In the Community: My First Hike

Self-advocate Catherine Brenneman recounts the time she went on a camping trip with her family and how she really enjoyed herself. She also talks about the community program that allowed her to have this lived experience. Here is her story.

Catherine BrennemanI went on a camping trip with my family to Hard Labor Creek State Park in Northeast Georgia. We did a lot of fun things there, but what was most fun about my family’s camping trip was that I rode on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). This was not a typical ATV, but one for people like me. It had a power wheelchair with big wheels almost like tank tracks. First, I went down to the trail with my lift and got into the ATV with the help of my dad, Danny Hoover, Chief Operating Officer at Diversified Enterprises, and some other friends. It wasn’t that easy, but we did it.

After that, I went on this big hike. I even tracked down a big tree on the trail, kind of like a skateboard. I saw all the pretty leaves in nature. The trail was very rocky, and the ATV was very bumpy. I was bouncing all over the place. It took about two and a half hours to complete the hiking trail. When I got back in my wheelchair, I rode with my family back to the campsite. It was so much fun. I want to ride the ATV again, but maybe not on that trail. Again, it was too bumpy. Maybe they can fix the trail.

It was nice seeing the natural beauty of the trail and being outdoors. I was able to look at what God created on this beautiful hike in a different way. I've never seen or experienced nature this way before. It was like looking at God! 

My dad, my family, and others who helped us during this camping trip have been hiking on this trail together for over 20 years. I have always wanted to hike with them. It was so nice to finally go hiking with all these people I care about. I loved hiking with them and I am so grateful for this experience.

About the All-Terrain Georgia Action Trackchairs

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has partnered with the Aimee Copeland Foundation to provide free, high mobility all-terrain wheelchairs at 10 state parks, historic sites and a wildlife center. The initiative encourages those with mobility impairments to reconnect with nature, explore nature trails, go fishing and attend adaptive hunts. 

Action Trackchairs are designed with safety in mind, giving Georgians who otherwise might not be able to navigate more difficult types of terrain the ability to hit the trails and easily navigate through mud, water, sand and snow. Qualifying Park visitors can experience a sense of freedom that can be difficult to have in an everyday wheelchair. The chairs can be used for hiking, hunting, fishing and other outdoor education and recreational activities. 

Learn more from the Georgia State Parks.