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Ian's Ride: A Long-Distance Journey to Joy
While studying as a biology undergrad at UC Santa Cruz, Ian Mackay crashed his bike into a tree on campus. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, Mackay adapted to his new life with the help of his dedicated family, particularly his mother, Teena Woodward, and a group of quirky friends. After years of despair, and against all odds, he became an inspiring leader, an innovator with Apple, and a world-record-breaking athlete. In this intimate memoir based on more than one hundred hours of interviews, journal entries, and more, writer Karen Polinsky recounts with Ian his accident and determined recovery, in which he discovered the healing power of nature and community.
Ian’s Ride is both a personal journey and an adventure quest for nature lovers, endurance athletes, and anyone struggling with a life-changing loss or diagnosis. This deeply moving true story examines how we exist in our bodies, adapt to and overcome adversity, and above all what makes our hearts tick.
Ian’s Ride is both a personal journey and an adventure quest for nature lovers, endurance athletes, and anyone struggling with a life-changing loss or diagnosis. This deeply moving true story examines how we exist in our bodies, adapt to and overcome adversity, and above all what makes our hearts tick.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
208 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 13, 2025
Ian's Ride isn't a warts and all story nor is it a schmaltzy sob fest. What you actually get is the story of a determined (or bloody-minded) young man who had a terrible accident while out doing something he loved, which resulted in him breaking his spine and ending up as a quadriplegic at the age of 26.
Ian Mackay wasn't going to take the change to his physical self as an excuse to moan though. Instead he has carried on doing the things he loves - being outdoors and being with family and friends.
You'd want to say he was remarkable or unique but reading this book makes you realise there are a lot of people in similar circumstances who are all just as ambitious as Ian to live their lives their way.
I loved this book. It wasn't overly sentimental nor was it a "isn't he a heroic battler" type of story. It simply told Ian and his family's story as it happened. If this book doesn't inspire you to, at the very least, get outside for an hour every day then I'd be extremely surprised. Their resilience certainly inspired me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Mountaineers Books for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Ian Mackay wasn't going to take the change to his physical self as an excuse to moan though. Instead he has carried on doing the things he loves - being outdoors and being with family and friends.
You'd want to say he was remarkable or unique but reading this book makes you realise there are a lot of people in similar circumstances who are all just as ambitious as Ian to live their lives their way.
I loved this book. It wasn't overly sentimental nor was it a "isn't he a heroic battler" type of story. It simply told Ian and his family's story as it happened. If this book doesn't inspire you to, at the very least, get outside for an hour every day then I'd be extremely surprised. Their resilience certainly inspired me.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Mountaineers Books for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
December 30, 2024
There are some noteworthy risks when it comes to writing a biography for a notable disabled figure.
The first, of course, is that said biography becomes no more than what the late British comic Stella Young called "inspiration porn." It's easy to fall into the trap of making someone inspirational solely because they show up with a disability.
This first one is particularly icky for me.
The second doesn't have quite the catchy phrase to accompany it, however, it comes down to creating an overly saccharine, histrionic, and melodramatic tale about "suffering."
This one grosses me out too.
So, I always approach such biographies a little bit wary. A recent audio book about Canadian icon Terry Fox was a perfect example - the narration was so over-the-top melodramatic that it felt like idol worship. I still cringe whenever I think about it.
I was pleasantly surprised by Karen Polinsky's "Ian's Ride: A Long-Distance Journey to Joy" that chronicles the life of Ian Mackay, whose life permanently changed when he crashed his bike doing 40-mph into a tree and became paralyzed from the shoulders down. Suddenly, the dreadlocked hippie with a free-spirited attitude and a love of nature was forced to adapt to a life where his recovery depended upon the fierce dedication of his family, especially his mother Teena Woodward, and his eclectic group of similarly spirited friends.
You can likely already tell that "Ian's Ride" runs the risk of turning into inspiration porn. However, Polinsky has crafted a patient, realistic tale of a man whose healing didn't happen overnight and whose times of despair are vividly captured as his accident took him back to Life 101.
It took years of dedication, despair, creativity, and love for Ian to become an inspiring leader, an innovator with Apple, and a man who would begin returning to his beloved trails in his Invacare power wheelchair where he would begin doing annual long-distance rides and ultimately break a world record for distance covered in one day in a power wheelchair.
"Ian's Ride" captures Ian not just as some inspirational quadriplegic. It captures him as a human being, simultaneously vulnerable yet prone to arrogance and needy yet determined to become as independent as possible. This is a book that captures the healing power of nature and the unique world of endurance athletes with disabilities. It's a book that examines how we learn to live in our bodies and how that changes whether it's because of a tragic accident, aging, or simply the evolution of life. It's a book about the importance of community, differences, and the resilience of the human heart.
If I have a beef with "Ian's Ride," it may very well be that it's not long enough to really explore vital areas such as the financial impact of disability (though it begins addressing this toward book's end as Ian explores his own home) and the power of living one's good life while also balancing Social Security, disability, income, and much more. At times, ableist language creeps in in subtle ways (fortunately limited). However, for the most part "Ian's Ride" is a grounded, realistic portrayal of a man who becomes disabled in his college days and over the years figures out how to live in his body, return to his love of nature, build a community, live his good life, and maintain friendships and romantic relationships.
As a paraplegic/double amputee with spina bifida myself, I've long used long-distance wheeling as my own form of activism and self-healing. I recently celebrated being one-year cancer free with a 160-mile wheelchair ride that eliminated $17 million in medical debt for those in my home state of Indiana. So, I vibed wonderfully with Ian's embrace of nature, the trails, and his desire to push. He felt like a kindred spirit and I celebrated the growth of his rides and his ability to include others in them (which I've only minimally done). Even as a lifelong paraplegic, there was much for me to learn here.
While I may have wished for more from "Ian's Ride," it's a good problem to have to not want a book to end. Heartfelt and hopeful in all the right ways, "Ian's Ride" is a raw, honest, and fiercely engaging story that you won't want to end.
The first, of course, is that said biography becomes no more than what the late British comic Stella Young called "inspiration porn." It's easy to fall into the trap of making someone inspirational solely because they show up with a disability.
This first one is particularly icky for me.
The second doesn't have quite the catchy phrase to accompany it, however, it comes down to creating an overly saccharine, histrionic, and melodramatic tale about "suffering."
This one grosses me out too.
So, I always approach such biographies a little bit wary. A recent audio book about Canadian icon Terry Fox was a perfect example - the narration was so over-the-top melodramatic that it felt like idol worship. I still cringe whenever I think about it.
I was pleasantly surprised by Karen Polinsky's "Ian's Ride: A Long-Distance Journey to Joy" that chronicles the life of Ian Mackay, whose life permanently changed when he crashed his bike doing 40-mph into a tree and became paralyzed from the shoulders down. Suddenly, the dreadlocked hippie with a free-spirited attitude and a love of nature was forced to adapt to a life where his recovery depended upon the fierce dedication of his family, especially his mother Teena Woodward, and his eclectic group of similarly spirited friends.
You can likely already tell that "Ian's Ride" runs the risk of turning into inspiration porn. However, Polinsky has crafted a patient, realistic tale of a man whose healing didn't happen overnight and whose times of despair are vividly captured as his accident took him back to Life 101.
It took years of dedication, despair, creativity, and love for Ian to become an inspiring leader, an innovator with Apple, and a man who would begin returning to his beloved trails in his Invacare power wheelchair where he would begin doing annual long-distance rides and ultimately break a world record for distance covered in one day in a power wheelchair.
"Ian's Ride" captures Ian not just as some inspirational quadriplegic. It captures him as a human being, simultaneously vulnerable yet prone to arrogance and needy yet determined to become as independent as possible. This is a book that captures the healing power of nature and the unique world of endurance athletes with disabilities. It's a book that examines how we learn to live in our bodies and how that changes whether it's because of a tragic accident, aging, or simply the evolution of life. It's a book about the importance of community, differences, and the resilience of the human heart.
If I have a beef with "Ian's Ride," it may very well be that it's not long enough to really explore vital areas such as the financial impact of disability (though it begins addressing this toward book's end as Ian explores his own home) and the power of living one's good life while also balancing Social Security, disability, income, and much more. At times, ableist language creeps in in subtle ways (fortunately limited). However, for the most part "Ian's Ride" is a grounded, realistic portrayal of a man who becomes disabled in his college days and over the years figures out how to live in his body, return to his love of nature, build a community, live his good life, and maintain friendships and romantic relationships.
As a paraplegic/double amputee with spina bifida myself, I've long used long-distance wheeling as my own form of activism and self-healing. I recently celebrated being one-year cancer free with a 160-mile wheelchair ride that eliminated $17 million in medical debt for those in my home state of Indiana. So, I vibed wonderfully with Ian's embrace of nature, the trails, and his desire to push. He felt like a kindred spirit and I celebrated the growth of his rides and his ability to include others in them (which I've only minimally done). Even as a lifelong paraplegic, there was much for me to learn here.
While I may have wished for more from "Ian's Ride," it's a good problem to have to not want a book to end. Heartfelt and hopeful in all the right ways, "Ian's Ride" is a raw, honest, and fiercely engaging story that you won't want to end.
January 18, 2025
Ian’s Ride is a great story of a young man’s journey from an adventure seeking healthy post grad student to a full quadriplegic. Medical information, mechanical details of things like wheelchairs and rotating beds, and technology information useful to quads, and others with disabilities, is abundant and easy to understand. Learning how people live day to day, the importance of caregivers and family support and building community are threaded throughout. Ian is a spark of resilience and shows the reader how valuable each human is and how appreciative of living and community everyone has the opportunity to experience, no matter their physical condition. Ian and his team are extraordinary people, but, as Ian’s mother points out, it is what love does. Love of family and friends supports each other in ways not previously imagined. It is a very real and heartwarming depiction of a young man’s life turned inside out. Aside from a few typos and formatting issues on Kindle I highly recommend this book. It will appeal to a broad audience.
April 15, 2025
I read a lot, so when I heard that Ian Mackay was having a book published about him I preordered it immediately!
The book release was April 1st and my book arrived on the 2nd.
Due to the fact I was in the middle of finishing a book club book for that week I begrudgingly set "Ian's Ride" aside till Sunday, I wanted to give it my full undivided attention, Holy Smokes I'm so glad I did.
First off let's just get this part out of the way, it's very rare I ever give a book 5 stars, I'm just extremely picky that way. But due to the grading system of goodreads, it doesn't allow me to pick between a four to five, so in my humble opinion, the book rated a strong 4.75. (I found a few typos and the story line jumped around a little between different years in places so the flow was lost a little bit, but not bad)
The amazing story of Ian starts while he's in college and quickly turns into a life threatening disaster.
To state that this book is a page turner is an understatement.
Plus the emotions that I, myself felt just floored me. I had tears flowing more than once, I laughed, I cheered, I was amazed.
Ian Mackay has done more from a motorized wheelchair than most people do their entire lives. I have to admit that the book is very inspiring and one that I would definitely highly recommend as a great read.
The book release was April 1st and my book arrived on the 2nd.
Due to the fact I was in the middle of finishing a book club book for that week I begrudgingly set "Ian's Ride" aside till Sunday, I wanted to give it my full undivided attention, Holy Smokes I'm so glad I did.
First off let's just get this part out of the way, it's very rare I ever give a book 5 stars, I'm just extremely picky that way. But due to the grading system of goodreads, it doesn't allow me to pick between a four to five, so in my humble opinion, the book rated a strong 4.75. (I found a few typos and the story line jumped around a little between different years in places so the flow was lost a little bit, but not bad)
The amazing story of Ian starts while he's in college and quickly turns into a life threatening disaster.
To state that this book is a page turner is an understatement.
Plus the emotions that I, myself felt just floored me. I had tears flowing more than once, I laughed, I cheered, I was amazed.
Ian Mackay has done more from a motorized wheelchair than most people do their entire lives. I have to admit that the book is very inspiring and one that I would definitely highly recommend as a great read.
April 17, 2025
Ian is my first cousin, so I had the privilege of hearing the stories in real time over the past years, but to have them all compiled within these pages and getting to hear all the details was really special. When Ian had his accident, I was a young teenager who didn’t have the emotional maturity to grasp the enormity of the situation. I remember what a trying time it was for my family but to experience those tragic developments again, now, as an adult, really pulls at my heartstrings and puts things into perspective.
My review may be biased, but reading this book was overall such a great experience. Tears were shed, but belly laughs also occurred. I thought I had my emotions together nearing the end of the book until reliving our Papa’s passing through Ian’s eyes, dammit. But I’m so proud of my family’s growth. 5 stars!
Love you cuz, I think I’ll go outside today.
My review may be biased, but reading this book was overall such a great experience. Tears were shed, but belly laughs also occurred. I thought I had my emotions together nearing the end of the book until reliving our Papa’s passing through Ian’s eyes, dammit. But I’m so proud of my family’s growth. 5 stars!
Love you cuz, I think I’ll go outside today.
April 15, 2025
Absolutely phenomenal read. Tremendously authentic, genuine, filled with the ups and downs of an incredibly empowering journey. Each chapter is packed with such a meaningful reflection on one’s own determination, passion, family, community, and the ties to each other that carry more meaning to them than we sometimes realise.
Ian’s story is incredible, and the author Karen Polinsky captured these moments spectacularly. Thank you Ian & family, friends for sharing. Highly recommended.
Ian’s story is incredible, and the author Karen Polinsky captured these moments spectacularly. Thank you Ian & family, friends for sharing. Highly recommended.
August 1, 2025
Randomly picked this up at Eagle Harbor Books on vacation and I’m glad I did! I love the writing style and way multiple perspectives are described throughout the book. Nature is for everyone😌
April 10, 2025
I loved this book. It was a quick, easy read, but it is one that will stay with me for a long time. The reader can’t help but put themselves in Ian’s Vans and contemplate how they might behave if in the same situation. I’m certain I would fall far short of all that Ian has achieved and all that he is, which is why this book was so interesting to read. I loved the cast of colorful characters and admired their ability to seek and experience joy, even in the most difficult circumstances.
May 30, 2025
I loved how Ian’s Ride surprised me. Polinsky does an artful job creating tension during the dramatic and joyful parts of Ian’s story. I appreciated the excerpts early on from the Spinal Cord Injury binder that helped me learn about the issues quadriplegics have and the example from Ian’s specific experience. For quadriplegics, the measuring stick of success recalibrates, and the narrative makes a case for the celebratory significance of seemingly miniscule accomplishments, such as taking a breath on your own or exploring a path alone.
As someone who believes in the power of outdoor experiences to transform our lives, I loved how Ian’s condition improved once he was able to interact with and be outdoors. He was outdoorsy before his injury, but it becomes clear that time outdoors furthers his recovery in myriad ways. Because Ian wanted to get out, he started to bring into his life the people, technologies, and community he needed to get there and to maintain his own mental health – proving that people with profound physical limitations still have agency and benefit from exercising their independence in the ways they can.
If I were in a similar situation to Ian, I can’t imagine how I would face such an agonizingly slow improvement. It’s clear that the early days, weeks, and months of Ian’s recovery were particularly challenging. While I don’t wish traumatic injuries like what Ian experienced to happen to anyone, I find it incredibly poignant that Ian found a way to orient to his new circumstances and embrace the gift that it offered him. I think it’s a valuable lesson for all of us to surrender, accept, and adapt to what life presents us because our individual paths – whether we like it or not – are leading us to our work in the world.
As someone who believes in the power of outdoor experiences to transform our lives, I loved how Ian’s condition improved once he was able to interact with and be outdoors. He was outdoorsy before his injury, but it becomes clear that time outdoors furthers his recovery in myriad ways. Because Ian wanted to get out, he started to bring into his life the people, technologies, and community he needed to get there and to maintain his own mental health – proving that people with profound physical limitations still have agency and benefit from exercising their independence in the ways they can.
If I were in a similar situation to Ian, I can’t imagine how I would face such an agonizingly slow improvement. It’s clear that the early days, weeks, and months of Ian’s recovery were particularly challenging. While I don’t wish traumatic injuries like what Ian experienced to happen to anyone, I find it incredibly poignant that Ian found a way to orient to his new circumstances and embrace the gift that it offered him. I think it’s a valuable lesson for all of us to surrender, accept, and adapt to what life presents us because our individual paths – whether we like it or not – are leading us to our work in the world.
November 30, 2025
Amazing inspiring true story of a young man who was left a quadriplegic after a biking accident in 2008, and lives to enjoy an amazing life.
As it turns out, Ian MacKay lives in my town of Sequim, WA on the Olympic Peninsula; I've met him several times on the Discovery Trail, me walking my dog and him in his motorized wheelchair. He uses a sip & puff method of controling his chair, giving him the ability to maneuver turns, and adjust his speed. A very nice man, and an inspiration - not only to other wheelchair bound individuals, but to everyone who knows him or knows of him.
People around town see a quad with the LONG dreadlocks, riding his motorized wheelchair on the Discovery Trail every single day. A few years ago, he started a non-profit call Ian's Ride, and organizes rides that cover hundreds of miles for other wheelchair people. I first met him at the tail end of a ride that took him & his companions from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to Port Angeles, WA. They traveled approximately 20-30 miles per day, taking in the scenery and ENJOYING LIFE!
Amazing man, and like I said - a true inspiration to so many people.
As it turns out, Ian MacKay lives in my town of Sequim, WA on the Olympic Peninsula; I've met him several times on the Discovery Trail, me walking my dog and him in his motorized wheelchair. He uses a sip & puff method of controling his chair, giving him the ability to maneuver turns, and adjust his speed. A very nice man, and an inspiration - not only to other wheelchair bound individuals, but to everyone who knows him or knows of him.
People around town see a quad with the LONG dreadlocks, riding his motorized wheelchair on the Discovery Trail every single day. A few years ago, he started a non-profit call Ian's Ride, and organizes rides that cover hundreds of miles for other wheelchair people. I first met him at the tail end of a ride that took him & his companions from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to Port Angeles, WA. They traveled approximately 20-30 miles per day, taking in the scenery and ENJOYING LIFE!
Amazing man, and like I said - a true inspiration to so many people.
May 1, 2025
Reading this book was such an inspiring adventure! I myself am wheelchair bound, so I understand the energy and willpower it took to achieve the frustrating journey to health. Learning how to enjoy life truly, rather than merely existing. Ian is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when you refuse to give up and remain pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone!
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