The Silver Spring Penguin

Courtesy of Flickr user jeffreylowy

Editor’s note: Penguin staffers continued January’s frosty schlep to the National Mall to witness the 44th inaugural ceremony. Read the first part here.

After an hour of jostling through the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station, Penguin staffers climbed the inoperative escalators onto D Street. The narrow road, framed on all sides by boxy government buildings and concrete jersey barriers, was surprisingly clear of human traffic, further baffling the backup inside the Metro station.

Clumps of people rolled down D Street (below) like dust bunnies until more and more of them formed a larger lint pile. Soon, everyone formed a contiguous sheet of spare bits bunching up at Seventh Street and Independence Avenue. (more…)

Courtesy of Flickr user jeffreylowy

Editor’s note: Sure, everyone with a television, radio or Internet connection knew how the 44th inaugural ceremony played out nearly one year ago. Here’s how things went down for Penguin staffers on that frigid January morning.

To bear witness to history, one must wake at some ungodly hour for the best seat. Silver Spring resident Elizabeth Buie was already at the Silver Spring Metro station by 4:55 a.m. and reported via Twitter that Red Line cars were packed.

@ebuie: Just left Silver Spring station. Standing room only. Here we go! — 4:55 AM Tuesday from mobile web

Penguins don’t rise that early, so staffers hit the streets just before 7:00 a.m., along with everyone else in the hood. The first order of business that morning: acquire nosh. (more…)