HipStar™: The World's Best Hands-Free Travel Cart

Posted first by Igor Koshutin (Creator); re-posted by Swankie.

HipStar™ - Hands-Free Travel Cart 
(watch video - https://youtu.be/VmQe0wY_U5g)

Hey Backers, 

Today we have another great supporter - Charlene Swankie (AKA "SwankieWheels"). Charlene is living on Social Security, but she is living life to the fullest, camping full-time in a home built camper van.  Here is a bit of her back story: 

In 2005, Charlene could not walk and was shopping for a wheelchair. She then had bilateral knee replacements and two years of physical therapy. She has had to learn how to walk all over again. Soon, she began biking and running. In 2008, she was feeling so fit, got bored, bought a kayak, learned to kayak and set off to Kayak America. Charlene's goal was to kayak all 50 states, and she completed her 50th state, Hawaii, on her 70th birthday! She is now 74 and recently began looking for a new goal and decided on a solo hike of the 800-mile long Arizona National Scenic Trail (or Arizona Trail). She is working hard to prepare for that challenge. Charlene has wilderness and outdoor experience, having studied and hiked with Paul Petzoldt (founder of the National Outdoor Leadership School - NOLS) in the 1970s, but that was 40 years ago. A lot of retraining is required.

Here is what Charlene wrote: 
“I struggle to get ready for the hike due to limited finances, and also a bad shoulder. That is why HipStar™would be so important to me. I am seeking a second opinion this month on the shoulder to determine what I need to do about it and how much recovery time will be required. My goal to hike the AZ Trail felt aimless... and I kept searching for a purpose for doing it. I wanted a goal that was bigger than life itself, like kayaking all 50 states was, but I couldn't find one until I connected with HipStar™. Needless to say, I am extremely excited about this new challenge... of working with HipStar™ to make the wilderness more accessible to seniors and those mildly physically challenged!

One problem I see is, the Arizona Trail Association  doesn’t allow carts!!! Why??? They allow bikes, and horses, and unicycles? I know I could not use it on the ground through the Grand Canyon Angel Trail, but that's what is so great about your HipStar™ design, I can roll it where possible and backpack in other places. I intend to fight this with the AZ Trail Association and get permission to use HipStar™! I am going to contact the Americans With Disabilities group and get them behind me in fighting the park and trail systems, to allow these carts. ACCESSIBILITY is supposed to be provided for all and not allowing seniors to use the cart is discrimination! I might even fight them to the point of getting arrested and jailed for refusing to be forced off the trail for using the cart. And I certainly would bring in the press if that happened.”

Then we discussed this subject. I told her that I was also going to apply for special permission to use HipStar™ on restricted trails as soon as HipStar™'s design is completed, tested and first product rolls out production line. But, of course, I had no idea what stages I have to undertake. So, we agreed to join efforts and outline the plan. I am sure many of you would support us! 

Then Charlene wrote:
“I am very excited about the idea of doing battle with the Park Service and other trail associations on behalf of all Seniors who wish to continue to enjoy the outdoors. I think this could be a wonderful partnership between HipStar™ and the senior community. Let’s continue to explore the possibilities!” 

Charlene has written about her kayaking adventures and pre-visits to Arizona Trail trailheads, and also about life on the road for the past decade as a full-time vandweller. 

Charlene Swankie : http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/swankie.wheels

Please visit the HipStar™ website for more details.

Also support them on HipStar™.  HipStar is a collapsible cart that makes it easy to move heavy items over any type of terrain and can be used as a backpack if needed.   The HipStar™ is a project of our passion in striving to help people achieve full mobility with only the power of two legs and accomplish physical feats they never thought possible – no matter if they’re young or old. It will be an affordable way to make travels more enjoyable. 

Arizona National Trail—Passage 8 Scouting Trip (April 13, 2016)

Rincon Valley area

Passage 8 actually begins at Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead, and then goes to the Colossal Cave Mountain Park, and the La Posta Quemada Ranch.  Zimerman Trailhead is covered at the end of the Passage 7 post.

I did not go in Colossal Cave as I didn’t have the money to spare, with another week yet before payday.

But the La Posta Quemada Ranch and the two campground areas at Colossal Cave Mountain Park were very interesting.  I’ll like to return there sometime, maybe to horseback ride, but a 45 min ride was $30…

The Ranch looks like an interesting place, but I did not explore. Was neat looking up this hill and seeing it covered with Saguaro cactus.

I wasn’t sure where the AZT was in this area and was surprised to see a signpost right beside me.

Would be nice to come off the trail and find a bathroom, shade, etc..

Now that is a welcome site, shade and water.

This was a huge tree, so I had to do a selfie.

The roads are in very bad shape, even the paved roads.  It was hairy getting back in to the campgrounds there by van, but arriving there by trail to find toilets, water, trash cans, shade, tables… will probably seem pretty wonderful.

Hiking to the Cave itself from the campground is a 2 mile round trip detour… which I probably won’t do.  I’ll visit it by van one day.

Doesn’t look very promising to see much more of the trail itself via vehicular trailheads.

I drove in x9 Ranch Road and found the trail crossing, but there was no place to park so that I could hike it.  I should have taken time for a hike from the campground.  State Trust land signs… either I was driving through Trust lands, or it borders this road?.

I did find the trail crossing, and it is well-signed.  First time I have seen this sign.  There were a number of work trucks going to the gated housing community, that were going down this wash-board road pretty darned fast.

Even coming off the trail at the road, the signage was very good.

The AZT heading south from x9 Ranch Road.

I would not say this section is as pretty as #7 but there are some nice plants and more Saguaros here.

This was a road going off to the west and is marked State Trust Land, permit required.  It was a little rough looking anyway.

The washboard road ended at a gated community where I had to turn around.

I then drove the Camino Loma Alta road to Hope Camp and  to the National Park Service trailhead parking lot… the Loma Alta trailhead, but it is a three mile hike just to reach the AZT from there.   So, being noon, I decided to make breakfast and write this post.  Lots of mature hikers going up this trail for day hikes today.  I don’t see any “camp.”

Some of the warning signs are disconcerting, Africanized bees, Mountain Lions, etc.

According to the guide book, page 99, “It’s a tough slog up the steep terrain, dipping in and out of small drainages, and the views to the south improve with every foot of elevation you gain.”

Yah, I’m not going to see the tAZ rail here until I’m southbound in the Fall.  Also will have to make reservations to stay in a campground in Saguaro National Park as it is a 21.6 mile passage and no camping is allowed anywhere but campgrounds.

Studying the maps, I can’t see any other places where I can access the AZT by vehicle… so it’s on to study Passage 9 and from what I can tell, I can’t even get there at all in any reasonable fashion.  We will see.

Last:  Passage 7-Las Cienegas

Next: Passage 9-10-Rincon Mountains

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Thank you for doing your usual Amazon shopping using my affiliate link.

Help me a little if you can by donating to my equipment fund for the Arizona Trail hike, in the Fall 2016.  I promise to pay it forward.  There is a PayPal donation button in the top right corner, but I realize people using phone may not see that so I am repeating the button below. You can see a list of gear I need at http://swankiewheels.blogspot.com/p/wish-list.html .

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Contribute to Equipment for the Arizona Trail Hike.