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Out of town visitors bring high expectations, patience to Inauguration
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Beginning this weekend, millions of people are expected to swarm into the Nation’s Capital – many with the highest expectations of seeing history unfold around them. Most seem aware of the challenges they face, transportation difficulties at best, millions of charged up people in the same place, enduring the elements for long hours, and all with no access to indoor plumbing.
“I am expecting this day to be one of the top 10 days of my life,” says Mary Riseling who is pulling into town from Springfield, Illinois to stay with a friend of her cousin – the two have never met, but Riseling is unstoppable. “I stood in the cold with my friends in Springfield when Obama announced that he was running for president and I stood in the heat when he returned to Springfield to announce Joe Biden as his running mate. I want to be there to see it all come to fruition.”
Carolyn Dolcimascolo is flying in from Tampa, Florida – with her two kids in tow. She knows she will face congestion with extra people, and traffic, but says it is too important to miss. “I will suffer through it. You can only witness a 'first' once. It will be worth it. I may have to scale back my plans a little, but there's still plenty we'll be able to see.”
And that seems to be the consensus. As many DC residents grumpily brace for crowded trains and streets, folks coming in from out of town seem not to mind the threat of major congestion. Cory Thompson is headed in from Atlanta, Georgia. I suggested he bring cold weather gear, he told me he is packing his patience. “Moving MILLIONS of people into the capitol area, or along the parade route and getting them out of the area will be a huge task, with equally as many challenges. I'm expecting problems in that area. I just hope there are no out-of-control crowds, or terrorist issues. There is not much I can do to overcome this issue, but I do plan on bringing a lot of patience to the inauguration.”
Eliza Shanley is making the trek from Ridgefield, CT. She says she is prepared to do a lot of walking, has low expectations about seeing a clean bathroom – but after campaigning for Obama during the election, says there is a lot she is looking forward to seeing, “The sight of Barack Obama standing with his family ... the beautiful US Capitol building as a backdrop with his hand on President Lincoln's bible being sworn in. I will not be able to contain myself. There will be tears.”
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