I can imagine that being a tour guide could be a pain at an event like this. You have some responsibility for the well being of those on the tour, not just yourself. In some ways it's like traveling with a bunch of your own young kids. Some will look to you for everything, (including helping them in the PP).

I've traveled with a group of adults to foreign places and there are a few who as "J62, where are we eating lunch. J62, where are the bathrooms. J62, I'm tired, can we go back to hotel." I don't like being a tour guide, paid or unpaid, except for my immediate (and I mean very immediate) family.

IMO going to the inauguration is one of those lifetime experiences. Not just to witness history from the comfort of ones sofa, but to actually be part of it. Advice about how to prepare is valuable. Alarmist warnings are not.

Train ticket. $20
Long underwear $10
Depends $5
Actually being there, priceless.

If the temperature in DC turns out to be in the low 30s, as currently predicted, you'll be able to tell where visitors are from by how they're dressed: The visitors from Florida will be wearing parkas, mittens, etc., and the visitors from Minnesota will be in shorts. When my daughter attended college in DC, she noticed that even over the whole winter, the kids didn't adjust to temps that were different from what they'd grown up with.

For those of us from the frozen north, DC is just not that cold. Here in Massachusetts, the temp has jut risen above freezing for the first time since last Wednesday, we had daytime highs below 20 a couple of times in the past week. We're ready for anything!

When I read the title of this post, I expected a touching tribute, written by an American War Veteran, about the pomp and circumstance of American Inaugurations... perhaps from someone living in DC who has attended many and was going to offer a moving historical perception.

Not.

Absolutely amazing . . poster passes on essentially the same information and advice the major networks are saying and gets bashed!!

Downtown DC is already - currently - a madhouse. That concert (on HBO) is a great preview of how bad it's going to be. You will have only a view if there's a jumbotron showing it to you.

Despite the number of porta-potties, reports are that there are 6000 people per porta-potty. Depends might be overkill, but restricting liquid intake is a sound idea. Local businesses and buildings are likely not be open.

It's COLD out there. You need warm clothes in layers and shoes that will allow you to stand and walk for a long period of time.

Hey, my bro-in-law is taking 100 potties to Union Station -- just mention my name to the attendant and you'll get a good seat!
A competitor got the contract for the Mall -- 5,000 units. B-I-L was asked to help them out, but he declined. Guests from up-state NY were downtown yesterday (Archives and concert) and had a great time. They watched the concert on the big screen. It was being part of the crowd and being there that mattered.
Still debating whether to go to work tomorrow or go down later in the morning to join them ....

When I was in Grant Park on election night, we couldn't eat, drink, or go to the bathroom for 9 hours, without losing our hard earned spot ten rows from the front. To pass the time we made friends -- we brought silly, easily portable games (like the trivial pursuit cards) and played with the people around us. We also played "spot the Secret Service on the rooftops." I swear, 50 people were playing with us. Everyone was in a fantastic mood, and it was great.

Was it ideal? Of course not. But as soon as Obama took the stage, it made everything worth it. I have a good friend in DC who was at the concert yesterday and is going to the Mall on Tuesday and echos what was said -- just being in the moment with all those people was thrilling. Don't drink a lot of water, and pee before you leave, and have patience and a sense of humor.

I really regret that I'm not in DC right now.

Happy to say I lost none of the kids I was guiding through the 3 days of the inauguration trip. Getting off The Mall was a horror show.

I had one band group (they were in the parade) on the 18th and then 7th & 8th graders the 19th-21st. I have to say it was quite something being in DC before sunrise (tour buses were allowed in; private cars were not). People were walking quietly in large numbers to The Mall to witness history. Our parking space was in front of Phillips Seafood Restaurant in SW DC, so we had a very convenient spot.

We ended up craning our necks to watch on a jumbotron between the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Castle. The head teacher was just so excited to be there; he took over 600 photos in 2 days! I am happy to say, none of my group booed Bush. I thought that was bad form even though I am a Democrat and long time enthusiastic Obama supporter. Like him or not, it is about the office not the man. Sometimes it is better to stand there and say nothing.

It ended up being quite an experience just being there. For those of us peasants who could not actually see a thing in real time, the story was the people you met. There were NO arrests for ANYTHING. That many people together and absolutely no incidents and people just celebrating just made me proud to be an American. I would never have attempted to go if I had not been guiding, but I ended up glad that I did.

My house was loaned out to a neighbor who needed extra space for overflow inauguration guests. No, I did not rent the house for money. I loaned it to him (which means it was a gift). I returned home with the house the same as when I left it with a few sheets and towels to launder and did someone a favor. To my mind that was much better than taking a risk renting to people you don't know--and I made friends for life. They left me a few small gifts (flowers, a gift card at the supermarket and the like). It was exactly what I would have done and I felt good about it.

I got home on January 21st at about 2:30pm and slept for 3 hours before doing the laundry, etc.

My groups had a marvelous time despite not being able to get into any of the Smithsonian Museums. We were able to see monuments, souvenir vendors and more people than I have have ever seen in DC. The band group even saw Bush's helicopter land with him on the White House lawn for the last time.

There were sufficient toilets and manageable waits. I wore Depends as insurance but, as it turns out, that precaution was unnecessary. Better to be safe than sorry.

We got to The Mall at about 7:30am. Biggest problem was cold hands and feet (especially feet for me). I had the kids jump up and down periodically. I met a lot of very nice and very happy people and ended up so happy that I experienced this even if I did not see anything.

All is well that ends well but I am so glad it is over and went well. We have had our peaceful transition of power. For me, no matter who is coming and who is going, that is always a time to stop, watch and be proud of being an American.

Sounds great and , best, you did not lose any kids. Always a worry with a group of kids.Get some rest and thanks for letting us know your adventure.

Leaving The Mall was chaos and we counted the kids a lot. There were 5 teachers and 50 kids. Each teacher was responsible for 10 kids. Not having parents as chaperones was a huge help. Some parents always treat these kid trips to DC as vacations and don't do their job. They also start complaining about everything and forget that these are kid trips no deluxe adult trips. Teachers take their jobs very seriously and it is easier to work with them than parents. I cannot be responsible for the kids on such a short tour as I don't know them. On a longer trip with adults I would quickly get to know all of them.

Everyone survived and the kids will remember their trip forever.