WASHINGTON, D.C. — There were a few stops and starts on the way to the nation's capital, the parade was delayed by two hours and the temperature was downright frigid, but the 280 members of the Marching Lancers performed their hearts out as they made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue on Tuesday during the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

"It didn't hit me until we turned the corner towards the end of the parade and saw all the lights," said Londonderry High senior Kelly Juster, a member of the color guard.

"Then we saw (President) Obama."

Music director Andy Soucy said "the kids looked really great."

Soucy — along with assistant music director Serge Beaulieu, choral director Danielle Lucas and Friends of Music president Dana Beyea — was able to walk along with the band. Because of security, the two or three lines of parents who usually bring up the rear in parades were not able to stay with the band.

"The kids did a really good job," Soucy said by phone Tuesday evening.

"I think if the parade was on time, we would have been fine. But it was delayed because of Sen. (Ted) Kennedy's illness."

Kennedy suffered a seizure during the post-inauguration luncheon and had to be taken to the hospital.

Soucy said the delay brought with it a drop in temperature and wind.

"Our kids were better prepared to handle the cold than some of the bands from warmer states," he said.

Indeed, Soucy had the band practice for the parade outdoors to get used to marching in the cold.

Soucy said that although the parade route was 1.2 miles, the actually walking time was three times that.

"We had to walk from the staging area to the beginning of the parade and then it was a long walk when we finished to get to the buses," he said.

"It was such a great experience. Everyone was so festive, friendly and upbeat."

Nothing could ruin the mood of the day for the band, staff and parent chaperones.

They headed to Washington, D.C., early Sunday morning, leaving town in a caravan of seven buses that wound its way from the high school down Mammoth Road during a snowstorm. An estimated 800 to 1,000 residents — mostly parents — lined the route waving flags as the buses passed by Mack's Apples where the Londonderry Fire Department unfurled an American flag over the road from a ladder truck. They were escorted by Londonderry police and a United States Marine Corps Humvee.

One bus broke down before the group had even left New Hampshire, by Exit 2 on Interstate-93, and the students were split up into the remaining six buses. Another bus was side-swiped by a vehicle and although no one was injured, papers had to be exchanged. Twelve hours later, the buses made it to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baltimore, Md.

The group of chaperones had some local VIPs accompanying them — Superintendent Nate Greenberg, Londonderry High Principal Jason Parent and House 1 Assistant Principal Paul Dutton.

"We kept trying to find a place to watch the parade, but couldn't get in along the parade route," said Ann Chiampa, one of the chaperones.

She described being at the inauguration as "incredible."

"You should have seen the crowd. What an event to be at," she said.

Julie Lee, past president of the Friends of Music, said the group watched the inauguration from the National Monument on a Jumbotron.

"Then we stood for hours at the staging area," she said.

"We saw all the bands and groups as they took off for the parade and then watched them on the Jumbotron. But, just as the Lancers' banner appeared on the screen, it went dark."

Lee said there was a collective groan and the group began running towards the nearest Jumbotron.

"It was pretty funny to see us," she said.

Color guard member Jess Morris almost didn't march in the parade because she was ill for two days before the trip.

"I made it," she said by phone, a little hoarse but happy, from the bus on the way back to Baltimore after the parade.

During the day, WLLO-FM kept in touch with the band and chaperones and broadcast live with John and Karen Robinson taking turns interviewing students and staff. Clips can be heard on www.londonderrynh.net.

"This is the ultimate field trip," Parent told John Robinson.