Wheelie Inspiring Interview Series: Sylvia Longmire of Spin the Globe

She’s Ms. Wheelchair USA 2016, a service-disabled veteran, a travel blogger, and my friend. Sylvia Longmire and I “met” on Facebook a while back after she saw my posts about Iceland here on this blog, and she then decided to go there. We started talking on Facebook and have kept in touch ever since. We are now even planning to go on a cruise together next August through Scandinavia and Russia. Sylvia is an incredible person and I am thrilled that she agreed to take part in my Wheelie Inspiring Interview Series. After reading her interview below, I’m sure that you’ll be just as inspired by her relentless spirit as I am.

1) Please tell us about yourself and what you do.

I’m a consultant and subject matter expert on Mexico’s drug war and border security. I also manage a non-profit that provides college scholarships to students who have MS or a parent with MS. I’m a service-disabled veteran, single mother to two amazing boys, a singer, a slam poet, and Star Wars geek. I’ve had multiple sclerosis for over 11 years and roll in a power wheelchair full-time.

Sylvia is also a big Dallas Cowboys fan

2) How did your passion for traveling begin?

When I was five years old, I started going on regular road trip vacations with my parents from South Florida to visit close family friends in Canada. We’d take a different route every time so we could see new things, and I had visited probably twenty states by the time I was 12 years old.

3) What made you decide to start Spin the Globe and can you explain a bit about what it is?

I’m something of a disability rights advocate, but I don’t limit my advocacy to just ramps and doorways. I lead a very active lifestyle despite my physical limitations, and by sharing my stories through the Internet, I hope to inspire other people using mobility aids to overcome their fears or concerns about travel and get out there!

4) What is the most wheelchair friendly place you have traveled to?

Las Vegas, hands down. I went there for my 40th birthday with my two best friends, and every single place we went to on the Strip – casinos, restaurants, night clubs, etc. – were fully accessible. Not just that; the attitude of everyone around us, to include service workers and fellow visitors, was extremely positive and welcoming.

Sylvia in Dubai

5) What is the least accessible place you have been to?

Jackson Hole, Wyoming was pretty rough. It’s a small, older western town, and there were steps to get into probably 75% of stores and restaurants. I was actually surprised because that little town gets TONS of tourists in both summer and winter, and I figured they’d want to be more welcoming to those with disabilities.

6) What kind of problems have you came across while traveling in a wheelchair? How did you overcome them?

I need my battery to last longer, LOL! But in all seriousness, not being more proficient with a manual wheelchair and relying on a much heavier electric scooter is limiting. So is my choice to travel alone to many places, as the combination of a travel partner and manual chair can help you overcome a lot of physical obstacles. I think my positive and “whatever it takes to get me there” attitude helps! If I need someone to throw me over their shoulder to get in a helicopter or in a boat or wherever, I’m willing to do that in order to experience something amazing.

Sylvia did a helicopter tour in Iceland

7) What are some of the top items on your bucket list?

Australia, Russia, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Singapore.

8) Do you have any tips for other wheelchair users that might think traveling is not possible?

Do your homework. When you’re traveling with a mobility aid, you can’t afford to just “go with the flow” when you arrive somewhere. I find that the more arrangements I have in place before I travel, the more relaxed I am. It also helps a LOT to be flexible and prepared for the unexpected. Approach obstacles from “How can I do this?” as opposed to “I can’t do this!”

9) Most importantly, where to next?

I’m heading to Sydney on October 31st for ten days! Then it’s Barbados in February and Dublin in April. I can’t wait!

If you’d like to connect with Sylvia, check out her website, Facebook page, or Twitter.