Inauguration! Anyone going? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**NitemareHippieGirl** · 01-11-2009, 11:06 AM

Is anyone going to the inauguration? My friends and I are planning our trip today and it's going to be nuts!

We're staying in Harrisonburg, Va and hopefully finding an early morning train into DC... haven't started working out the details yet, but hopefully we make it!

Anyone else going? What are you guys doing? How you gettin' there, where you going to hang out for the whole affair?

It's going to be insane! I can't even comprehend the number of people that are going to be there!

xanthuos · 01-11-2009, 11:51 AM

"Hopefully" finding a morning train?
Are you talking DC Metro or Amtrak? If Amtrak, book NOW.
The inauguration is going to overload ALL forms of transit. Once you're in DC, you'll probably be better off walking EVERYWHERE rather than even attemping to use the Metro.

**NitemareHippieGirl** · 01-11-2009, 12:04 PM

yeah, I'm trying to find out where to park and get into the city from. Slim chances right now. Nothing out of the area we're staying in. Trying to find some place closer to the city to park and train/bus/something into DC from there. Probably be around 4 or 6am when we have to get in... Yikes. I'm looking at the Metro right now, but I'm not sure where stations are located...

Definitely walking once inside the city, I want to stay away from any bus or car if possible!!!

More googling and researching to do! We're all meeting tonight to discuss things, hopefully it'll all be settled and figured out and transportation tickets purchased if need be!

**pinknic38** · 01-11-2009, 12:33 PM

Lucky! Look online for a map of the DC metro to find the stations and lines. Of all the mass transits I've dealt with, I think DC is one of the easiest to navigate.

xanthuos · 01-11-2009, 01:22 PM

Your best bet is to attempt to take the Orange or Blue line into the city from the most outlying station. That would be Vienna-Fairfax-GMU on the Orange line or Franconia-Springfield on the Blue Line. Both lines have a stop at Federal Center SW which is probably one of the better stops to get off to get close to the Capitol. By getting on at the first station, you have a better chance of even getting on a train, though I can bet it will be ridiculously packed by the time you get into DC proper.

Here is a map of the DC Metro:
Metro - Rail - Maps - Rail/Google Map

Both the Blue Line & Orange Line begin running at 5:00 AM.

Good luck!

**NitemareHippieGirl** · 01-11-2009, 01:57 PM

Thanks guys, for the info!

Here's our latest plan. Get to Arlington at the crack of dawn, park in a garage... which I've already found online, can't rememeber what it's called. Walk into DC... Walk, walk, walk!!!!! Seems to be the best bet. And only a few miles across the bridge. The Memorial bridge is open only to bikes and foot traffic... AWESOME! If anyone has any other ideas let me know!

**Delaney** · 01-16-2009, 03:00 PM

I'm doing the same thing. I live 1.5 hrs south of dc and am taking a bus. I'm worried it'll be so crowded i won't even get on the bus but its work a try! have fun!

**NitemareHippieGirl** · 01-16-2009, 07:53 PM

It's going to be so exciting! Hope you make it on the bus! We're all planning on everything going wrong, but we have so many back up plans and are planning on getting there between 4 and 6am so we're pretty sure we'll make it! Good luck to you!

**Delaney** · 01-21-2009, 04:05 PM

Did you make it? I didn't get into the actual mall but got to watch one of the jumbotrons near the Washington Monument. It was so exciting... and cold!

**mushroom22** · 01-21-2009, 05:29 PM

Delaney - that's awesome, can you post any photos!?!

**NitemareHippieGirl** · 01-21-2009, 08:17 PM

I did make it! We stayed in Harrisonburg, VA and woke up at 2:30 am to leave around 3, made it to Arlington around 5am. The only traffic we hit was at the Fairfax exit, which is where someone told me I should stop because it's the furthest out metro stop. Instead, we blew past it and went straight into Arlington and parked in a completely empty shopping mall garage for $8. Then walked the 3-4 miles into the mall, we were about midway in almost to the media area. Absolutely incredible! Although, I missed the second half of Obama's speech because a lady next to us passed out (she was fine!).

The whole trip in and out was so easy, we couldn't believe it. Although, the walk in and out of the mall and standing from 7-3 in the cold has made it nearly impossible to move my legs. I had to use my arms to lift them up high enough to get in the car this morning, but it was totally worth it!!!!!

**travelpunk** · 01-21-2009, 10:05 PM

Glad it worked out so easy and flawless for you. Sounds awesome and definitely something you'll never ever forget. Great job on being part of this historic moment

!

**pinknic38** · 01-21-2009, 10:09 PM

ROCK ON, that is so awesome!!!!

**ScarlotteDorian** · 01-22-2009, 12:15 AM

wow! how exciting!

**mish99** · 01-22-2009, 03:42 AM

Aaah thats awesome!! I watched the inauguration on tv, with the elderly folk I look after (they're royalists) and loved it. I thought Aretha was awesome to.

**pinknic38** · 01-22-2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mish99

I thought Aretha was awesome to.

LOL Aretha. With her big bow, she looked like a big ol' Christmas present. That idiot who did the benediction needs to find another job. A lot of people thought it was funny but I thought it was totally embarrassing and mildly ignorant. Totally inappropriate for inauguration day. TOTALLY.

**joe7f** · 01-22-2009, 06:00 AM

Did you all see that John Roberts regave the oath of office to President Obama? After stumbling through it (the ol' CJ forgot the oath apparently) they played it safe and redid it in the oval office.

Btw, Nic, I agree.

--Joey

**pinknic38** · 01-22-2009, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe7f

Did you all see that John Roberts regave the oath of office to President Obama? After stumbling through it (the ol' CJ forgot the oath apparently) they played it safe and redid it in the oval office.

Btw, Nic, I agree.

Thank God. That guy made Obama look like an asshole! I don't know th words to the oath so when I watched the whole thing on TV I thought Obama was just nervous and I started laughing, I was like "Oh God this is so embarrassing for him!" And you could see Michelle Obama's face, which was classic, like "Are you fucking serious?" I figured he'd have to redo it because some idiot like Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter would say something like 2 months when he makes some be executive decision and they be like "He isn't even really sworn in!"

GAWD, I have such a love-hate relationship with American politics.

**maracle** · 01-22-2009, 09:42 AM

There's no requirement to be sworn in anyway, although I'm sure that wouldn't stop some asshole from sueing over it.