Mike Muir is as inspiring and passionate about the outdoors as his great-grandfather, John. At fifteen, Mike was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; today, at 56, he continues to be an active and enthusiastic outdoorsman. In 2005, he founded Access Adventure, a non-profit organization that gets people with disabilities into the outdoors via a uniquely crafted horse-driven carriage. The wind- and solar-powered operation is based at Rush Ranch, with over two thousand acres of open space on Solano County's Grizzly Island. From April through October, Mike, his volunteers, and a team of draft horses give free carriage rides with valley views reaching from Mount Diablo to the Suisun Estuary. For those seeking backcountry solitude, Access Adventure offers multi-day wilderness journeys, such as a five-nighter on the Lost Coast and a week in the High Sierras near Yosemite—his great-grandfather's beloved playground. In the legacy of John Muir, Mike and his crew "like to get off the beaten path as far as you can go…"

TIP: Rush Ranch offers field-trip programs for underprivileged youths. The organization also leads trips for the blind, where the beauty of the outdoors is seen through the scents on the wind and the touch of nature's many offerings.

Saturday, April 26, is Access Adventure's annual Open House at Rush Ranch from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Activities include blacksmithing, wagon rides, sheep-dog shows, and old-time music. After that, Access Adventure is open to all on the third Saturday of every month from April through October. For further dates and information, click here (directions are under the "contact us" page).