Inaugural Packing, The Journey Begins

Like any good procrastinator, I have put off packing until the day before my flight into Baltimore. I will admit, I have been leaving little piles of things I need to take with me, all over the house. These piles of things are now converging and trying to fit in what now seems like the smallest bag in the world. Performing in the Inaugural Parade is quite an honor, but it also presents many wardrobe challenges. Last week we were teased by meteorologists offering temperatures in the low 50s, this week they have made several revisions and at current time are predicting mid 30s and a chance of snow. As a trumpet player, this is not exactly what I want to hear. If my time spent outdoors were confined to the 16 block strut down Pennsylvania Avenue, that would be no big deal. The reality is, I am boarding a bus at 5 AM, spending most of the day in security screening at the Pentagon (away from the bus that is screened separately) and finally waiting in the staging are in the Ellipse, just to the south of the White House. So I am packing lots of layers. The other challenge on this trip, is that my carry-on luggage this time, is a trumpet. There isn't a lot of extra storage space in a trumpet case, but be assured, I will have to use it all. I really can't wait to get there thou, the excitement has been building over the past few days and I am sure by the time I land I will be close to overwhelmed. More to come...