Even with officials warning of freezing temperatures, long lines, crush-level crowds and what seemingly amounts to mass chaos, millions have already begun their descent into Washington D.C. for Tuesday's presidential inauguration.
While President-elect Obama was making his way from Philadelphia to D.C. via the historic train route Abraham Lincoln took to claim his presidency, cars were already beginning to jam highways into the city for what many expect will be the biggest political celebration the nation's capital has ever seen. Among the smorgasbord of license plates seen on the way, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Ohio made notable appearances amidst the numerous Virginias and Marylands.
Nor is Duke immune from the mania surrounding the event. Some professors have canceled class to allow students to join in on the festivities, watch parties have been planned, and several Duke students are taking advantage of the opportunity to see the nation's first black president taking his oath of office in the flesh. Duke Destinations, sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Facilities, is offering transporation to D.C. with a midnight bus that departs from the Chapel on Monday night and returns Tuesday night for $20 per seat. Others are hunkering down for the long Martin Luther King weekend.
Check back to After the Jump for continuing updates of the inauguration and The Chronicle for full coverage.
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