Sedona Dave sits down with Monica Pruitt to talk about life, adventure, and identity as a blind traveler and athlete. Monica shares her personal journey with hearing aids since childhood, limited peripheral vision, and her reliance on a white cane—along with how she’s built resilience through movement, storytelling, and advocacy.

They dive into Monica’s $10,000 travel grant experience visiting national parks as a blind person, exploring what accessibility actually looks like on the ground—and how parks could better communicate trail difficulty based on terrain rather than pavement.

Together they explore the deeper side of vision loss: diagnosis, identity, and the pressure society puts on blind people to “stay safe” rather than stay alive.

Monica speaks openly about assistive tech like Aira, the power of asking for help, and why accepting support can be an act of strength. She also shares her experience with aerial acrobatics—how it builds trust, confidence, communication, balance, and body awareness—even with vestibular challenges from Usher syndrome.

This is an episode that was so fun to do I know you will love it!

More about Monica

Monica Pruitt, 33, was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome Type 2, a rare genetic condition that causes both hearing loss and progressive vision loss at age 29. She’s worn hearing aids since toddlerhood and, with less than 20 degrees of peripheral vision, uses a white cane to navigate her world today.

Monica grew up in Maryland and earned her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Though she no longer works in a lab, Monica continues to explore the science of resilience, through social media and circus arts like flying trapeze and acro yoga.

Now based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monica blends storytelling and movement to spark connection and awareness by highlighting the beauty of inclusion, adventure, and self-trust. Her experiences since her diagnosis prove that freedom doesn’t come from perfect vision, but from clear purpose.

Connect with Monica

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bendyblindblonde

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBlindBlonde

Thanks for listening! Off The Beaten Path is brought to you by Dave Epstein and Awarewolf Gear, makers of the All Terrain Cane and the Urban Xplorer. To purchase a cane or find out more visit https://awarewolfgear.com/awghome

Join our community!
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from Sedona Dave and Awarewolf Gear: https://awarewolfgear.com/signup

Follow us on Social!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awarewolfgear/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Awarewolfgear

In this episode of Off the Beaten Path, Dave sits down with Steve Baskis for a thoughtful conversation about adaptive sports, leadership, and what it takes to keep moving forward when life changes.

The discussion explores how mindset, trust, and well-designed equipment shape the way blind and low-vision individuals navigate both rugged terrain and everyday environments. Dave and Steve talk candidly about problem-solving, mentorship, and the role of movement in building confidence and resilience.

Together, they reflect on how adaptive sports create opportunities not just for physical challenge, but for leadership, teamwork, and personal growth—on the trail and beyond.

About Steve

Steve Baskis is a blind veteran, athlete, author, and founder of the Blind Endeavors Foundation. After completing Infantry Training at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2007, Steve deployed with the U.S. Army’s distinguished 4th Infantry Division, a unit with deep historical roots dating back to World War II. In 2008, while serving in Baghdad, Iraq, Steve sustained catastrophic injuries when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. The blast took his eyesight and caused extensive shrapnel injuries, hearing loss, loss of smell, and nerve damage. For his courageous service, Steve was awarded the Purple Heart Medal.

In the years following his injury, Steve rebuilt his life through movement, resilience, and purpose. More than fifteen years later, he has become a nationally recognized advocate for the blind and adaptive community. He is an accomplished athlete, having earned medals at both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and in 2013 he received the prestigious Louis Braille Award for his contributions to the blind and visually impaired community.

Steve is the founder of Blind Endeavors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people of all abilities to explore life through movement, leadership, and adventure. Through Blind Endeavors, Steve works in schools, military communities, and institutions across the country to promote awareness, adaptive equipment education, and bold, unconventional programs that challenge perceptions of disability.

An experienced public speaker and motivator, Steve has appeared on The Today Show, in documentaries, and at events worldwide. His adventures include hiking Kilimanjaro, cycling across the United States, kayaking the Colorado River, and summiting four of the world’s tallest peaks. Steve often says, “While I may have lost my physical ability to see, I gained a new vision for what’s possible,” a perspective that continues to inspire others to move forward—no matter the terrain.

Connect with Steve

Website: https://stevebaskis.com/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevebaskis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevebaskis

Thanks for listening! Off The Beaten Path is brought to you by Dave Epstein and Awarewolf Gear, makers of the All Terrain Cane and the Urban Xplorer. To purchase a cane or find out more visit https://awarewolfgear.com/awghome

Join our community!
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from Sedona Dave and Awarewolf Gear: https://awarewolfgear.com/signup

Follow us on Social!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awarewolfgear/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Awarewolfgear

In this episode, Dave sits down with Australian chef-turned-adventurer Dale Pierce, whose life took an unexpected turn after sudden vision loss in 2023. Dale shares how he moved from a 32-year culinary career into a new chapter defined by resilience, movement, and wilderness exploration.

He talks about adapting to blindness through cardio, O&M training, and eventually trail running — a journey that led him from treadmill walks to half-marathons, technical trail races, and ultimately completing the legendary Kokoda Track, one of the most demanding treks in the world.

Dave and Dale dig into cane techniques, navigation strategies, the mental challenge of moving through rugged landscapes with limited sight, and the freedom found in nature that no city environment can replicate. Dale also reflects on essential gear, working with run guides, and why embracing low vision — rather than fighting it — has opened a new sense of purpose.

It’s an inspiring conversation about grit, adaptation, and discovering what’s possible when the trail becomes your teacher.

More About Dale

Dale Pierce is a low-vision adventurer based in regional Victoria, Australia, about an hour northwest of Melbourne. Before vision loss reshaped his life, Dale spent 32 years as a chef, working across hotels and restaurants and later serving as a mentor and trainer for apprentice chefs. His background in human resources, work health and safety, and mental health informed his leadership style, allowing him to support hundreds of young chefs and help create healthier, more sustainable kitchen environments. Dale went on to run his own consulting and freelance chef business, focusing on best-practice systems and financial sustainability.

In 2023, Dale experienced sudden sight loss in both eyes due to central retinal vein occlusions, leaving him legally blind. He adapted by building his cardio fitness, immersing himself in orientation and mobility training, and eventually taking up running—progressing from treadmill workouts to outdoor parkruns and his first half marathon in 2024. Since then, he has expanded into trail running and adventuring, using a combination of all-terrain canes, hiking poles, run guides, and Meta glasses to navigate diverse terrain. In 2024, he completed the legendary Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, a 96 km trek known for its brutal elevation and historical significance.

Dale also serves on Vision Australia’s Client Reference Group, working with leadership to improve outcomes for the blind and low-vision community. He and his seeing-eye dog, Yana, have been partners for over a year and continue to grow as a team.

Connect with Dale

Instagram: @dale.pierce.967

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dale.pierce.967

Thanks for listening! Off The Beaten Path is brought to you by Dave Epstein and Awarewolf Gear, makers of the All Terrain Cane and the Urban Xplorer. To purchase a cane or find out more visit https://awarewolfgear.com/awghome

Join our community!
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from Sedona Dave and Awarewolf Gear: https://awarewolfgear.com/signup

Follow us on Social!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awarewolfgear/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Awarewolfgear