Volunteer vacations roadside assistance: the author drives so that others may race

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, May, 2004 by Suzanne Schlosberg

It recently dawned on me that I've managed to reach my mid-30s without making a single identifiable contribution to society. Truth be told, I've never volunteered for anything other than scheduling spa treatments for my friend Cami's bachelorette party.

So instead of spending my next vacation, say, trekking around Nepal, I plan something much harder: I attempt to be useful. After sifting through hundreds of volunteer vacation opportunities, I sign up as a pilot car driver for the world's longest wheel-chair and handcycle race, Sadler's Midnight Sun Ultra Challenge in Alaska, an annual six-day event that runs from Fairbanks to Anchorage. My mission is to trail one of the 22 athletes, shielding him from traffic along the 267-mile course.

I'm not nervous until I receive a confirmation letter that reads, "You are responsible for the safety of your athlete and the maintenance of your vehicle." Considering my dubious vehicular history--twice I've driven off at a gas station with the nozzle stuck in my fuel tank--seeing "responsibility," "maintenance," and "vehicle" in the same sentence is marginally alarming.

Upon arriving in Alaska, I'm assigned to Mike Bond, a 33-year-old Floridian who'd been paralyzed 10 years earlier when a drunk driver hit his motorcycle. A fierce competitor, Mike has dark hair, enormous biceps and not a whole lot to say. Not that there's much time for chitchat, anyway. While Mike is busy fueling up, strategizing, cycling 50 miles a day and napping, my days as a volunteer go like this: wake up, dismantle tent (volunteers camp; athletes sleep in motorhomes), shuttle Mike to the starting line, unload his equipment, then spend four hours driving 16 mph behind him in a Daewoo Leganza with a busted radio.

The biggest challenge is simply staying awake behind the wheel, a feat I accomplish by chomping nonstop on Bugles, Chili Cheese Fritos and Juicyfruit gum. The second-biggest challenge is avoiding a full bladder. Bathroom breaks aren't allowed; I can't exactly pull off the road and leave Mike unshielded from the RVs barreling down the highway.

During the week, I manage to keep Mike safe, fulfilling the first half of my assigned duties. However, I prove less successful with vehicle maintenance.

My low point comes the morning one of the Leganza's tires goes flat. Clueless, I just stare at the tire in disbelief. That's when one of the racers, a studly blond 24-year-old, wheels by, looks at the tire, and then looks back at me. "Man," he says, shaking his head, "I really don't want to get down on the gravel to change this thing," which he promptly does.

I could detail my other vehicular mishaps: the speeding ticket en route to the starting line; the fender-bender with the motorhome; the time I accidentally let Mike's wheel-chair roll into the street, where it was nearly mowed down by a Suburban. But why bother when Mike finished the race successfully?

In fact, he places third. At the awards banquet, when he receives a $1,000 prize, I realize I feel pretty useful. I'd assembled and disassembled his wheelchair at least 50 times, I'd been around for last-minute emergencies, and I could honestly say I hadn't screwed up so royally as to have affected his performance. He'd probably have finished third with or without me.

For information on volunteering at the 2004 Ultra Challenge, which takes place July 18-23, go to www.challenge.ak.org/htm/ultra.htm or call 888-430-2738. Volunteers pay their own transportation costs to Alaska and $100, which covers meals.

RELATED ARTICLE

Want to add "do-gooder" to your resume? Look no further than these volunteer vacation opportunities. Note: Costs for trips, which typically last one to three weeks, include room and board (which is often camping) but not airfare.

Volunteers for Peace

Whether you're into assisting with organic peach farming in Vermont, renovating housing in Greenland or herding cattle in Kenya, Volunteers for Peace (VFP) can hook you up. VFP, which draws an international, under-30 crowd, doesn't organize classic trips but rather coordinates volunteer crews for 1,800 "work camps" in 90 countries. Don't expect luxury; rather, anticipate basic amenities and an amazing spirit of cooperation. www.vfp.org; 802-259-2759; $200 to $400

American Hiking Society

With an eye toward keeping national parks postcard-worthy and pristine, the American Hiking Society has 80-plus projects, including building a rock causeway in the Sierra Nevadas and maintaining trails in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. You'll channel Paula Bunyan--and sweat copiously--as you chop wood, trim shrubs and move rocks, then sleep soundly in the quiet, clean air. www.americanhiking.org; 301-565-6704; $80 (plus transportation)

Earthwatch Institute

Perfect for Jane Goodallwannabes, the Earthwatch Institute--the most scientific and expensive of these three excursions--allows you to collect data for ongoing environmental studies. You might dig for bison fossils in Wyoming, monitor the behavior of dolphins off the coast of Brazil or track rhinos in Kenya. Long after you've left the site, your fee ensures the research project continues. www.earthwatch.org; 800-776-0188; $800 to $3,000