The weather was cloudy but warm; rain wasn’t predicted until later that evening.  A large group of thirty participants met at Jack London Square to take the ferry to Pier 39 where another group of thirty people were waiting to join us.  We were people who used power wheelchairs, canine companions, and manual wheelchairs.

As we float toward Angel Island, a light drizzle began to cover the ferry windows drop by drop.  I thought, oh well a  little drizzle won’t harm us.  But when the Island was in sight, the drizzle turned into rain.  Oh darn, I hope we don’t have to go back, was my first exclamation!  Of course, taking the forecast for granted, none of us were dressed for the rain.  So, A & O Coordinator, Lori Gray asked the ferry’s crew for sixty garbage bags.  Needless to say, we all disembarked wrapped in plastic.

Lori gave us a choice that day, we could go home early or stay and have ourselves a real wet adventure.  I had already decided to stay and felt even better about the decision once the control box of my power wheelchair was also wrapped in plastic.

A group of us “die hards” went up the steep, slick hill in the warm spring rain.  We were headed toward the Immigration Station where thousands of Asian immigrants were kept during World War II.  My cold and wet state intensified my empathy for the lives of the immigrants who were subject to much worse conditions.  I suppose if one were to read about the experiences of these immigrants, one would be empathic.  But, seeing and experiencing what their lives must have been like speaks to the heart.

Although I was cold, wet, and hungry when I got home, these ‘adventures’ fill my life with passion.  Long live A & O!