On the South Side!

As we came out of the tunnel those with tickets were sent back up 3rd Street to the ticket entrance at the US Botanical Gardens while the rest of us lowly rabble was sent down E St, around HUD, down D to the 14th Street for the public entrance to the Mall.  It actually turned out to be a good thing I didn't score tickets because the lines into the ticketed areas were atrocious!  I heard many stories of people backed up in security lines waiting to get in and missing the Inauguration.  Once the event started at 11:30 they closed the security lines and no one else could get in.  The Secret Service don't play!   We were directed where to go by the many, many volunteers who all wore matching red hats and landyard with their volunteer credentials.  I wouldn't get my credentials until later so I couldn't sleeze through any of the staff entrances.  They put out a call to campaign volunteers to work on the Inauguration.  They got over 100,000 volunteers and out of the 100,000 selected 18,000 that lived in the DC metro area.  We all went to a four hour training at the DC Convention center to get ready.  Even though 18,000 sounds like a lot, when it is spread out over nearly 20 events- 10 balls, Prayer breakfast, Inauguration, Parade route, Military Families Children's Concert, Opening Concert (Sunday), 2 MLK day service events- I think they could have used more volunteers.    Here are some sites I came across on my meandering stroll around DC.  The National Guard was EVERYWHERE!  These guys are from Iowa and they are on the South side of the Capitol.  What does that mean?  They are outgunned!  Only M16s?  EEK!