It's always weird being on any kind of military establishment, for me. Being on post is such a experience. Uniforms, structured speak and good posture. This was was where I was all day yesterday at the information fair. This was the event I have been dreading ever since I got sucked in to doing it. I ha a table last year at this event so I kinda knew what I was in for but it WAS an all day event.
Not that the day was a cursed day but I should have realized the day would be challenging when I went to load up to drive to the air force base and I could not gt the automatic doors on my van to open. I have learned that when the door is stuck like this if I can get someone to push from the inside of the van out, on the door, the actuator arm will become unstuck and the doors will open. O, I had to return to the house an wake DD nnd have her push on the door an soon I was on my way north to the Air Force Base. Luckily I did not have any problem driving North, in fact I found the experience somewhat refreshingly stimulating. Since Utah has spent on much money road construction the past couple of decades the drive North has become much more bearable.
The next challenge I face was actually gaining entrance to the base. One of the things asked of everyone participating in the event was driver's license numbers and copy of and just who would becoming from your organization. Still when I pulled up to the sentry and he challenged me for my drivers license he wanted me to “park of there and step out of the van” at which point I let the man know I use a wheelchair for mobility and it would be a lot quicker for him to take my license and check against his records in the guard shack. Of course this is what he did and everything shut down on the on my lane and the cars began to pile up behind me. Eventually I was allowed on base and surprisingly I drove right up top the officers club. Amy had brought my small box of items up earlier, setting up took minutes and soon I was scouting a cup of coffee. To my amazement there was not coffee to be had at the check in and registration –only in Utah—I cannot believe I was the only to make such a request. But, there was a little restaurants not far from my building called Runway Ruby's and for she they would have a cup of joe and they did but guess what they were not immediately wheelchair accessible! Unbelievable. There was on door which had just one very small step which I was sure that my chair could negotiate if I could get to it but this was a two door entrance and only one door was open and it was too narrow for my chair to pass through both doors would have to be open. I had to flag down an airwoman exiting the building and have her go advise staff I was out front. One of the waitress' came out and eventually we got both door open and I entered got my Starbucks and returned to my table.
The only other issue I had was lack of power for my chair—the batteries are bad BUT I started out with a full charge and I figured I had enough power for the day. Wrong—by lunch (chicken ) I was dangerously low. And had to remain stuck in one spot all afternoon! Anyway I finally made it back home without being stranded—enjoy images from the airforce!!
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