GAH.
OH GOD WHY AM I AWAKE.
Oh, right, because the goal is to get to the Mall by 8:30am to stand around in the cold for 4 hours because this, my friends, THIS IS SPARTA INAUGURATION.
This had so better be worth it, because I am so not a morning person.
ETA: And fail. I spent two hours trying to get anywhere near the Mall, but all the planned pedestrian security checkpoints north of the Mall were closed. And stayed closed. There were people who'd been there since 6am, told that the checkpoint at 7th and D would open at 7 -- by 9:30, nope, they just weren't going to let anyone through. The Mall is already completely packed, which confuses me -- where is the opening where the police are actually letting people through? The cops I spoke to just kept sending us around in circles from one closed checkpoint to another. Fail, DC. Epic fail.
And thus, unable to feel my toes or fingers despite thick socks and gloves, I gave up and walked home, there to watch the inauguration on TV like everyone else. Probably just as well. I just wish I had actually gotten enough sleep instead of getting up ass-early in the morning to fail to watch it in person.
ETA part 2: I spoke too soon! My housemate called me to say that in fact there was easy access down by the Lincoln Memorial, so I ran the mile and a half down 21 St to get there. INAUGURATION ACHIEVED! Possibly some pics to come shortly.
Oh, right, because the goal is to get to the Mall by 8:30am to stand around in the cold for 4 hours because this, my friends, THIS IS SPARTA INAUGURATION.
This had so better be worth it, because I am so not a morning person.
ETA: And fail. I spent two hours trying to get anywhere near the Mall, but all the planned pedestrian security checkpoints north of the Mall were closed. And stayed closed. There were people who'd been there since 6am, told that the checkpoint at 7th and D would open at 7 -- by 9:30, nope, they just weren't going to let anyone through. The Mall is already completely packed, which confuses me -- where is the opening where the police are actually letting people through? The cops I spoke to just kept sending us around in circles from one closed checkpoint to another. Fail, DC. Epic fail.
And thus, unable to feel my toes or fingers despite thick socks and gloves, I gave up and walked home, there to watch the inauguration on TV like everyone else. Probably just as well. I just wish I had actually gotten enough sleep instead of getting up ass-early in the morning to fail to watch it in person.
ETA part 2: I spoke too soon! My housemate called me to say that in fact there was easy access down by the Lincoln Memorial, so I ran the mile and a half down 21 St to get there. INAUGURATION ACHIEVED! Possibly some pics to come shortly.