I would like to see if we could organize a group to go down next year. If you can get enough people together and share rooms the cost comes down comparable to staying at the Days Inn, which is two blocks away.
When it is 45-50 degrees the walk is not that bad, but for three days the wind chill was down at 11 degrees, and the people who walked were popsicles when they got to the Marriott.
The is no formal schedule of working the Free Republic booth, so you are free to visit all of the other tables there, (and there are a LOT of them), plus you can jockey for seats in the ballroom to hear the speakers, or figure out which book signings to hit.
If you don't want to eat at the Marriott there are a lot of food places amongst the underground shops of the Crystal Gateway complex.
Capitol Hill is 20 minutes away by Metro, so if you line up some appointments before you go, you can get into the offices of our esteemed representatives in Washington, so you can let their staffs know in person how screwed up you think they are. I also got to drop into tancredo's office, so you aren't shut out just because you are making it a spur of the moment thing.
Registration for the three days was $90.00 for me, and I understand it is lower if you register way, way ahead of time. That doesn't get you into the banquets, which are extra, but there are usually receptions at 6:00PM where there is free food. The food at the USINPAC reception was good, even if it was Amer-Indian. Plus you got to hear a short address about the work they are doing to foster good working relations with the US, and their take on security and terrorism.
Badray and I got there in time to help with the set-up of the FR booth, and I help take it down on Saturday evening. Ray must have been involved in high ranking meetings while we were disassembling. We stayed for the farewell party that night, (back to the Sports bar), and then we got home before the threatened snowstorm.
If I can go back next year I definitely will. It was worth the expense just to listen to Alan Keyes.
In God We Trust…..Semper Fi!