We Made It

We pulled into Richmond, Va. at about 3:30 p.m. It felt like we were on that bus forever, but we're finally here, and we made it without any problems.

We'll get dinner then gather to talk about tomorrow's plan and then I can officially pass out. I'll have a story for Tuesday's paper, so keep watch.

7:57 a.m. Blacksburg, S.C.

It's day on of the bus journey and were taking a breakfast fuel break in Blacksburg, S.C., which is up Interstate 85 near Gaffney on the way to Charlotte, N.C.

I was a bit disoriented when I saw the Blacksburg sign, because I knew we weren't in Virginia yet. I think it was the fact that I was waking up on a bus that had R&B and Blues playing overhead since we got on the bus at 1 a.m.

I never did make it to sleep last night, so I'm feeling like dirt. My mom didn't go to sleep either so I'm sure she's feeling the same way. I think we'll both just pass out when we get to Richmond.

The cool thing that has happened so far, is that on a couple of the rest stops we've already met people on buses from Baton Rouge, La. and West Point, Miss.

The bus driver says we have about 300 miles to go. So , I'm sure there will be more to post at lunch time.

P.S. Shouts out to Amanda Soward for coming out at 1 a.m. to take a picture, and Cassandra Brown who sent m a text message saying it was snowing in Virginia at about the same time.

The Countdown Begins

By the time many of you read this, we will finally be on the bus to Washington, D.C., by way of Richmond, Va. first.

I'm writing this just a few hours before I lie down and try to get some sleep, but who can sleep?

Ever since I was a child, I always had a hard time sleeping before a big trip or event, always falling asleep just hours, it seemed, before I would have to be up and ready to go. I was too excited to sleep, thinking about all the people I would see and all the things we would do when we got there. I suspect it will be the same for this trip too.

Mom and I have gathered all of our things, and we've prepared for the worst. Waterproof boots, layers of clothing, toilet paper -- you name it, we've got it.

And if you've been following my adventure at all then you must know I'll have a digital camera for still photos, a small digital video recorder for our time on the National Mall, professional digital video recorder for the bus and my laptop. Whew.

When I first conceived this idea to follow a group of folks from Montgomery, it seemed that this day would never get here. After all the blogging, credential drama and preparation it's finally here. But it's still hard to wrap my mind around it all. I'm not sure it will feel real until we're at our destination, just a few people among the many.

It seems fitting that our "home base" will be a city that shares the distinction with Montgomery of having once been the capital of the Confederate States of America. I'm pretty sure that the people from that time -- black and white -- never envisioned a day like the one we're hoping to witness on Tuesday.

After spending what Google Maps says is nearly 10 hours on a bus, we'll arise early again Tuesday in hopes of getting on the Metro well before the sun gets up, to see how close we can really get -- just to make sure it's all still real. Whether a million back, or a few thousand back, we'll be there and that's what counts. That's what will make it all worth it.

Shoutouts!

I wanted to give a bit of a "shoutout" to other folks from Montgomery and surrounding areas who I consider fellow eyewitnesses to history.

The young people at Saint James High School: About 22 high school students boarded a bus Saturday evening bound for Washington, D.C. They don't have any special tickets and they're not marching in a parade. They're just going, like so many people who just want to be in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of the 44th president. Have a safe trip guys, and please send me your pictures. Also, look for a story from our education/military reporter Jenn Rowell on these students sometime next week.

Ann Vernon: Mrs. Vernon is an instructor at Trenholm Tech who is going to some of the higher end events. She sent me a text message from the BET Awards last night, and I think she will get to go to a ball that BET is sponsoring. In addition she will attend the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Ball and a ball for Harvard Alumni (she has a relative that went to Harvard with the President-elect.)

Catherine and Taylor Flowers: This mother daughter duo are also going to some of the higher-end even and left on a plane headed for D.C. this weekend I believe. They will be blogging for the paper and sending us their reports.

To all these folks, have a safe trip, lots of fun and we'll see you soon!
Cassandra and Kynesha Brown: Just sent me an e-mail message today informing me they were on their way to Washington, D.C. and were planning to be an eyewitness for this project.

Update

I just wanted to take some time, just a mere 14 hours before I'm to board a bus to Washington, D.C., to update all of you faithful who keep tabs on this blog.

I think my last update was some time Wednesday, and so much has happened since then.

First, a few of the riders of the bus are going international.
Mary Bolling Brumby, 70, and her sister Josephine Bolling McCall, 66, were both interviewed and photographed by a French journalist Christope Ayad for a online publication called Liberation. I also was interviewed for his story which will run online on Tuesday.

I also had the opportunity to interview him, and I will post my Q & A on Tuesday too.

Second, my mom made it here Saturday afternoon from our little adopted hometown of Hinesville, Ga. For the military folks, it's a little town near Fort Stewart. For the non-military, it's about 45 minutes from Savannah, Ga. She and I spent the day running around picking up last minute items so we wont be cold.

Third, I did get my credentials. They arrived by FedEx Friday morning. Doug Abrahms made it happen by picking them up from the convention center in D.C., when he went to get his and then personally making sure they were overnighted. I owe you one Doug!

Lastly, I hope all of you got to meet just a few of the folks who are on this trip through my story that ran today. If not check it out at www.montgomeryadvertiser.com.

Crisis Avoided

Ok folks, I had a mini-crisis early this week that sent me into a little bit of a panic.

If all of you can re-call I was dancing my happy "I'm Official" dance on Saturday, but I was singing a bit of the "I-might-not-be-able-to-get-my-credentials" blues on Monday and Tuesday.

It turns out that the good people at the PIC start passing out press credentials today and they will be giving out those credentials up until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Yes, folks SUNDAY. For those of you who have been following this blog, you know that the bus group I'm following isn't pulling out of the Capital City until Monday, and that was not going to work.

So Monday I'm e-mailing and searching for a contact number -- nothing. Note to Mr. President-elect Obama: I understand that you're going to be the social-networking president, but there are some things that require a human. And the day that I need to find out if I can have another reporter pick-up my credentials is one of them. I get no response on Monday.

On Tuesday, after e-mailing and finally finding a phone number to call, late that afternoon I get an e-mail. Guess what's in it? The same notice I received Saturday about getting the credentials, with a message saying that some people didn't get the e-mail at all.

While I feel bad for those poor journalists who didn't get the e-mail Saturday and were in a different kind of panic mode, that didn't help me at all. Plus, the person I called didn't even call me back.

Finally, today, I received notice that I could have Doug Abrahms, our Gannet News Service correspondent, pick my credentials up when he picks his up.

Whew...crisis avoided. Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to get them from Doug!

Get Your Runway Stride Ready

If you like designer duds, you can get your runway-stride on in inaugural fashions created by some of the top names in the industry.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced the Runway for Change Inaugural Collection, a series of high fashion handbags and T-shirts created by some of America's most renowned designers in celebration of the Inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, according to a release.

The collection includes handbags designed by Diane Von Furstenberg and Tory Burch, T-shirts designed by Zac Posen, Narciso Rodriguez, Donna Karan, Beyonce, Derek Lam, Rachel Roy, Juicy Couture and Gerald Matthews, and a scarf designed by Alexander Wang. The entire collection can be viewed HERE.

The collection also will be available at the Presidential Inaugural Store located at 625 E Street NW in Washington, DC, or at the PIC Online Store.

Inauguration Celebrations in Alabama

I'll try to post info on inaugurations events in Alabama, if you're not one of those planning to brave Washington, D.C., but still feel like celebrating.

The City of Birmingham is sponsoring Where History Meets Hope, a free inauguration event that honors the Magic City's civil rights past and celebrates the country's acceptance of diversity, according to a press release.

On Jan. 20, the Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Eighth Ave. North, Birmingham 35203, will throw open its doors to the public at 8 a.m. so that people can witness the historic swearing in ceremony for President-elect Barack Obama.

Attendees will get a chance to see the event on an enormous monitor with crystal-clear audio, according tot he release. State-of-the-art production equipment has been secured for the public viewing. The program begins at 8:30 a.m.

Officially Frazzled

Ok, on Monday, I started to wonder if I should have my head examined for trying to go on this trip -- as a working journalist or even as a spectator.

I've told my colleagues and friends on Goat Hill that I must be out of my mind.

There are a hundred different reasons why staying at home is so wildly appealing -- the cold, the crowd, the logistical nightmare of it all, the amount of work I committed to doing for this project -- take your pick.

Yep, I could get a whole mess of Alaskan snow crab legs and watch history in the making from the warmth and comfort of my home.

But where is the fun in that? When my grandkids ask me where I was when the nation's first African-American president took the oath of office, I want to say that I was right there -- a face and a notepad in the sea of thousands.

There's an episode of The Cosby Show that I've never forgotten. It an episode were Claire and Cliff Huxtable are in the living room talking with their parents reminiscing. Forgive me if my memory of the episode is flawed, but as I recall it their parents shared stories about their involvement in the 1963 March on Washington. They recounted how they sang on the bus ride to Washington, D.C. and what it was like to see so many people gathered for a common cause.

I know those were made-for-TV memories, but I want to be able to tell my kids everything about this experience. Just like I'll tell them that I was the editor-in-chief of my student newspaper when 9/11 happened and how we got out a special edition of the paper (no small feat for my undergraduate alma mater Johnson C. Smith University).

So that's why I' can't stay home.

When it's all over with, a few months down the road, when the weather here in Alabama starts to warm up and the trees start to sprout leaves, I won't ask myself whether I've taken leave of my senses. Instead, I'll think "I can't believe I ever thought about missing it."

Musically Speaking...

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has announced the talent lineup for the neighborhood inaugural ball and the kids' inaugural concert.

The committee has confirmed that the grown and possibly sexy will get to listen to the likes of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, JAY-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira and Stevie Wonder while Nick Cannon (What, was he included as part of the Mariah Carey package?) spins the ones and twos (that's DJ lingo for turntables) at the neighborhood inaugural ball airing exclusively on ABC 7 to 9 p.m. (central time), Jan. 20 .

If you're not feeling the above, you're tweens and your under 12 set will be very happy indeed. The line-up for the kid's inaugural concert is a do not miss featuring Malia and Sasha Obamas' favorites the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus. The kids also will hear from Demi Lovato (It is easy to tell that I don't have any kids, who is this?) and Bow Wow (not so lil' anymore) who will perform with Billy Ray Cyrus (Milley's dad), Keke Palmer (Akilah and The Bee), Usher (He might be too grown for this concert) and Shaquille O'Neal (I hope they don't let him rap). The concert will air exclusively on Disney Channel 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (central time), Jan. 19.

The Bus Itinerary

Monday, January 19, 2009
12:01 a.m. Board Bus 1:00am Depart Montgomery -Promptly
8:00 a.m. Breakfast 1 hour at area restaurant
1:00 p.m. Lunch local Restaurant and 3:00pm Hotel Check In – Richmond, Virginia
Site See On Your Own
(I might use this on your own time to see if I can get my credentials!! My Godmother lives in Richmond, and I'm hoping she'll give me a lift to a metro station or possibly take me into the city.)
4:30 p.m. Area Mall - Optional
9:30 p.m. Group Meeting at Hotel (Final Itinerary, contact information)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Breakfast prior to departure – TBA
5:00 a.m. Depart (eastern time) hotel for Franconia/Springfield, VA Metro Station (1 to 2 hour drive)
The group will be dropped at the station to board the metro.
Snack/Lunch on your own at local eateries. Limit liquid intake bathroom opportunities could be scarce.
11 a.m. Inauguration Festivities/Ceremony and Parade immediately following ceremony
4:00 p.m. First Bus Group Pickup at Franconia/Springfield, VA Metro Station back to hotel
(a meeting point will be listed on the final itinerary)
9:00 p.m. Last/Final Bus Group Pickup at Franconia/Springfield, VA Metro Station back to hotel (a meeting location will be listed on the final itinerary)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
6:00 a.m. Free Deluxe Continental Breakfast at hotel prior to departure
7:00 a.m. Depart for Montgomery - Promptly
Noon Lunch 1 hour at area Restaurant
7:00 p.m. Arrive Montgomery
9 p.m. Markeshia passes out from exhaustion.

Checklist for Travelers

Checklist Tips for All Travelers from Destination DC at www.washington.org.

Confirm Your Hotel: If you have a hotel reservation, call the hotel directly to confirm it. If you’re still looking for a hotel room for yourself or for a group, call 1-800-422-8644 where local tourism experts can refer you directly to hotels with availability. Destination DC has located about 600 hotel rooms that are still available within the city, plus more than 12,000 hotel rooms within 300 miles of the inauguration action.

Make Your Metro Plans: Be prepared to wait an hour or more before you board the train. You can save a step inside the station by pre-purchasing your fare cards online. Every rider needs his or her own card; up to two children under age 5 can ride free with a paying adult. The Metro parking lot at the Minnesota Avenue station will be restricted for use by Metro employees only. Parking at all other stations is $4 per day, cash only. The Smithsonian and Federal Triangle stations will be closed on Inauguration Day. For more information and to purchase fare cards, visit wmata.com.

Reserve Your Train Ticket: If you are taking the train to DC, plan ahead. Amtrak is adding service along the Northeast Corridor on Jan. 20, but trains will require reservations and tickets must be purchased prior to boarding. Reservations are also required on MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Plan to arrive at the station no earlier than one hour prior to departure time, and be sure to pick up your roundtrip tickets before boarding the train.

Choose Your Celebration: Along with the ten official balls, there are dozens of unofficial celebrations at venues throughout the region, like the Lincoln 2.0 Inaugural Ball at the breathtaking Smithsonian American Art Museum on Sun., Jan. 18, where Lincoln’s own inaugural ball took place, plus links to sites where you can learn more about the official events.

Get Travel Tips & Insider Advice: Need some help organizing your visit? Need recommendations on a good meeting point for your group? Contact Destination DC at 1-800-422-8644 or visit this site to request a copy of the Official Visitors Guide, Official Visitors Map or to get advice from a local travel expert. You’ll also find insider tips, sample itineraries, information about African-American history and a list of 44 free and affordable things to do in DC during inauguration and a rundown of restaurants serving up special inauguration-themed menu items.

Dress the Part: January temperatures average around 40 degrees in DC; be sure to wear warm clothing and comfortable shoes fit for walking. If you’re holding tickets to the swearing-in, you’ll also want to review the list of prohibited items on inaugural.senate.gov. You can also pick stock up on souvenir inauguration-themed apparel before you arrive by visiting zazzle.com/Washingtondc (products ship in 24 hours).

Special Checklist Tips for Travelers Arriving by Bus or Motorcoach

Make Sure Your Motorcoach Has a Permit: If you’re planning to bring a group to DC by bus or motorcoach on Inauguration Day, make sure you’ve applied for a permit. All coaches traveling to DC on Inauguration Day must have a permit from the DC Department of Transportation, and applications for permits must be submitted by January 15. More information is available at inauguration.dc.gov/bus.asp.

Make Sure You Have a Motorcoach Parking Plan: Once you’ve secured your permit, you’ll need to register to park at RFK Stadium and other designated locations by visiting 2009inauguration.clickandpark.com. Because of the high level of Metro ridership expected on Inauguration Day, buses will not be allowed to drop passengers at Metrorail stations without registering in advance.

Map and Ticket Info for Inaugrual Swearing Ceremonies

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has released information about the ticket and access plan for inuaguration day events.

The official map http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-2009-map.pdf of the Capitol Grounds shows the various tickets sections, identifies the colors of the tickets that correspond to each section, and identifies the most convenient Metro Stop for that sections’ entry point.

Tickets for the Inaugural Swearing-in Ceremonies will be released to Members of Congress beginning Monday, Jan. 12, 2009. Each Member’s office is then responsible for distributing their allotment of tickets to their constituents. Members of Congress are no longer taking requests for tickets. Click this link http://inaugural.senate.gov/documents/doc-011109-ticketsinsert.pdf for notes to ticketed guests

The 240,000 color-coded tickets were printed by the Government Printing Office and contain multiple security features to protect against counterfeiting. Every person attending the Swearing-in Ceremonies on the Capitol Grounds is required to have a ticket, including children (with the exception of infants too young to walk).

Ticketed guests must enter the Capitol Grounds through the entry point designated for their particular section. Because of the large crowds expected to be travelling to the Capitol Grounds and the National Mall, and the numerous street closures and other security measures that will impact travel routes, ticketed guests are advised to make careful plans to ensure they arrive at their designated access point well in advance of the start of the official program.

Security screening gates will open at 8:00 AM, music will begin at 9:00 AM, and the formal program begins at 11:30 AM. Guests not through the screening points by 11:30 AM may not be allowed to enter.

I'm Official...

Imagine my surprise when I found this e-mail in my inbox on Saturday from the Presidential Inaugural Committee...


To Markeshia Ricks, Montgomery Advertiser:
Thank you for your request for press credentials to cover the official events sponsored by the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009 (PIC).

This letter is your official notification regarding your credential allotment for PIC-sponsored events. The Presidential Inaugural Committee is responsible for all official inaugural event credentials with one notable exception: credentials for the Swearing-In at the Capitol are managed by the U.S. Senate Press Galleries.

Due to the large volume of requests, every effort has been made to include as many organizations as the individual events will allow. Media interest has far exceeded the available space, making it impossible to meet every request.

I just knew that the sentences above were the kiss of death, but keep reading...

Details of credentials that ARE available for your organization are below; it was not possible to accommodate the remainder of your requests. We have done our best to be fair in the overall allocation of credentials, addressing each organization’s expressed priorities over the wide variety of inaugural events. Separate credentials are being issued for each inaugural event.

There is no “all access” press credential. As a result, an individual member of the press will be expected to wear multiple credentials over the course of the inaugural events. Event-specific credentials make it easy to identify exactly what access is allowed.

Similarly, each Inaugural Ball has its own separate credential which allows press access into the press section at one site and one site only. For example, there are multiple Inaugural Balls at the Convention Center, and a different credential is required for each event.

Please remember that if you do not have a credential, but have purchased a ticket to a Ball you are there as a guest, not a member of the media. Therefore, you are not authorized to have a video or still camera for coverage purposes. Please also remember that the dress code of credentialed press must conform to the event. In several cases, due to security and logistical constraints, coverage of some events will have to be limited to pre-assigned pool coverage.

We remind you that many of the inaugural events are free and open to the general public, including the viewing area on the National Mall and some space on the parade route.
The PIC Online Media Center will provide the latest information regarding inaugural activities for members of the media. Look for a launch announcement via email.

Finally...

CREDENTIAL ASSIGNMENT
Montgomery Advertiser has been selected by the 2009 Presidential Inauguration Committee to cover events at the upcoming Presidential Inaugural events.

Below is a list of Montgomery Advertiser’s event assignments and links to web pages containing logistical details for each event:
Opening Ceremony 1 Press, Swearing In - National Mall 2 Press As I understand it, I've got one pass for the opening ceremony and 2 for the swearing in ceremony.

I'm official!

Seats For Sale, Just Kidding!

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced that tickets for the 5,000 bleacher seats would go on sale Friday at 1 p.m. eastern standard/noon central standard at Ticketmaster.com, but apparently the tickets sold out before most people could finish their lunch.

The seats were available for those folks who wanted a chance to actually sit down during the inaugural parade, but it looks like it will be standing room only.

I was checking out other Web sites about the seats and I see that there are some posters who were pretty miffed that they were calling Ticketmaster and either couldn't get through or were told there were no tickets.

Some people seemed to be under the impression that Ticketmaster didn't know it was selling the tickets. I suspect that the tickets sold out so fast, that some folks weren't being told that the tickets were gone.

You don't need a ticket to watch the parade, so no skin off my nose or frost on my behind for that matter. If those bleachers are metal, I'd rather stand. I've spent enough of my life at high school football games to ever want to sit on cold bleacher again.

WARNING: Inauguration Advisories

OK, people for the record, it is supposed to be COLD in Washington, D.C. on the day of the inauguration. REAL COLD!

If you didn't know, now you know.

I'm not a fan. Mild winters are a perk of living in the South. But you do what you've got to do for history's sake.

But seriously, I'm praying that God will smile on me and give me unseasonably warm weather like the folks at Grant Park had during President-elect Barack Obama's victory speech.

I can hope can't I? Just in case, I'll be layered like a Pilsbury biscuit. I'm talking thick socks, long underwear. You name it. I'm wearing it. Just think of that episode of Friends when Joey put on all of Chandler's clothes to get back at him. Yep, that's me.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has taken to issuing advisories each week for those planning to make the trip. So here are a few of those tips boiled down. Heed them, or suffer the consequences.

1) If you're on time, you're late. The swearing-in is shortly after noon, and the formal program begins at 11:30 a.m. Security checkpoints open at 8 a.m. Lateness will get you nosebleed seats.

2) These boots are made for walking, and that's just what you'll do. Use public transportation to get close to the U.S. Capitol and walk from there. Wear something comfortable and water proof -- you could be walking in snow.

3) Baby, it's COLD! January in D.C. is usually really cold, and has been known to be rainy and snowy. Be prepared to stand in that weather (with no umbrella in the case of rain) for up to six (yep, you read it right) hours.

In addition to not being allowed an umbrella in case of rain, packages, backpacks, large Duffel bags, suitcases, Thermoses, coolers, strollers, Laser pointers, signs and posters are all prohibited in the ticketed areas.

4) Leave your infant child at home. OK, so that's my recommendation, but it's a good one. The JCCIC says that strollers, baby carriages, backpacks and other large bags are prohibited. That means you have to carry your baby for at least six hours. Also, please note that any child who is old enough to walk must have a ticket to get into ticketed events. Strollers will be allowed in non-ticketed areas of the National Mall.

Stay toasty!

Mom and Me

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, my mom will be on this bus trip with me, and I plan to write about our mother/daughter experience as part of this whole package.

She called me today with some pretty exciting news. She apparently received a package in the mail today from the Presidential Inauguration Committee with two invitations in it inviting her to the all of the public inauguration events.

So, of course I'm hoping that means we get closer to the action, but we can't really tell whether the invitations are being sent to lots of people.

Mom contacted her congressman, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, of Georgia, months ago about swearing in tickets, and received one of those routine thank you letters that most people get when they contact their congressman. But the tickets that members of Congress get, come from the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, not the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Did any of you out there get a similar packet today? Let me know, mricks@gannett.com.

Cool Web site

Check out this Web site for interesting information about Washington, D.C. and cool, free things you can do while you're in our nation's capital.

Check it out here:

http://www.washington.org/

Alabama Woman on Inaugural Whistle Stop Tour

Lilly Ledbetter of Jacksonville has been selected as one of the "everyday Americans," who will get to participate in President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden's Whistle Stop tour to Washington, D.C. the Saturday before the inauguration.

If Ledbetter's name looks familiar, it should. She made headlines a few years back because of pay-equity suit she brought against the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. She's also testified several times before the U.S. Congress on pay-equity issues.

She was a former manager at the Gadsden-plant for almost 20 years, and found near the end of her career that she had been consistently paid much less than almost all of her male co-workers over the years.

Ledbetter sued Goodyear and won a jury verdict of more than $3 million. But in 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the verdict in 5-4 against Ledbetter saying that she had waited too long to bring her claim.

Her case led to passage in the U.S. House of Representatives of the bipartisan Lilly
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007, which would have ensured that other victims of pay discrimination have more than 180 days after their first discriminatory paycheck to file a complaint. The bill, however, stalled in the U. S. Senate.

Ledbetter will be among 18 people who will participate in the Whistle Stop tour.

Inauguration Updates

I get a flurry of e-mailed press releases from the the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (the constitutionally-mandated committee responsible for the president's swearing-in ceremony) and the Presidential Inaugural Committee (the president-elect's appointed committee that handles all the other festivities).

I'll try to skim through them and post interesting tidbits as I see them.

From the Presidential Inaugural Committee so far this week:

President-elect Obama will host a youth inaugural ball, five regional balls and a joint-ball for his home states of Illinois and Hawaii. Vice-President elect Joe Biden also will host a ball for his home state, Delaware.

The youth ball is aimed at young adults (18 to 35), and will be held at the Washington Hilton. Tickets are $75.

The regional balls are a inaugural traditions that Obama plans to continue, and will be held in the following locations:
East -- Union Station
Mid-Atlantic -- Washington Convention Center
Midwest -- Walter E. Washington Convention Center
South -- National Guard Armory
West -- Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Tickets for the regional balls are available to invited guest for $150.

The home states balls are also by invitation only, and the cost is $150. Both the Obama and the Biden Home States balls will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Other Balls:
The Neighborhood Inaugural Ball for DC residents will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and the Commander-in-Chief's ball for enlisted active duty and reserve military will be at the National Building Museum.

Bus Pass, No Credentials

This trip to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration, has been in the works for several weeks, and I'm pretty far ahead in my initial preparations.

I've secured my spot (and my mom's since she's along for the ride too) on a bus leaving from Montgomery on Jan. 19 and returning on the 21st. The package includes the bus ride to D.C., two nights stay at a hotel in Richmond (about as close as we could get for a reasonable price) and a Metro pass.

But there is a glitch in my grand plans.

I'm also one of the many journalists who are holding their breath in hopes of getting press credentials. Apparently, an unprecedented number of journalists, some from foreign countries, and others from essentially Podunk, USA are requesting press passes this time around.

I've applied for credentials from all the inauguration committees I could, and now all I can do is keep my fingers crossed.

Wish me luck (and warmth) because I'm certainly going to need it.

Washington, D.C. or Bust!

Hi World,

Welcome to my blog about one reporter's adventure in covering the inauguration of the nation's first black president-elect Barack Obama.

I got the bug to be one of the millions of people expected to attend the inauguration, after writing a story last year about the church and civic groups from Montgomery, who were organizing charter buses to make the pilgrimage to Washington, D.C.

It occurred to us here at the Montgomery Advertiser, that a bus filled with people from the birthplace of the civil rights movement might have its place in the annals of 21st century history and we should record it.

After all, if it hadn't been for Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Obama's rise to the nation's highest office might never have happened.

So look here for my updates on preparations for the trip, details about the big event and other interesting tidbits about the people who are taking this journey.

Feel free to post your own thoughts about this historic event, and if you're going let me know at mricks@gannett.com.