The travels of the Rambling Roses: The Rose Parade WOW! January 1 Part 1

We got up at 4AM, and were on the bus headed to Pasadena by 4:45. The bus had to be parked by 6am, and we accomplished that, even though traffic was heavy as we got off of I-210. We walked a short distance to our bleacher seats, which were just on the outside of the expensive seats where all the TV cameras are. We had great seats, but none of you were going to see us on TV where we were. Buddy and I walked up and down Colorado Blvd, the main parade route, and watched the sun rise, amongst the mass humanity that camped out on the street over night. I missed a picture of the Thunderbird flyover to begin the parade, but from there, I got everything, until the batteries died on the camera, so enjoy the pictures. Neither pictures nor TV can do justice to this, so you need to see the parade in person. After the parade, we bussed to the Show of Floats, where all the floats are parked for people to see. I've heard that there were a million people at the parade and 70,000 at the show of floats, so it was a crazy day, with lots if traffic, but the bus drivers made it easy for us. We were home by six, for our farewell dinner. Buddy squeezed in a four mile run before dinner, and joined the party in running shorts. The evening was spent watching the football games.

Walking the parade route before the parade

There were all sorts of people walking around!!! This guy was a Michigan State fan.

Up in the bleachers before the parade. People were just walking up the parade route, trying to get to their seats!

The blimp was cruising the parade too!

Right before the parade, but right after the flyover,this was in the sky.

First float of the parade which is the theme banner - Dreams Come True

Grand Marshall Vin Scully - the voice of the LA Dodgers

The start of the Honda float - it was 5 connected floats and was the longest float in Rose Parade history

Floats 2 & 3 - the one that says Honda was a giant RV generator!

Floats 4 & 5 - #4 had a giant TV screen on both sides that showed the parade watchers.

USMC Mounted Color Guard

USMC West Coast Composite Band

So Close, Yet Safari Away

Let's Be Neighbors - City of Glendale

Hawai'i All State Marching Band - Kaneohe, Hawai'i

Their version of pompom girls or majorettes

Hula Dancers

Band

Drum line had really cool shirts

Sunrise at the Oasis - Dole company

Walking alongside the Oasis float were belly dancers - Mike liked this one

Fancy tail feathers

Light Up the World - by the Donate Life program
This had pictures (done in seeds, etc) of donors on the lanterns, sitting on the float were organ or tissue transplant recipients and walking alongside the float were 12 living kidney donors. A very powerful and moving float.

Catching the Big One

"Lady Bird" Johnson High School Marching Band

They also had 4 acrobats marching with them!

Thank A Million Teachers - Farmer's Insurance
Farmer's honors teachers because everyday they help to make dreams come true!!

That's me in the front!!! Ha Ha!

Connecting Cultures, Delivering Dreams - Singpoli Group

Presenting the Royal Court - the Queen and her Princesses

Liberty High School Grenadier Band - from Bethlehem, PA!!!
They did a great job representing Pennsylvania!
And yes, those are real bagpipes! They were

The New Buffalo Soldiers

Dog Gone! - the dogs were barking and moving and the dog catcher was running after them!

Nagoya Minami High School Green Band from Nagoya, Japan

Turning Hope and Dreams Into Reality - City of Hope Cancer Hospital

Intergalactic Vacation - City of South Pasadena

Dancers with the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band - biggest band in Tennessee

Stellabrate Good Times - Stella Rosa Wines
KC and the Sunshine Band performed on this float

Seaweed was used to make the bottles shine

Medieval Times

Working Together For Safer Communities - K9s4Cops
Walking alongside the float was officers with their dogs

Grow Something Greater - Miracle-Gro
The monarch butterflies were made with sweet rice - white, onion seeds - black and crushed marigold petals - orange. They were gorgeous!

Valley Hunt Club - they founded the Rose Parade 125 years ago!

Bridging Children's Dreams - Kiwanis International

Michigan State float and cheerleaders

Official Rose Parade pooper scoopers! They even had the rose logo on the back of their jump suits!!

Michigan State Band

Hugh Heffner's wife

Loving Dreams...Adopt A Shelter Pet - The Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation
Only they would have Hugh Heffner's wife!!!

Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band

1899 horse drawn fire engine used in LA from 1899 - 1921

Relish Your Dreams - Trader Joe's
There were pickle trains running around the float and olives and cheese on the floats!

First Steps to Total Health - Kaiser Permanente

The Martinez Family - trick riders and ropers
This guy kept the lasso twirling the entire 5.5 miles! When they stopped in front of us, he kept on twirling!

Martinez seniorita!

Stanford Float
"our float"

My window! Isn't it lovely?!

Buddy's palm tree

And then the Stanford Band followed the float...

Monster Truck! - City of Alhambra
Every child's dream

Everyone Plays - City of Torrance
They had a group of soccer players walking with the float and doing tricks

2013 Rose Bowl Game Hall of Fame Inductees
Do you recognize Lynn Swann?
The other gentlemen are Orlando Pace and Lloyd Carr

Snazzy car isn't it?!

Singing the Dream - NBC's "The Voice"

The three finalists of The Voice
Tessanne Chin (on the right) was the winner, but they all sang together on the float

The bluish purple is our statice petals!!!

Bedtime Buccaneers - Cal Poly Universities
There are two branches that contribute to this float - each school make half of the float and then they put them together!!

Indonesian dancer

Wonderful Indonesia - Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Republic of Indonesia
You saw the foot of one of the Komodo dragons being made in a previous entry
And the water is made from statice petals