We made it! We're in Pasadena!New Mexico is a mixture of rocks, mountains, and cactus along I-10. After purchasing a new battery for the VW, and crossing New Mexico in one day, we entered California and Pacific Coast Time on Thursday, Dec. 29. We were right on schedule for the New Year’s Eve camp-out on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
Our only specific goal for our cross-country trip was to be in Pasadena for the 123rd Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. Everything we have done to date either compliments or has not been in conflict with that goal. After driving 4,964 miles, we arrived on Bonnie Avenue, and a specific parking spot — our destination in Pasadena.
This was our third trip to see the parade and we had been looking forward to our stay.
The first thing we discovered on arrival in Pasadena was that the parade was going to be held on Monday, Jan. 2, instead of New Year’s Day.
SO, that meant we were a a day early — it was December 30th! We checked with some other RVs in the area, and they said it was OK to park on the street. Generally, you can only park one day before the parade, but Pasadena is a very welcoming city. The entire system is welcoming to include the police department. The smiles abound, people are polite, and the San Gabriel Mountains are breathtaking.
Three years ago when we first went out to the parade, we scouted the streets and decided the best place to park was on Bonnie Avenue, contiguous to Pasadena City College. It is also next to Burger King, a terrific "99 cent" store, (the "99 cent" store has EVERYTHING for 99 cents — including fresh fruit and vegetables, cold cuts, soda, bread — the list goes on) and the all important porta-potties along with all the usual smaller retailers found in every city. We parked in our usual place — for free — which makes us laugh because some people reserve space in the Burger King lot for $40. We are right next to them! $40 for 10 feet closer and 10 feet further. Go figure!
We spent the next day walking on Colorado Boulevard. Bleachers and fences were already in place all along the street. Any business with a grassy area puts up bleachers — and charges up to $90 a seat, possibly more. (And, just in case someone doesn’t like sitting on a cold, hard metal bench, you can purchase a thin cushion for $15.) Every parking lot has signs selling space along the route and on some of the side streets. The side streets are also where the large RVs park, free, as we do. And there are hundreds of them!
The next morning at 6 a.m. Pacific Coast Time (9 a.m. EST) we got out dressed for cold and established our space for the parade. We discovered remnants of our red masking tape from last year were still on the road! Some people mark off their space with chalk, some use tape, but unless they stay there and "maintain residence" they may lose their camping spot.
We stayed all day, sharing ‘guarding’ duties with a friend we met there three years ago. She is a wonderful, generous woman who ‘showed us the ropes’ when we first went to watch the parade. No chairs or tables are allowed on the sidewalk during the day, so we stack them against the fence.
It is kind of funny to watch the police try to keep people from sitting in their chairs. They drive up and down the street stopping and making everyone stand up and fold up their chairs. In a little while, everyone is sitting down again! The officers who tell people to stand really do not have their heart in telling people to stand. They are professional and do their job.
We and all the others play a game and sit as we need, and stand when we are told, and resume our seats when the officer passes. It is one of the joys that bind the people who have the goal of being right on the Blue (Honarary) Line.
At noon, we are allowed to move out to the curb, sit and relax. Some start their BBQs, and begin The Party while classic cars cruise up and down the boulevard. We have seen just about every year, make and model ever produced — plus a few unidentifiable models! As it gets dark, the classic cars disappear and other later models cruise the street.
The kids had their fun shooting silly string, marshmallows, and tortillas at cars, with kids in the cars shooting back! The cars become literally covered with stickly stuff — but it seems to be part of the game! Since this year New Year’s Eve was already past, the partying was a little more subdued. James made score cards and gave 10s to all the classics. If the driver ignored James, they got a 9! As Connecticut Yankees, we are really into this California thing.
At mid-night we pick up again and move out to THE BLUE LINE. This is the point of getting up at 6 in the morning — to secure your place on the blue line. It is literally painted on the roadway, and is the closest anyone can get to the parade. It is a front row seat!
We then hunker down for the night. In the past, we put sleeping bags and mats on the ground and went to sleep. This year we had anti-gravity chairs that we slept in. Some have air mattresses, some don’t go to sleep at all and sit around fire pits and talk and party all night.
In the morning, we are awakened (if you aren’t already awake, you will be!) by 15 - 20 tow trucks, driving down the middle of the street with all their lights flashing and horns blowing. This is the official wake-up call. Soon everyone is up, getting ready for the parade. Get some coffee at Burger King or Starbucks, roll up your blankets, and the excitment builds. Just before the start of the parade at 8, a Stealth bomber glides above the crowd, barely making a sound. It is black, 172 feet wide, and awe-inspiring to see. The crowd looks up and watches spellbound as it passes overhead.
By now, thousands of people have lined the boulevard, jockeying for a place to watch the parade. Those of us who have been out for over 24 hours do not look kindly at someone coming up at the last minute hoping for a front row seat! People with tickets for the bleachers can hardly push through the crowd on the sidewalk to get up to their seats. And once they are there, forget coming down for something to eat, drink, or use the porta potty (which will soon be out of paper, anyway!)
About 8:45 a.m., the parade gets to where we are waiting — led by motorcycle officers riding around in circles and entertaining the crowd. Their goal is not only to entertain; but also, clear people back behind the Blue Line.
Soon we are up close to the most beautiful floats you can imagine. The marching bands from highschools around the country, and some from other countries, march to perfection. It is exciting and impressive being a few feet away from the floats and bands — not like watching TV. All the floats are made with perfect roses, flowers, and other natural materials; and it is worth all the effort to get here and then some. Pick a favorite float — impossible!
James likes to "score" the floats and bands besides the Classic Cars. We make a sign that says "Connecticut Loves the Tournament of Roses" and put it by our chairs. We get a lot of comments from people in the parade like "Welcome to California" or "My sister lives in Enfield" or "What part of Connecticut?". James makes paddles with "9" and "10" as he mentioned, but always waves the "10" as they go by. The band leaders are especially appreciative of the score! The kids marching are terrific!
The parade ends! People are everywhere, trying to corral families, carrying chairs, coolers, and all their equipment back to their cars.
Left behind are piles and piles of trash that the city has to deal with. Happily, we don’t have too far to carry our things. We say good-bye to our good friends Celia and her son Chris, and others we were sitting near. The traffic is horrendous.
Some people stay in hotels — 2 night minimum — at $169 a night or more, (regular price $79, but inflated for the parade) or pay $40+, for parking, or $90+ for a bleacher seat. Some come on charter busses,and we don’t know what they would cost. They buy their meals in restaurants.
We park on the street for free, bring our food or buy it at the "99 cent" store, sleep out in the open air, and have a front row seat for FREE! Can’t beat it!
The Tournament of Roses is a unique American experience and foreign to most of the readers of this blog.
To do what we and many of the locals do, is not for everyone.
It gets cold, it gets hot, we drink a lot of coffee, and eat on the fly and we are proud to bring a mention that two people from the small state of Connecticut love this experience. Now we begin thinking about preparations for the 124th edition of the Tournament of Roses.
James and Joan, the American Vagabonds — now in San Diego on a beautiful, warm day!
You can e-mail James and Joan at american_vagabonds@yahoo.com. Follow them online at www.registercitizen.com’s home page, then click on the blog link. Stay tuned for the next post!
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