Monday, January 19, 2009

Anticipation Mounts

Well, here we (almost) are. We had an uneventful dinner, which was kind of a nice change of pace after a day that was anything but.

First things first, my mileage total. Today, we trudged 5.15 miles, bringing the total thus far to 7.4. No need to fear if you guessed more than 17 and are a bit concerned about that total. Tomorrow will be a monster day for travel-by-foot, and I expect the number to SWELL at a rate at least equal to, and likely exceeding, that of my feet. Also, we still have Wednesday.

The roads are beginning to become almost unnavigable. Many are being shut down, and significant bottlenecking on the others is the result. Parking is a joke, so the "old-fashioned" way is becoming the only option for getting around. Thinking back to this morning, and realizing what happened thereafter was all part of the same day, is pretty stifling. I honestly can't believe that a little more than 24 hours ago, we were just getting in. So much has happened.

We plan for an early morning- probably rising around 5, and leaving by 6 to get in the security line, so as to get as close as we can with our general admission ticket for the zone to which we've been assigned. My wife is thrilled by our early morning plans, and by "thrilled," I mean, "cranky." She's not a morning person. The greatest testament to the importance of this moment in our nation's history may be the fact that she's rising and walking when she is.

About breakfast...

I hate to override the will of the people, but even though the vote from the previous poll I had posted implored me to go with the artery-clogging Kennedy breakfast, I have to go with the pancake research that was unearthed thereafter. At about 5:30 AM, EST tomorrow, I will be pouring some flapjacks on the griddle for my Inauguration Breakfast. We'll call it the Jefferson/Coolidge/Johnson Breakfast. I'll chronicle as much as possible, so long as Ricky the Cat isn't trying to off me when I'm not looking.

Updates tomorrow will be as frequent and substantive as I can make them, which will largely depend on the availability of cell towers and internet capabilities. At the very least, I will keep something of a video diary that can be uploaded later in the day to this site. My general schedule is as follows, just so people can know when may be the "hot" times to check for updates, providing I'm able to from my phone:
  • 5:00 AM, EST- wake up
  • 5:30- making breakfast
  • 6:00- depart for the National Mall
  • 8:00- security begins letting us in
  • 10:00- musical performances begin
  • 11:30- ceremony begins
  • 11:46- supposed minute of Biden swearing-in
  • 11:56- supposed minute of Obama swearing-in
  • 2:00- reception at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, hosted by the Iowa Congressional Delegation
  • 4:00- begin our trek back up to Brandon's house

Weather is supposed to be 29ish for raw temperature, 10-20 for wind speed, and around 20 for the wind chill. On a funny side note- the DC area had about a 40% chance for an inch of snow today, and the salt trucks were out like crazy salting the roads in anticipation of the "blizzard." The weather is downright balmy for Iowa folk such as ourselves. I may even take swim trunks with me tomorrow and work on my tan while I'm waiting in line in the morning. Take care, all- our country's on the verge of history, and you're all about to have an answer to one of the biggest questions future generations of youngsters will ask you:

Where were you when the first African -American was sworn-in as President of the United States of America?

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