Planes, Trains & Automobiles

What an experience this has been. One I will never forget. I heard on the news last night that on inauguration day, over 2 million people descended on the National Mall and they did not have ONE arrest in the entire city. How awesome. You would have figured there would have been at least one protestor / nutball out there getting themselves arrested in that kind of crowd. That is the perfect symbolic statement to usher in a new era of peace for our country. We can have 2 million very diverse people from all across the country in one place at one time, and all get along. It was not every man for himself this weekend. I wish we could bottle the attitudes and feelings of camaraderie that we all had with our fellow Americans, and sprinkle it like pixie dust over our nation’s cities, train stations, bus stops, taxi cabs, street corners, office buildings, parking lots and shopping malls (and especially at Wal-Mart). Everyone would be much happier and much better off.

I also marveled at the state of the National Mall after we left. It looked like a war zone. Down-trodden fences, cans of garbage spilled over into the sidewalks, and papers and garbage lining our nation’s lawn and side streets. However, when I was walking around downtown yesterday, I was amazed at the buzz of Bobcats and trucks moving port-a-potties, workers everywhere cleaning up the garbage at a commendable pace, and people taking down the fencing, ropes, and barricades. By the time I got back on the metro yesterday afternoon, it was shaping up nicely. They all were moving together like a well-oiled machine, all gears in sync, which is how Washington should function, outside and in.

I packed in a hurry this morning to leave with Tiffany and Bill and get to the airport via their normal morning commute. I pride myself in being a low maintenance guest, especially since I dropped in with two days notice. I loaded up all my commemorative newspapers, t-shirts, pins other items as I chucked out some extra shoes, a zippered sweatshirt, a hat I had purchased on the street, and a hairdryer to make room for it all. I wadded the unused ball gown into a tiny corner of the suitcase, sat on it, and was on my way at 48.5 pounds.

We unloaded at the Roslynn Metro stop where Bill gets on the train to get to work. He politely helped me roll the luggage down escalators and deposited me on the appropriate train headed for the Reagan National Airport. My hosts have been amazing. They have picked me up, dropped me off, fed me (and even gave me wine) and allowed me to take over their guest room for 5 days, on very short notice. Sometimes it comes in really handy having friends all over the US, and the world to say the least!

The train ride was very easy. We passed the Arlington Cemetery and Pentagon stops (I really wanted to get out and look around, but quietly gave homage to these serious and somber places as we passed by). Before I knew it, we were at the airport platform. I did have to take a shuttle bus to terminal A, but it was fine. There were a couple of navy guys on the bus that had bought up all the Obama inauguration souvenirs and memorabilia they could find and were rushing home to put everything on E-Bay. Apparently now that he is officially President (and after he took the oath a second time, were are sure now…), everything with his name on it that will be distributed for public consumption must go through the official governmental offices. I wish them luck with that. It’s hard to stop a train.

I walked through the airport, checked in, and was at my gate in no time. I love trouble-free motoring. There were still stands with Obama merchandise set up all over the airport, and they were packed with lines of people just like all the other stands, except everything was just a little more expensive than what I had paid for it on the streets.

I had about two hours, so I decided to figure out how I was going to get all the way back home. I left home in such a hurry, and was thrilled to have found a mid-western airport to fly out of. However, now I was realizing that I would be in Milwaukee by noon with no ride to pick me up and no way home. Mike could drive to get me, but couldn’t leave school until 3:30, which would put him there at 6:30 and us back home around 9:30. I checked rent-a-cars, and they wanted $250 for a one-way car from Milwaukee to Moline. I checked plane tickets from there to Moline and Rockford. I was unable to use my sky miles on a one-way flight and they wanted $611 for a flight this afternoon from Milwaukee to Moline. No thanks. Then it dawned on me… what have I been doing all week? The train! I logged into Amtrak.com, selected my $34 seat to Princeton, IL which left at 3:10, changed trains in Chicago, and got to Princeton at 7:41. Perfect. And it saves my husband 6 hours in the car, which he should not have to endure for my little gallivant, but I know he happily would have. I got that all booked and set and boarded the plane. I still won’t be home until after 9, but a lot less wear and tear on Mike, and something to keep me busy for the day too.

I’m sitting here on the plane with a lovely man from Atlanta who also came by himself and had a wonderful time too. However, he hung out at the Four Seasons bar on inauguration night, where he got his picture with Gail King, Tom Brokaw, Howard Dean, and a whole bunch of other famous people. He also attended three balls. I did not live up to my stalking reputation. That’s ok, I saw what I came to see and felt what I wanted to feel.

Washington is a magnificent and bustling city, full of the history of our founding fathers, breathtakingly beautiful buildings and the leaders of the free world. But it also full of huge egos, talking heads, crooks, tyrants and our homeless who represent our homeless population all across the nation. But overall it possesses the spirit and power of the American Dream. Generations before us toiled, strived and protected it, and future generations will continue on to work towards peace, equality, economic stability, education for everyone, and independence and freedom for all. I hope that with this new administration, a new day and a new era of peace has dawned. I was there to witness and participate in this historical event, which is in fact now inscribed in our history books, as we move forward to work together and make our great nation an even better one.

In the words of our founding fathers, E Pluribus Unum ~ Out of many, there is ONE. By the people and for the people. One nation under God. Good luck President Obama, we stand with you. God speed.