Photo by Travis Pratt Inuaguration-goers in the West Standing section make mounds of mulch to get a better view before the ceremony begins.
	COMPLETE INAUGURATION COVERAGE — — — — — — Using a typical school grading scale, how do you rate President Barack’s Obama’s inaugural address? A B C D F Not sure

Frederick residents rode the MARC and the Metro to arrive in person for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Some turned back when they couldn't reach the correct ticket entrances. Others took up spots on the National Mall, so far away that they couldn't even see the event on the Jumbotrons.

"It was hard to see the screen, hard to do everything," said Kristen Fraley, a Linganore High School student. "But it was fun, because you got a chance to talk to people and see their experiences and how far they had come from."

Fraley, 17, watched from the Mall with a group of students in the Presidential Youth Conference. She said everyone in the crowd had a sense of unity and togetherness.

Another Linganore student in the conference was Laken Ensor, also 17. She described the entire experience as thrilling and was happy to witness the swearing-in of the first African-American president.

"I thought it was a great step for our country to show that even though we have been desegregated for so long, that we actually have accepted it as a society," she said. "Not just in our laws but in our actions."

The Mall was packed from the Capitol to beyond the Washington Monument, and the crowd cheered every time Obama appeared on the Jumbotron.

Though many had tickets, the sheer size of the crowds and an unfamiliar road system caused pedestrian backups.

Some wondered, even up until the last minute, if they were crazy to go.

Jim and Eileen Hickey, owners of The Orchard Restaurant in Frederick , went with their four children. The night before they boarded the MARC train to Washington, Eileen Hickey's mother called to warn them about safety.

Arriving, they found themselves walking around buildings and hopping concrete dividers.

"Even with all the crazy walking around and having to turn back, we were still feeling like 'Wow, we're still part of this big thing that's definitely historic,'" Jim Hickey said.

Some weren't so lucky.

One ticket holder from Frederick said he was turned away at the gate because it was too crowded.

He ended up watching the inauguration on TV.

George Mihalik viewed the crowds and closed roads as a challenge. A Frederick resident who travels often for business, Mihalik decided to fly in from Los Angeles when his girlfriend thought it would be a fun trip.

They spent hours trapped in crowds before finding a spot on the Mall.

"For me, it was actually, I liked it," he said. "It got to be a challenge just to say I'm going to do something."

Some of those on the other side of the crowds -- directing the foot traffic -- were also from Frederick .

Guy Djoken, a Frederick Obama volunteer and president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, led a group of inauguration volunteers that included two other locals.

The volunteers helped greet people and direct them to their places.

Despite the busy morning and walking for miles, Djoken said it was an experience he would not give up for anything.

He was able to play a small part in the historic moment, and that's what mattered to him.

"I am exhausted right now but delighted," Djoken said shortly after the event.

Frederick Community College professor Ken Kerr also helped campaign for Obama. He is the adviser of the College Democrats at FCC and watched the event from the Mall.

"There were times when the crowd was just absolutely silent as if everybody was just taking in the moment," Kerr said.

Having Obama as president signals a 180-degree turn for the country, he said.

"I think we've moved beyond a lot of the things that have held us back in terms of the differences between the races and the animosity between people," Kerr said.