Inauguration Day in DC Round-up!
Comments
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I'm still planning on popping popcorn and watching from the warmth of my living room. I'm actually a bit nervous about all the crowds that will be coming to town. I hope it goes well for everyone, and doesn't overwhelm us hometowners. Have fun!
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I wanna go! I wanna go! In fact, my friend who lives in D.C. called last night to see if I was still thinking about coming. Originally, I thought it would be so fantastic to go and just see it all first-hand. I still think it would be fantastic--but reality sank in. I HATE cold (and D.C. can be brutal in January). Huge crowds set off my claustrophobia; I need a bathroom handy; and just the thought of the airport with added security and masses of travelers........I realized that my joy at being there would be overwhelmed by the misery I would endure.
So--looking forward to the day, but will be watching from the comforts of home.
Will be eagerly watching for the front-line reports from you gals who are going! Enjoy, and take care!!!
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Are we still planning to meet in the chatroom the way we did election night? That was so much fun!
Did you get the day off suz? If you did I still might go with you if it's not going to be 3 degrees. My biggest fear is having to use one of those beautiful smelling port-o-potties. I'm not into astronaut diapers so I'll have to make sure I don't drink much. There's going to be some kind of protest against warren, which will be well deserved. I'm advocating for turning backs on him, rather than something louder like booing. I'm always for the most dignified protest.
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ladysuz - Sorry to hear about your ex-FIL. If you do decide to pop some pills and join the crowd, be sure and let me know. I have a friend/co-worker meeting me there too. She is a blast, and she's the type that can work us into places regardless of invitations!
Amy - Didn't I tell you? President Obama is going to make sure that DC is warm and balmy! And there will be a single port-a-potty personally assigned to each individual attending! :-)
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Ladysuz....so sorry for your loss.... my prayers are with you and your daughter...
Amy: Definitely on for the chat room on election night!!!
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What time are we chatting on 1/20?
And LadySuz - sorry to hear about your ex FIL. Travel safely...
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How's 8pm for the chat?
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I thought I'd want to go to the inauguration and then had second thoughts because of the nightmare of getting into D.C. and the cold....but now we are hearing we may be working on election day and I'm going to have to figure it out no matter what. I'm nervous and freaking out already. What is ironic is I'll be inside the Capitol and won't be able to see a thing...will have to watch it on TV like everybody else...but will have all the aggravation being endured by those attending, who will actually get to see it.
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gsg - I can't imagine trying to carry on normal workday activities in the middle of the mess that is sure to unfold that week!
I am going to go, expect the worst, and hopefully be pleasantly surprised. I guess the worst case scenario is I stay in my hotel and watch the festivities on TV...lol
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I just read this, from the AP:
Good luck getting around D.C. on Inauguration Day
By NAFEESA SYEED - 12 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) - On a typical weekday, hundreds of thousands of people commute to the nation's capital, snarling roads and packing subway trains and buses during peak hours.
Imagine multiplying that several times for Barack Obama's inauguration Jan. 20.
"I don't want in any way to discourage anyone," said the District of Columbia's city administrator, Dan Tangherlini. "I just don't want them to come and be completely shocked by what they find."
It won't be pleasant, Tangherlini and other officials say.
The Washington area's transit system is telling passengers to expect extraordinarily long lines for trains and buses. Airports will be bustling with extra flights. Traffic could be at a standstill as motorists cope with street and bridge closings. Those who do manage to arrive in Washington will find limited parking.
"Pack your patience" is the advice from Corinne Geller, a Virginia State Police spokeswoman.
Amtrak is expanding service between Boston and Washington on Inauguration Day. Southwest Airlines is adding 26 flights to and from the region between Jan. 17 and Jan. 23. Delta Air Lines and its subsidiary, Northwest Airlines, are adding more than 5,000 seats Jan. 16 and Jan. 21 by using larger aircraft on existing flights. Airport officials say they will add staff to help guide travelers.
Virginia State Police plan to bring troopers from across the state to monitor expected gridlock outside Washington, Geller said. Maryland transportation officials are urging truck drivers and other commercial drivers to avoid the area.
Major bridges into the city, such as the Roosevelt, Memorial and inbound Key bridges, will be open only to buses and official inaugural traffic, Tangherlini said. A complete list of road closures will be released early this week, according to the Secret Service.
Prepare for the unexpected, authorities and inaugural organizers say.
"We also recommend developing backup plans in case your original travel plans need to be changed at the last minute," the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies said in a recent advisory.
Given the impending headaches, some would-be revelers are staying home.
Larry Froneyberger of Atlanta planned to pick up his 68-year-old grandmother, Francine, from High Point, N.C., on his way to the inauguration. They were going to stay in Baltimore and take the train into Washington.
She was excited about the prospect of witnessing the first black president, especially because she grew up during a time when that seemed impossible, Froneyberger said. But with her slow stride due to foot surgery last year, the transportation situation was too overwhelming.
"It's going to be a lot of waiting and she was like, 'I just can't do it,'" Froneyberger said.
Even cab drivers are thinking twice about working that day, said William J. Wright, president of the Taxicab Industry Group in Washington.
Wright said he has driven his cab during past inaugurations - including John F. Kennedy's - but based on what he's hearing, he expects gridlock for this one to be the worst.
"I don't see how a cab driver can make any money, to be honest with you, because he can't go anywhere," he said.
Others are willing to brave it, despite the many inconveniences.
Tony Vincent of northeast Washington said he will take the subway into Union Station, where he shines shoes. Depending on how many people step on his shoes on the packed train, he may need a polish of his own, he said.
"I know it's going to be crazy," he said. "It might be a little uncomfortable."
While government workers are off that day, some sectors are requiring employees to show up.
Nicholas Ramfos, who heads Commuter Connections, a nonprofit group that coordinates commuter programs in Washington, is recommending that employers allow workers to telecommute or shift their hours outside of peak inaugural travel time.
Besides biking or public transport, he suggests people take a look at his group's car pool list to find others who work or live near them.
For some people, leaving the city isn't an option.
Emily Durso, president of the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C., said hotels will be fully staffed, with many people working multiple shifts. Her group represents 97 hotels in Washington, and she said a number of them plan to set up cots for employees at the hotels or in empty apartments.
"We've never had anything like this," she said. "It's just a whole different animal in many ways."
Associated Press writers Dena Potter in Richmond, Va., and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Md., and AP Airlines Writer Harry R. Weber in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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Donna, I've seen some pretty amateurish videos on YouTube, so I wouldn't be shy about posting there! It'd be great if we could have some sort of bc.org inauguration photo album from all of you who are attending.
I heard that all the museums along the mall will be open so people will have access to those bathrooms. I guess getting to the mall is going to be the big challenge. I remember riding the Metro to the mall for one of the big 4th of July celebrations (2000 I think), and it was a zoo. And that was only 500,000 people. Sounds like great patience and a sturdy bladdder will be required.
Here's the schedule for the Inauguration:
The President-elect and Vice President-elect and their families will participate in the traditional inaugural ceremonies and events. For the first time ever, the length of the National Mall will be open to those wishing to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Festivities will commence at 10 a.m. on the west front of the U.S. Capitol and will include:
- Musical Selections: The United States Marine Band, followed by The San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus
- Call to Order and Welcoming Remarks: Senator Dianne Feinstein
- Invocation: Dr. Rick Warren
- Musical Selection: Aretha Franklin
- Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will be sworn into office by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the Honorable John Paul Stevens
- Musical Selection: John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet)
- President-elect Barack H. Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by the Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr.
- Inaugural Address
- Poem: Elizabeth Alexander
- Benediction: The Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery
• The National Anthem: The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters"
After President Obama gives his Inaugural Address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall. The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House with groups traveling from all over the country to participate.
That's 7AM PST. Is it going to be broadcast live?
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LAP -
It's a shame that the festivities start so early, especially for West-coasters! But even in DC, it seems insane to think that 4 million people can mobilize and be at the Mall early enough to see everything. Although, I have to say, I couldn't care less about being there for the bigot Rick Warren's invocation!
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djd--great post on some of the obstacles to be faced. I've also read that DC is considering closing one of the main highways and turning it into a parking lot for the many tour buses...no comment on how to get from your bus......walk??? could be several miles....
I am so excited by this tremendous enthusiasm; just hoping no major happenings above and beyond what can happen in a massive crowd gathering.......
huggssss!!!
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Hi ladies: I live in the area and strongly suggest paying the $5 fee for a Smart Card, loading it with a few dollars and you can just zip thru the "express" line on the Metro. Otherwise, you have to put your ticket into a slot, then wait for it to pop out again. This is BOTH getting into and out of the station. I read that they will be running metro trains non stop. But even on a normal day, it can be very hectic and crowded. also, wear gloves that you can throw away, as the escalator hand "rails" are filthy, as with the poles and bars to hold onto on the trains... Hand saniitzer and/or wipes are suggested.
One thing to be very careful of is pickpockets. They love crowds and this will be a huge one. My husband was pick pocketed in Paris and it woke us up to this kind of defiant behavior in crowds. One person will bump you to distract your attention and the other one will snatch your money,wallet, etc. As unattractive as fanny packs are, they do help and/or putting your purse UNDER your coat/jacket. You can go online to DC Metro and check out delays, elevator outages, get maps and even put in riding directions from point A to point B. There will be lots of walking involved, so no spikey high heels...
I also will stay far from the live activities and watch on TV. The tour busses coming in were going to be allowed on closed streets just to drop off passengers then return to some mass parking area. But MY experience is, any time there is anything major going on, like 4th of July or Cherry Blossom festival, the traffic comes to a grinding halt. One a so called normal day, it took me 2 hours to get thru DC from Walter Reed Hospital, which should have taken no more than 20 minutes. And IF you should think about driving in DC, be sure you have a full tank of gas.
IF anyone is interested in a meet up, but not on the 20th, pm me. Old Town Alexandria, Virginia is a very metro friendly area and there are tons of eateries and a free shuttle bus to the waterfront. AND, YES, the wind can be brutal, which amazed me when I first moved here.
As I hear more, I will post. Good luck with the port a potty thing - over 20 K ordered, now IF they all get set up... Oh, one more thing: IF you go into the Smithsonian museums, you will have to have a bag search to enter.
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I heard that the actual swearing-in would start at 11:30, so I have trouble believing the whole thing kicks off at 7:00.
As for Smartcards, I think you are going to have a lot of trouble getting into the metro at all. If you are staying within a few miles of the festivities, plan on walking. Throw away gloves? In all my years of riding the metro I;ve never done that and I don't think I've gotten sick from teh subway. It is actually a much cleaner system than most cities because they are strict about trash and eating (DON"T eat on the subway . . . there will be hell to pay). But as I said, I think it will be teh lucky ones who actually make it onto a train.
Then again all the hype abut how insane it is going to be may persuade a lot of folks to stay home or watch from their hotel rooms and it may turn out to be not so bad after all.
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7:00AM is west coast time, 10:00 east coast. So 11:30 EST (8:30 PST) for the swearing in sounds about right.
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MOTC - It is GREAT to hear that DC trains are kept clean. BART out in SF is so dirty and cruddy. They used upholstery on the seats and carpet on the floors. I'm not sure if it has ever been replaced in the last 20 years, but I always feel like I need a hazmat crew to clean me when I get off the BART :-)
The cleanest trains I have ever seen, by far, were in Japan. The seats were clean, the floors were clean - and no litter ANYWHERE in that country! I saw not one single cigarette butt on the ground in the entire ten days I was there. And people don't scream into their cell phones in public. It was soooo peaceful, even in Tokyo with all the hustle and bustle. Everytime I get on a train, bus or plane in the US, I wistfully recall my time in Japan.
As for the start times/metro cards, etc., I am getting into DC on Sunday night and I have a friend coming in Monday morning. Hopefully the hotel will be prepared to help me assess the best options to get from Silver Springs to the Mall in time for the festivities.
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Nancy - I just saw your post about meeting up. Roseg and I are planning to meet up as well - maybe we can all get together on Wed. night?
MOTC - how about you - are you available to meet some BC cyber-sisters that week?
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Great, donna. Wed night -- I will put my thinking cap on and see if I can figure out a good place - do you want drinks, eats, or dessert or all 3 ??? The Irish pub in Alexandria has live sing a long music beginning around 8:30 pm and no cover charge. The food is hamburgers and a couple of other things - very simple. I am no social butterfly, but I can ask around for a good meet up place. Chinatown has lots of eateries and even more metro friendly than Alexandria. What kind of food do you want?
I found the Paris subway to be the cleanest I have ever seen. Mexico City was clean when it first opened, but quickly became a cess pool of filth. The DC metro is very clean, but with the huge influx of strangers, I made the suggestion for gloves since flu season is beginning.
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Well, I'm jealous of all of you! It would be so exciting to be in the midst of all the celebrations and watching the actual Inauguration standing on the Mall. Keep trying to imagine what it would be like. Guess I'll have to make do with my 100 calorie popcorn and raise a toast to all of you with my Orangina (and a little Grand Marnier if it's 5 pm in DC) LOL. I hope you get some good pics and give us the photo-op show of your experience! What a moment in history. I believe I hear Lincoln clapping and I'll be listening for MLK Jr, as I'm sure he will have words for this also!
And when I'm not eating the popcorn; I'll be doing the happy dance for sure!!
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You all might find this article informative. I did not write it.
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I will have to pass. My kids are off from school Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday is the day I run around with them to their various activities. Have fun and I hope you have better weather than the blech we are dealing with right now.
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Wednesday is good for me. I might prefer not to begin at 8:30 p.m. as I will go to work the next day. Could we meet earlier?
The main thing I'd say about Metrofare is be sure and put a generous amount on your card.
Try: http://www.wmata.com
You don't want to end up standing in line because you came up .05 cents short. So load $20 on in the beginning. There are buses that run from Silver Spring down 16th street, but the subway is also very easy. You may want to get a map of downtown DC.
My guess is that getting down there won't be a terrible problem, but if you come back when everybody else does the subway will get very crowded. That's when your map and the bus routes might be good as you can walk a distance and then catch a bus someplace.
I think there will be plenty of potties down around the National Mall.
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I read in today's newspaper that people should be prepared to walk 3 to 5 miles.
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Info on inauguration parade tickets which go on sale at 1PM Eastern time today.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/index
The link to the ticket info is #8 on the More Stories The Latest News tab. The tickets are apparently $25 and get you bleacher seating along the parade route between the Capital and the White House.
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Are you packing yet Donna? I'm so excited for you. Hope you have a wonderful time celebrating this monumentous event!! We had a "statue of liberty" about 7 feet high, held by two people walking down Pacific Av advertising a celebration scheduled for the courthouse steps in our beach town on Jan 20th. Much as I love our weird little place and knowing some very interesting people will show up, I'm going to stay home and watch in my little living room with my kitty curled up on my lap!
Wow--just 10 more days. Whoooooooooooooooo-hoooooooooooo!! Yes, we did. and Yes, change is on the way. Peace and all to all!
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grace - I will start packing next Saturday. I am flying to DC on Sunday. My most important item to pack is my camera!! Change is on the way WHooooohooooo!!!
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/12/04/GR2008120402930.html
Here's a map.
I'd cross-reference this against a full subway map so you know where alternative transit options are.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/08/AR2009010802953.html
This talks about special bus service. The bus will take longer but it beats being smooshed into a subway station. It makes me very nervous to be on really crowded subway platforms because I'm always anxious about someone falling off the platform onto the tracks.
Within the circled area you should be able to walk safely, but coming north towards Maryland I wouldn't walk too much beyond that unless you are heading up 16th street. The neighborhoods are easy to get lost in and of varying qualities inbetween those stops and Takoma.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2009/01/09/GR2009010900313.html
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Thanks for all the advice and links regarding travel in DC, Rose!
My itinerary is starting to take shape. I am meeting up with a co-worker/friend on Sunday night. We have dinner reservations at Nora's in DC. On Monday, we are going to sight-see and go to a party on Monday night. Tuesday is all things "Inauguration", and Wednesday is wide open. I will probably do some additional sight-seeing on Wednesday and plan on meeting up with you and Nacny for dinner around 6:00 or 6:30. Does that work?
I am fine with the pub in Alexandria. Sounds like fun.
PM me to iron out the details, ladies.
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I will keep Wednesday open for a meet up. 6:00 is good, most any time is good for me. PM me, as I am not sure I remember how to do it.
If you have not been to this area, it can get pretty windy, and a scarf or something to put over your head is a suggestion. I wear a hooded jacket or coat most of the time.
Nancy
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