Getting Set for Trip to Inauguration

Earlier this week, we brought you stories of neighbors going to the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama; Savannah mayor, Otis Johnson, students at Beach High School, Georgia Southern University and individual families.

News 3's Randi Hempel introduces you to some ladies who will be heading to Washington on a bus trip and to a driver who says it's an honor to go.

A group of Kelly Tours drivers gets set for their trip to our nation's capitol.

Big Ben Lawyer has been driving a bus for 16 years.

"It's going to be a logistical nightmare possibly?” I say to Ben.

“Oh yeah, oh yeah. Just to be involved in something of this magnitude, I've never had a dream that I would ever get close to coming into something like this and yet we'll be right down in D.C., downtown D.C.," explains Ben Lawyer, a Kelly Tours driver.

Some of the soon to be passengers are beyond excited.

"To the n'th degree, that's how pumped I am. I wouldn't be anywhere else on that day,” says Mildred Reynolds, an Obama campaign volunteer, with a huge smile.

"It is so awesome. I'm pumped. My grandson, my daughter, my niece; we are all going to take this trip and live the dream,” echoes Chris Partlow, another Obama campaign volunteer.

More than 540 people will be heading to the inauguration in D.C. on 10 Kelly Tours buses, but those buses only make up a small portion of the buses going up to Washington. 8,900 buses will be heading to the capitol. The crowds though, aren't a deterrent to those who are determined to go.

"Everybody was telling me Mildred, you don't usually like crowds, you know I said I don't but I won't even feel it. I'm going to take with me the spirit of everybody and especially my ancestors on that day and they're going to wrap around me and I'm not going to know the crowds. I'm just going to know that I am there in history,” explains Reynolds.

"Did you ever think this day was possible?" I ask Partlow.

“I thought it was possible, yes, but it's awesome, it's more than bigger than life itself I think,” she answers as she glows.

For Chris Partlow and millions of other Barack Obama supporters, inauguration time and the history making moment can't come fast enough.

Check back with WSAV, WSAV.com and on WSAV’s Facebook page. Those traveling to Washington will keep us up to date on their trips with accounts, pictures and video.