Campgrounds crammed for inauguration

SOME MAY SAY ADAM GENTRY IS CRAZY BUT THIS TWENTY-FOUR YEAR OLD SAYS HE S ON AN ADVENTURE
It s definitely not the conventional thing to do
GENTRY AND HIS FRIENDS ARE TENT CAMPING OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON D C IN DOWNRIGHT FRIGID WEATHER
Hotels were expensive and hard to come by
LIKE SO MANY OTHERS THESE GUYS FROM VIRGINIA ARE HERE FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA S INAUGURATION GENTRY IS WORKING THE BIG EVENT CONSTRUCTING A CONCERT STAGE WHILE OTHERS PITCHED A TENT TO WATCH HISTORY UNFOLD
It wasn t enough to just vote We needed to be here
LESLIE BALES AND HER FAMILY DROVE FROM HOUSTON TEXAS SHE SAYS THEY OPTED NOT TO STAY IN A HOTEL TO SAVE MONEY AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN A LESSON
People lived like this before if you think about the settlers this was not uncommon
This is unprecedented We ve never had this many people check in in the middle of January
NAT Are you going to the parade route
CHERRY HILL PARK IS NEARLY BOOKED FOR INAUGURATION WEEK WITH ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE INCLUDING GENTRY AND THE BALES FAMILY OTHER WASHINGTON D C AREA CAMPGROUNDS SAY THEY RE BOOKED AS WELL
We ve been open during other inaugurations and ten families maybe
WHAT NORMALLY IS A GHOST TOWN IN THE DEAD OF WINTER NOW LOOKS LIKE A POPULAR HANGOUT WITH A POLITICAL FLARE - TEE-SHIRTS SWEATSHIRTS AN OBAMA CARDBOARD CUT-OUT IN THE GIFT STORE CAMPERS BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT
BUT THE INAUGURAL FEVER ISN T TRANSLATING INTO WARMER WEATHER NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN AS LOW AS 6 DEGREES IN RECENT DAYS
We have a small electric heater in our tent I have a negative 30 degree sleeping bag and we have a little campfire here
GENTRY ALSO HAS A CONTAINER FULL OF WARM CLOTHES
DARRELL HILL AND HIS FAMILY ARE AVOIDING THE COLD WEATHER AT CHERRY HILL WITH MORE UPSCALE ACCOMODATIONS BUT THE LOW TEMPERATURES EVEN FROZE THE WATER LINES TO HIS RV
Now I know when it s cold fill up with water
ALTHOUGH THESE CAMPERS SAY THE FROSTY CONDITIONS AREN T IDEAL THEY SAY IT S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY TO WITNESS HISTORY
It s really special to be a part of this huge event
I m ready for a change for my kid s future I want them to have a better future than I did
FOR UPI COM I M KRISTIN VOLK