6:30 a.m., alarm goes off, we are out the door by 7:15 a.m. Our walk will take us about 20 blocks (this is not 20 blocks, but a snippet of the calm before the storm):
The storm begins. This is a view of the 3rd Street tunnel / 395 that takes us under the Mall to get to the Silver Ticket entry gate:
We end up in a precarious position when a police officer directs us back from the tunnel and towards what he says is the Silver Gate entry point (it turns out to be the Purple Gate entry point - unfortunately close to an office building with some landscaping) 9:30 a.m.
Here’s us after re-crossing the tunnel and waiting in the line at the Silver Gate – Now 11:00 a.m.
We make it in just before the police close off the road with half a dozen squad cars and a bunch of motorcycles. The crowd surges forward and I briefly, but clearly, imagine being trampled. I try to remain calm and Bobby sticks his elbows out and we are pushed forward into plastic barriers. We jump them, there is no turning back now. This is our view.
The end of the ceremony and crowds dispersing - if that is what you can call it.
We finish the day with a ride home on the Metro, where we have to split up to fit each one of us on a separate car. We arrive home to champagne, steak and potatoes at Mom and Dad’s. Today is an unforgettable day.
The storm begins. This is a view of the 3rd Street tunnel / 395 that takes us under the Mall to get to the Silver Ticket entry gate:
We end up in a precarious position when a police officer directs us back from the tunnel and towards what he says is the Silver Gate entry point (it turns out to be the Purple Gate entry point - unfortunately close to an office building with some landscaping) 9:30 a.m.
Here’s us after re-crossing the tunnel and waiting in the line at the Silver Gate – Now 11:00 a.m.
We make it in just before the police close off the road with half a dozen squad cars and a bunch of motorcycles. The crowd surges forward and I briefly, but clearly, imagine being trampled. I try to remain calm and Bobby sticks his elbows out and we are pushed forward into plastic barriers. We jump them, there is no turning back now. This is our view.
The end of the ceremony and crowds dispersing - if that is what you can call it.
We finish the day with a ride home on the Metro, where we have to split up to fit each one of us on a separate car. We arrive home to champagne, steak and potatoes at Mom and Dad’s. Today is an unforgettable day.
2 comments:
Hannah,
Thanks for sharing. I felt some of the electricity (and some of the claustrophobia!!) of your day.
Roberta
Very cool experience and great coverage. Are you sure you don't want to be a journalist?
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