Parade Day

Independence Day was a gorgeous day filled with Small Town Patriotic Fun. As usual we had the occasional mule team ramble down our street on the morning of the parade.We strolled down to the festivities and there were artists creating amazing works of art using chalk on the pavement... the theme was "Alice in Wonderland".

I wish I had gone back for more photos. This one was my favorite.

See the dappled sunlight on the painting? It isn't real, it is part of the painting.

Here we go... the parade is starting.
The Marines...'nough said.

They say the good guys wore white... but...

Oh this man used to terrify me... my Algebra teacher!

Local Cowgirl and cashier at the market, it is a very small town.

Local Pack Outfit from Red's Meadow Pack Station.

Mammoth Huskies... our football team.

OK... this is a biggie. Every year, well for the last 25, our mountain has had a bicycle race called the Kamikaze... you can imagine why it is called that I am sure. It is a Crazy race for Insane people!

The float was so cute. Little bears are riding the chair lifts up and riding their bikes down the mountain.

Kamikaze Bears! Scary to think about.

This is a boring one... a truck... but wait! Who is that in the back of that truck? One of my former students and long time friend wearing one of our Tie Dyes!

Awesome, I love this float! Dogs... Mammoth Lakes is a dog lovin' town. I think I was a bit drawn to all the pups ( more than usual) this year because we lost our beloved Gypsy Boots just a week before. She was very old, blind and getting feeble and it was time for her to go... she died on June 28th. We miss her so much. :0( maybe I'll be able to post about it later... maybe not.

There were so many cute doggies at the parade... sweet little white ones,

and frisky Husky ones.

Local water punks... the swim team.

such fun...

There were hot black labs...

ah... fluffy beige pups...

OH... doesn't he look regal?

Rescue doggies ...

I wonder what this guy lookin' at?

The Titanic!

The highlight the parade every year is "The Johnson Family" float.

They never disappoint, last year they did a Star Wars float. They have made an amazing "Black Pearl" from the Pirates of the Caribbean and one year they did The Wizard of OZ... that one was so cool, they had built a very tall float that was the emerald city with all the characters skipping along side but the kicker was when the float passed and you saw the backside the flying Monkeys were back there!

The white spiky thing in front is an iceberg. It was spinning and circling the ship and when it came too close... boom... the back of the ship broke away! Genius. I ran all along the parade route trying to get a shot of the ship while broken but I just missed it every time. You can see a bit of the crack in the side there.

It did feel very strange with everyone smiling, laughing and cheering as the ship that killed so many went by. I am not sure how to put my feelings in words when it comes to that. I can't wait to see what movie the Johnson's pick next year.

until next July...God Bless