Under Western Skies

by Andy Vladimir

Accessible Las Vegas

If there was ever a city made for wheeling (or in my case scooting) around, it’s Las Vegas.

On the Strip, where the casinos and resorts are located, all the streets seem to have curb cuts. The buses are accessible (even the airport shuttles), and they run frequently day and night. The hotels have a variety of accessible rooms with roll-in showers and other special amenities. Most of the hotel pools have lifts.

The casinos have lowered blackjack tables to accommodate players in wheelchairs. Or you can wheel right up and dump your life savings into slot machines. The staffs at the restaurants and buffets are helpful beyond expectations, and the best seats in the house at some shows are those for people using wheelchairs.

 

Las Vegas' attractions include a pirate extravanganza at Treasure Island and the Bellagio.

Obviously I wasn’t the first visitor to figure out Las Vegas’ accessibility. I saw wheelchair users on every corner — more than I’ve ever seen in one city at one time.

I don’t like to gamble, so my total investment in the casinos was $10 in quarters to play the slots. After I lost $5, I quit.

But in Las Vegas you don’t have to gamble to have fun. You can see the volcano erupt in front of the Mirage for free. You can watch a band of tempting sirens clash with a nasty bunch of renegade pirates at the Treasure Island for free.

You can admire works by Picasso, Cezanne and Matisse at the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum at the Venetian until July 5, when the traveling exhibition from the Guggenheim Museum in New York closes. The next exhibit, the Pursuit of Pleasure, which offers images of leisure, runs from July 17 through Jan. 16.

For different kinds of sensations you can climb aboard a roller coaster at New York-New York, explore the tombs of King Tut at the Luxor, ride up the Eiffel Tower at Paris, eat at some of the country’s finest restaurants, and see any of three Cirque du Soleil shows playing in town. For my money, these shows make the trip worth it, even if you don’t do anything else.

It’s a thrill to see the acrobat-dancers at Cirque du Soleil do impossible things, moves that you’d swear even the most able-bodied person couldn’t make. At “Mystere” at Treasure Island, performers hurl through the air with no safety nets, leap impossible distances, and dance on the stage, on trampolines and even on bungee cords. All of this is accompanied by spectacular theatrical effects and music. The seats for wheelchair users and their companions are in the front section and some of the best in the house.

“Zumanity,” at NewYork-New York, is an X-rated version of Cirque du Soleil. Children aren’t allowed.

My favorite was “O,” at the Bellagio. The show is mounted on a stage built around a massive 25-foot-deep pool holding 1.5 million gallons of water. Trapeze artists romp overhead, synchronized swimmers fill the pool, and fire dancers prance around the stage while magical lighting and music accompany it all.

If you go to Las Vegas, look on the Web for the best rates. Two sites I recommend are www.hotels.com and www.bookvegas.com; show tickets also can be booked on the latter site.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority publishes “The Visitors Guide,” which contains helpful information for people with disabilities. (Call [877] 847-4858 or go to www.lvcva.com.) If you want to rent a ramp van there to visit the Grand Canyon or go to a dude ranch, as I did, call Wheelchair Getaways at (800) 642-2042.

Stagecoach Trails Guest Ranch

Three wranglers accompany the author on a horseback ride.

I heard about the Stagecoach Ranch in Yucca, Ariz., from a reader of Quest. Because it’s only two hours from Las Vegas, I decided to spend two days there so I could give you a thorough report on this most unusual resort.

Carrie Rynders, who runs the ranch, calls it “the nation’s first and only completely handicapped-accessible ranch.” The real story here, though, isn’t what it is, but rather how it is. It’s very good; in fact it’s terrific. That’s how it is.

Yucca isn’t a place I would head for if I weren’t going to a dude ranch. This is pure desert country — nothing but sagebrush, creosote, Joshua trees, cactus and blazing hot sun.

It’s great horse country, though, and if that’s what you’re looking for, Stagecoach is a dream come true. Rynders, her family and some dedicated wranglers have fashioned a fine, albeit small resort. It accommodates 40 guests in a series of cabins, all of which are fully wheelchair accessible.

	The Rynders family demonstrates the accessibility ramp for mounting horses..

When I was there the place was packed with a bachelor-party group, some visitors from France, and assorted guests from across the country. I was the only person with a disability there, except for Amy, the Rynders’ daughter, who has cerebral palsy and is the inspiration behind the setup.

Creating a fully accessible resort meant building a special ramp for mounting a horse. It meant putting lifts in the swimming pool and whirlpool spa. It meant recruiting a staff skilled at teaching a very diverse clientele how to ride.

Every guest gets two horseback rides a day, one in the morning, another in the afternoon or evening. When I arrived they first evaluated my balance skills by having me ride around the arena at a walk. Enoch led my horse, while Marty and Richard walked along, one on each side of me.

Two trail rides were then scheduled for me the next day. Carrie kept us separate from the group rides because she wanted all three wranglers to accompany me, and because my 45-minute rides were shorter than those of the regular guests, who could ride as long as they wanted to

In this sense Stagecoach is like a luxury resort — every program is tailored to individual guests. About half of my fellow guests were repeat visitors. I spoke with several who had been to other ranches, and they preferred Stagecoach because of the personalized attention.

A desert denizen.

At night people gather around a campfire where stories are told or move into the lounge to play games or watch TV. There are no TVs or telephones in the rooms.

The food here is of the hearty, chuck-wagon variety — barbecued ribs and chili, served buffet style. Meals are included in the daily rates, which run from $95 to $155 per person. No liquor is served or sold, but you’re welcome to bring your own.

What makes Stagecoach work so well is the unfailing commitment of everyone there to make this an unforgettable vacation for every guest. I’ve never seen so many people work so hard at being hospitable. It’s worth the trip just to experience that.

Stagecoach is located in northwestern Arizona. You might want to include a couple of days there if you’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon (three hours away), Lake Havasu City, site of London Bridge (one hour away), or Las Vegas. For more information call toll-free (866) 444-4471 or visit www.stgr.com. The ranch is closed through Aug. 1 this year, but open year-round otherwise.

Princess Cruises

Great news for cruisers. Princess Cruises (one of my favorite lines) tells me that they’ve almost completed installing pool and spa lifts on all of their ships. Steam rooms and spas are accessible on some of the newer ones. I’ll have a complete report soon.

To send feedback or questions about “To Boldly Go,” write to Andy Vladimir in care of Quest or at andyvlad@bellsouth.net.