2:07
Well, they say after my stroke I don’t walk because so metro and wheelchair and regular wheelchairs don’t work for me because I want to be on the trail or off pavement. I required creating an off road wheelchair that people could help me with, but the one one that would be cable going off road and projects with me were helping me because I don’t have arm strength.
Dirty Freehub 2:41
Kind of speaking on that topic, actually. Can you tell us about the story and how the adventure came to be?
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 2:47
Yeah, it was inspired by being outside. The picture was in Ruined or so Was it cause an evolution of problem solving, of being aware, as Jerry would give me outside and then be capable of people pushing and pulling and breaking? That’s been an ongoing evolution since 2006 up to now of making making the right chair.
Dirty Freehub 3:19
Yeah, it looks like a adventure rig for sure. You’re featured in the film Dream Boldly, where you took a four day expedition down and back out of the Grand Canyon. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience? I was pretty inspiring to watch.
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 3:33
Well, first of all, I want to give credit to Outback Films is Jim, Marcia and Mike Bullock. We took a project on. The story about my dream was that I realized right away that I wouldn’t be able to go backpacking like that, but maybe I could ride a horse. And I learned a great game and I would encourage to drive to the bottom of the trail. Or maybe that may be my goal. We went to the Grand Canyon to visit friends and it was obvious. I was like, be ready to ride me or when strung up. But maybe this this wheelchair I was working on will allow me to do that. So mentally I was there. My share was going to be able to go down the canyon. Ultimately, it was ready and we broke it two miles down. But that was the best thing that happened. And evolution became the adventure because it allowed us to start in the ground up and brought a real mechanical engineer in the process. So we worked on that year really a couple of years until those really go back to January to the June 22. It definitely was. Adventure was as much or more than I expected, but my team was just perfect. Nobody ever hesitated. It was all lived thing and problem solving and teamwork.
Dirty Freehub 5:19
I want to ask a little bit about facing the challenges of accessing these things that you love, like physically, emotionally, mentally. How has these changes impacted you recovering as it’s not always a linear process?
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 5:34
Well, Virgil, I was never sure how his stroke would affect me, and I learned early on that most strokes are the same. I wasn’t able to portray my brain function well physically. My arms still work well. I can propel myself, but I do have strength and on me adventure I do grips and grip. So my core strength is very important to me emotionally. Being outside is very my happy place is my source of strength. Definitely. In the Grand Canyon, I felt that I was sleeping on the ground, I was getting dirty and I was part of the experience. So it came from us all being in being part of the team and clearing out obstacles. So adventuring in particular has really meant a lot to me mentally, physically and emotionally.
Dirty Freehub 6:44
Is there anything else you want to share? This has been so inspiring to hear about.
Geoff Babb – Creator of AdvenChair 6:48
A thing just re-emphasized that they are tied with the disability or some being mobility. Challenge for older people is very doable. There are challenges, but there are lots of opportunities to overcome them. Whether you’re in the adaptive wheelchair or the mountain bike. There are ways to be outside and within the procedure is adventure wise. People will be outside, but more importantly, brings people together.
Dirty Freehub 7:25
Well, I so appreciate you doing this today. I think it’s amazing what you’re doing and not letting things stop you because there is something so healing about being in our sports and being outside and you are proof to inspire other people to get outside no matter what. Dirty Free Hub is a nonprofit organization fueled by your generous contributions. Find us at Dirty Free Hub dot org.
