Inauguration 2009

Welcome Back!

Tales from a Cardboard Fort is happy to return after an 8 month hiatus! If you're interested in old posts, please let me know, I'll be happy to put up reader's "old favorites".

But it's a new year and, as of yesterday, a new President!

I was fortunate enough to be granted with the opportunity to go to the Inauguration, and even far luckier to be gifted a Ticket that put me closer than about 1.5 million people. Special thanks to George Miles for the hook-up of the year!

When I returned home from the event, I poured my thoughts onto the computer, so it may seem a little disorganized, but below is a copy of it. Pretty much from waking to collapsing on my bed. Click on Pictures for blown up versions, especially the overhead Satellite View.
Hope you enjoy, and thanks for returning.

Ryan

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Got up a little late.
Showered, dressed warmly, got some coffee and headed out the back door.
Got to the bus stop on wisc and calvert. Stood in line with 25 other people.
The bus came, and let on 3 people.
Decided to walk to the mall. Headed down Wisconsin at a brisk pace.
Started talking to a stranger, Bruce Nolan, a small business owner from Leesburg, VA.
We talked about Obama, we talked about politics, and hope and our excitement was bubbling over. We walked together all the way to the Washington monument. We passed scores of people, all happy and bundled tight. We crossed streets and hustled past trees and streetlamps. Made it to the mall and Washington monument.
We looked back upon the Lincoln memorial and the scores of people wash into the mall, wave upon wave.
I met George and John and we needed a way to go all the way to the front. The front of a million people... we weren't running on time. We walked around the mall, taking detours on side streets, walking most of the time against the grain of traffic. We were "ticket holders" we were going to the front.
Security was a cinch, walked right through, no line, opened my jacket and that was it.
We moved up, and attempted to cross third street. It was fenced off on both sides, with 2 small openings controlled by police.
They weren't letting anyone go through, we moved to the second entrance and waited, then they let us. It was amazing. We could walk right up to the reflecting pool (well, at least a few people away from it.), we could see the capitol, the jumbo screen, and when we turned around, we could see the millions behind us. We were as close as regular people could get, it was amazing.
We stood behind two girls who had been up partying all night, we laughed at the corny music, we joked at bush and cheney, we anxiously hung on every note knowing the next one was one closer to the man.
We saw brief pictures of his limo, or what we thought was his. We cheered at every one.
We saw Clinton and biden and jimmy carter.
We waited. Some booed bush, some cheered, most just couldn't hold back from yelling Obama's name. you could taste the happiness in the air.. people were smiling and waving and taking millions of pictures.
Obama was announced and the crowd roared. Flags waved and hands raised to clap and cheer, and plenty of clenched fists, symbolizing more than just black power, but the sweet feeling of victory for every american.
Rev rick warren gave an opening prayer, a bit too religious, but nonetheless a good message, I was surprised at my reaction.
Aretha Franklin stirred every goosebump in my body. People swayed together and absolutely could not help from smiling. I couldn't feel my toes, my knees and back were aching like a geriatric, but all I could really feel was the warmth in my face. I had been blushing for hours.
Joe Biden was sworn in and I finally felt like it was about to happen. Everyone felt it. The charge in the people around me could have lit up new york. Barack Obama was about to get sworn in. He was about to be OUR president. My President.
And then it happened. He took the oath, a small slip up, but he took the Oath. And people we happy. I was happy. I grabbed George's shoulder with my hand and shook him. Thank you for taking me here.
The crowd was mostly silent for President Obama's speech. Some cheers here and there, the appropriate spots for clapter. A few people felt the need to agree with him at certain times, with a whispered "yes", or "that's right."
At the end of his speech, the applause was not as long or as loud as I thought it'd be. I suppose it was the somber tone of it.
Leaving the scene was literally a nightmare. Millions of people all trying to go in different directions.
I pretty much left the way I came in, except going against the grain with a few thousand other people. it didn't really make it any easier. It was just insane.
Choke points for police control were leading to massive bottle necking and people starting to freak out.
I hopped a barrier and went through an opening in the porta-potties that someone had made. It was probably a few people that actually helped move an entire john, but it gave people another route.
I made it back to the wash monument and was absolutely dead tired. I was also starving. I didn't eat breakfast and had been going for a good 7 hours.
I stopped at a refreshment stand and got a hot dog and some lays chips.
I plopped on the lawn in front of the monument and snacked away. I laid down for a minute just to rest, but soon after I was on my way back home. I took the same route as Sunday (the concert) and made it home.
Exhausted. my legs feel like jelly.
What a day.
I'll never forget it. Ever ever ever.

Photos:

Bus Stop - 6:45 AM - Jan 20th, 2009
Approaching the Wash Monument from the West - 7:50Am

Wearing a Red Hat so George could Find me. Lincoln Memorial in Background.On our way to the Front. 8:45AMView Back from the Front!Right THERE!!I Barack Hussein Obama...Mass ExodusWind Burned Face. Can't stop the smile :)
Up Virgina Ave.

ME!The WALK - 5.6 Miles Each Way

More photo's can be found on Facebook.

Ryan is happy to be back, and relieved that you have revisited this web page. He cannot promise it will ever been clever or intelligent, just that he will try to entertain. Write him for a new mailbag at theoriginalrs@gmail.com.