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Step Counting in Your Road Trip Future?

March 23, 2009

At certain times of the year, it seems the only people visiting tourist attractions are retirees. Many of our respected elders love to hit the road in monstrous RVs, demand the senior discount at the admission gate, and quiz the restaurant staff about whether the entree special includes a starch.

And can they doggie-bag dessert?

Seniors are an important demographic for tourist attractions — vital, really, to help many stay in business. For free places, the seniors are often the most appreciative audience — they’re eager to read a sign or ask a question of a hard-working creator or docent.

Here’s a senior concern we really hadn’t thought about before, courtesy of a recent site visitor:

“How many steps are at Castle Rock? We went to many [web] pages and can’t find out how many there are.  We loved it in 2000 but we’re a little bit older now.”

It never occurred to us that travelers need to know — in advance — the step count at a tourist attraction. Sure, the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty boast of their number of steps — but Castle Rock? (Who even climbs to the top, when the Paul Bunyan and Babe statue are at the base?)

A few years ago, one of our family matriarchs told us her senior group’s Germany castle trip was a near bust. All the Greatest Generation men on the trip had bad knees or shaky legs, and the steep, non-ADA accommodating steps of a foreign land left them in worse agony than landing at Omaha Beach.

So what number of steps are too many for a senior? 50? 100? 1,000?

For those young enough to operate their original knees, this might seem like a distant concern.  But as more generations march lockstep into the future, their stair awareness inevitably grows.

Perhaps we need to act now and add a Step-o-meter slider to the Tips form. Is that too ridiculous?

Once your calcium abandons you, steps aren’t the only challenge. What about places where a step count would be misleading? At the Ultraviolet Apocalypse monastery in Munster, Indiana, there aren’t many steps — but they are “Holy Steps,” meant to be ascended on one’s knees.

And Mystery Spots as a rule have few steps, but many ramps, disorienting inclines, and slanty floors. And we know what that does to the knees of senior citizens.

Let us know what you think!

Sections: Rants, Road Trips 5 Comments »

5 Responses to “Step Counting in Your Road Trip Future?”

1. iNeverGetLost Team Says:
   March 24th, 2009 at 10:51 am

   I don’t think it’s a horrible idea. I think it’s useful for seniors as well as families with young children! There are many people out there who would be interested in knowing just how many steps they’ll be needing to climb up … and down.

2. Sue Mack Says:
   March 24th, 2009 at 7:01 pm

   I think having info about number of steps is a great idea. I like taking road trips and one of the things I like to do is count the steps as I go up. In fact, I even write them down. I have the number of steps written down for Castle Rock in my travel notes at home.

3. ADalton Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 10:44 am

   I like that idea. Once when I was at an attraction I was told that there would be “a few” steps . There ended up being many more than what I had been led to expect. Moral: Terms such as “a few” are subjective. It’s better to know the exact number

4. Doug at RoadsideAmerica.com Says:
   March 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

   Sue Mack checked her travel notes and provides this: 172 steps at Castle Rock. Thanks, Sue!

5. Cindy Sue Causey Says:
   March 31st, 2009 at 12:40 am

   And *speaking* of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).. :GRIN:

   More and more sites appear to be graciously adding information as to how wheelchair and other accessible their events, activities, premises are…

   Hint, hint, OH, HINT.

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