One goal was to find a sport, similar to skiing, in which he could again participate. This would have to be something that Sam could do himself, as he was interested in individual sports that were both "close to the earth" and held the potential for competition.
This desire led him to activities such as sailing and flying ultralight aircraft. While his sailing initiatives resulted in the development of the Disabled Sailing Association, his search for mobility in other areas took many turns.
Originally formed as DUVS - Disabled Ultralighters of Vancouver - Sam continued to look for ways that high-level quadriplegics and others with significant physical disabilities could venture into new areas, even after DUVS ran into insurance and logistic difficulties.
Recognizing that the wilderness was seemingly inaccessible, Sam gave serious thought to ways that he could replicate the success of DSA with hiking. In about 1992, he wrote a letter explaining his situation and his desire to once again go hiking; he faxed it out to about 40 companies and about 20 people showed up to an initial meeting. The result was the development of an adapted golf cart - a project that took over a year to complete.
In the end, the B.C. Mobility Opportunities Society evolved out of the original DUVS organization and the group was successful in getting a good product to use at Pacific Spirit Regional Park (near UBC in Vancouver). However, the converted golf cart was not suited for use on trails and in other parks. Again, a radical "rethink" was required.
That's when Sam sat down with Paul Cermak, the first volunteer with the Tetra Society of North America, with the idea of developing a vehicle that could be used in pristine areas without causing ecological damage. The result was the creation of the TrailRider - a single-wheeled, human-powered access vehicle.
Initially, Sam approached BCMOS' hiking programs with the thought that "disabled people should be able to go anywhere." But that idealistic thinking soon became more pragmatic and changed to: "I may not be able to sail at any yacht club, but I could at least have the experience of sailing. I may not be able to hike everywhere, but I could at least experience hiking."
Sam adds, "The reality is that disabled people can now experience sailing at one place with our programs - totally equipped and suited for the significantly disabled. It is the same thing with the TrailRider. A significantly disabled person can go to a representative wilderness area and experience the outdoors."
The Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation comprises of six affiliated societies: