Recently in Traveling Category
If you're claustrophobic, anywhere near a Metro Station early this morning and late this afternoon was a bad place to be.
But at the Capitol South stop this morning, transit and emergency officials put together a catchy song to keep people's moods up as their patience was tested. "Keep it moving, keep it moving, walk through the gates," which momentarily evolved to "Yes we can!" Have a look:
The worst of Metro Madness came after the Inauguration Ceremony, when everyone at once tried to push their way to the stations. Buses and barriers were planted in their way, as were emergency officials. Some remarked that while the morning commute went relatively smoothly, there seemed to be little plan as to getting people out of the National Mall area.
Thousands of people flocked to the L'Enfants Metro Station following the Inauguration Ceremony, only to be motioned away by cops and the National Guard. The station was closed, along with many others for some time after the event, according to one officer due to an investigation of the incident at the Chinatown Station.
The metro station closures forced me to stop in McDonald's to stay warm. There was standing-room only at this corner location near the Mall, as about 10 lines congregated and people were literally touching waiting to get to the counter. It took me an hour and 20 minutes to order 10 nuggets and fries. How's that for fast food?
Then, to stay indoors, I journeyed to a nearby CVS Pharmacy. Apparently many others had the same idea, and some people were even camped out in the aisles. I found a nice spot in the medicine aisle and took an hour nap. Why not?
Fortunately, after that, the metro stations were finally back up and running again. I took Federal Triangle Station back to my host's home in Landover Hills, Md.
The train stations are well over-capacity this Inauguration Eve, causing problems and headaches for many D.C. travelers.
Some said they were forced to wait two or three trains to find one that wasn't full. Others left stations frustrated and went for the next one on the map. These were some of the stories being floated around in Metro Center Station.
A seemingly-endless stream of people clogged the Metro Center Station shortly after midnight just hours before Barack Obama's Swearing-In. Delays and problems were evident, and frustrations were high.
While hearing such stories, and waiting amidst a mob of people for the Orange Line train to my host's home in Maryland, I witnessed an actual incident right in front of me. A train went out of service right before my eyes.
At 12:33 a.m., a Blue Line train bound for Largo pulled up. It was already quite full. People started to push and try to jam in, even though there wasn't any room.
The doors began to close when a young woman got caught between two doors right in front of me. Three guys teamed up tried to push one of the doors away, but in the process broke it.
The subsequent scene? Not pretty. The passengers walked off grumbling about the incident, some spewing obscenities, as the train flashed its lights until it was empty and then drove away. Those same passengers were forced to wait another five minutes until the next train pulled up. They then jammed into that one.
Travelers waiting for their baggage at Dulles International Airport.
As tens of thousands of people arrived in D.C. Saturday, some journeys were longer than others.
Take 28-year-old Shannon Cian and Jack Leslie, 26, for example. They flew from New Orleans Saturday morning and experienced no major travel delays.
"I caught Barack fever very early," said Cian, who bought her plane tickets on Nov. 3 according to the "Redskins Rule."
"I love D.C., and I love people watching," Cian said.
Cian and Leslie are lucky enough to have tickets to Tuesday's swearing-in ceremony.
Former NBA champion and 2006 Coach of the Year Avery Johnson is also in town.
Then there's Melissa Van Leuvan, 24, from New Jersey. She rode a bus into D.C. to stay with her friend, Allison Bybee, 23, a GW student.
"I'm just along for the ride," said Van Leuvan, who decided just one week ago to make the trip.
As for the pair's commute to this weekend's events, it shouldn't take long. Bybee lives a mere three blocks from the White House.
There were all sorts of people at Dulles early this evening, but it was hard to miss three people with red, white and blue hats who embraced.
Tina Thompson, 28, a D.C. native, had just arrived from Portland, Ore. and was seeing her father Richard Thompson for the first time in nearly a year. Her husband, Mike Gonzales, 30, also accompanied her.
"We're all coming back to D.C. where we're from," she said. "My dad still lives here, so we have a place to say."
But they're not the only Thompsons making the trek home.
"My three children, spouses and grandchildren are coming in from Vermont, Oregon, and San Francisco," said Richard, 66, a retired publisher who has lived in D.C. for 40 years. "Everyone's coming to celebrate."
"There's never been an Inauguration like this - absolutely never," he added.
The Thompsons have tickets to the National Mall on Inauguration Day. They also plan to attend balls and go to the parade. "We're doing it all," said Richard.
Before our DC-bound plane took off from our connecting city, the pilot came on the intercom to ask how many people would be going to the inauguration. Whistles and shouts echoed throughout the cabin expressing that yes, the majority of the plane plans to partake in a slice of inauguration pie.
Once we arrived at Dulles airport, the hallways were flooded with all sorts of signs that DC was about to go through some major changes in the coming days. From groups of student ambassadors to airport store fronts overflowing with Obama memorabilia , it's difficult to swallow that inauguration is still four days away.
While waiting for our baggage, we spoke with Chicago natives Latriece Danley and her son, LeVern. Having planned their trip "on faith" last September before knowledge of Obama's win, Danley says that it's important for her five-year-old to be a part of this.
