Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Barack Obama reached the metaphorical mountaintop in winning the presidency in November's general election.
And those planning to attend the historic inauguration next week in Washington, D.C., should make preparations "no different than climbing to a mountaintop," said Matt Kelly of Silver Spring, an assistant manager for outdoor-gear chain REI.
Besides wearing thermal underwear and comfortable hiking boots or shoes — transportation and government officials warn that the public can expect to do a lot of walking — Kelly and other outdoor specialists say those going to the inauguration may want to add hand and toe warmers.
And, Kelly said, they should bring small rolls of toilet paper, toilet covers and hand sanitizer.
In other words, be prepared for any weather and for possible personal emergencies.
The long-range forecast for Inauguration Day, Tuesday, looks promising. It calls for a sunny sky with temperatures in the upper 30s.
The normal high temperature for Jan. 20 is in the low- to mid-40s, and the normal lows range from the mid- to upper-20s.
In 2005, President Bush's second inauguration saw a high of 35 degrees, with a cloudy sky. There was snow on the ground.
The inauguration with the worst weather in recent memory was for Ronald Reagan in 1985, when the 7-degree temperature forced the parade to be canceled and the swearing-in ceremony to be held inside the Capitol Rotunda.
So it came as no surprise for employees at Ranger Surplus in Rockville that the store has seen an increase in customers grabbing gloves, hats and body warmers.
Employee Josh Parks recommended inauguration participants consider Polypro thermal underwear.
"It's designed for sitting out in the cold for long periods of time," Parks said.
Parks also suggested toe warmers. "They're little cloth packets that contain charcoal. When they hit the air, they become active and warm," he said. "They stay warm for up to 12 hours."
Because umbrellas are not allowed along the parade route or at the White House reviewing stand and the inaugural balls due to security concerns, Brenda Brant, Ranger Surplus office manager, recommends people purchase ponchos in case it rains.
"That's definitely something that they're going to need," she said.
Jeff Smith, store manager of the Strosniders Hardware store in Silver Spring, said his business has been selling hand warmers at double the rate of last year.
"You can throw them in your pocket; they're unobtrusive," he said. "They come in handy if you need them, and it will get you past security."
Strollers also are not allowed at the parade route, reviewing stand or inaugural balls, but attendees with infants can carry their children in a baby sling or carrier, said Edward Donovan, Secret Service spokesman.
Pajama Squid in Takoma Park sells baby slings and carriers, and owner Tiffany King recommends the ERGO baby carrier.
"The ERGO is the way to go because if they're standing or walking, it equally distributes the infant's weight," she said. "And it doesn't become cumbersome at all."
Given the amount of walking and standing around that inauguration attendees are expected to do, Raymond Barrero, sales representative at Ego Vanity Store in Wheaton, said last week that he expected sales of sturdy footwear to begin this past weekend.
"Shoes is one of the things they're going to be purchasing, especially women," he said. "I've heard lots of comments from customers saying they need to come back and buy shoes for the inauguration."
Security checkpoints will open at 8 a.m. for guests attending the swearing-in ceremony in an area that requires tickets. To ensure that ticket holders make it through the checkpoints by the time the program begins at 11:30 a.m., the Presidential Inaugural Committee advises arriving no later than 9 a.m.
Angela Gates, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority information specialist, said there are too many unknown factors to estimate the wait time for transportation services, but inbound trains are expected to be jammed. For that reason, District residents are being advised to take buses.
Restroom facilities are another potential hassle.
Metro will be closing bathrooms inside its 86 stations, but will provide a total of 150 portable toilets outside the end stations.
For those with tickets to the swearing-in ceremony, no restrooms will be available in front of the Capitol building. For others attending, restrooms inside each of the 13 Smithsonian Institution museums will be open to the public, but only until 5:30 p.m. There also will be portable toilets on the mall and along the parade route.
The Secret Service has prohibited the following items in the parade route, the White House reviewing standing and the inaugural balls:
Firearms, ammunition, explosives and weapons of any kind
Aerosol containers
Supports for signs and placards
Packages
Pocket or hand tools
Coolers, thermal or glass containers
Backpacks and bags exceeding size restrictions (8-by-6-by-4 inches)
Laser pointers
Animals other than helper/guide dogs
Bicycles
Signs not of cardboard, poster board or cloth, and exceeding three feet wide, 20 feet long and one-quarter inch thickness.
Some commander-in-chiefs have been sworn during mild 50-degree weather while others faced wind chill factors that dipped below zero.
Here is the weather for the most recent inaugurations:
Weather watch
1977: Jimmy Carter endured a cold but sunny 28-degree day and wind chill temperature in the teens.
1981: Ronald Reagan enjoyed an unusually warm 55-degree day for his first inauguration.
1985: For his second term, Reagan had to have his swearing-in indoors as the weather was 7 degrees and wind chill dropped to minus 10 to 20 degrees.
1989: Reagan's vice president, George H.W. Bush, became president under much nicer weather conditions with a mostly cloudy but mild 51-degree afternoon.
1993: Bill Clinton's inauguration weather was a sunny 40 degrees.
1997: The temperature dropped to 34 degrees for Clinton's second swearing-in.
2001: George W. Bush was sworn in on a rainy 36-degree day.
2005: Bush had some sunny weather, but the temperature was 35 degrees with an inch of snow on the ground.
