CALIFORNIA...PT 5...ROSE PARADE DECORATING DAY

By

Minuet in G

"MinnieG"

(a 1979 Argosy made by Airstream that wants to be in the parade)

Please, please, please...get me in that parade.

I know I would be a hit.

What's not to love???

Guess a girl can dream.!!!


Dreaming of being in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California

Vannie and Dave had reserved a time to help decorate the floats

several months ago.  One of those bucket list items.!!

The day finally arrived...9:00 - 1:00 was their time to work.

They had to sign wavers...guess no one wanted to be responsible for 

seniors falling off of a float while decorating.

They had to bring snacks, scissors, and wear old clothes.

I stayed back in Kuchipa at the beautiful RV spot
and kept dreaming of being in the parade.

Vannie said they got to the spot with no problems.

I think Dave must have been taking Vannie with the Rose Bowl stadium
in the background, but the porta-potties kinda messed up the picture...
well, need to know where those things are, too.

Honda Float
"The Power of Dreams"
"Our Hope for the Future"
Do you see that orange crown back of the poster?
The one by the top right hand corner...that's one of the projects
V and D worked on.

There's another orange crown...see it...

...but first they got the job of trimming petals off of these
dried "straw flowers" from Holland. These flowers originally were
grown in California, but because of the water shortage, they are not produced here anymore.
Because of their beautiful color, even after being dried, make them a wonderful flower
to use on the floats...but coming from Holland makes them more expensive.
Our task was to trim the darker petals off first, then pass to the next person to
trim off the brighter yellow ones.

They did such a great job, they were promoted to
actually getting on a float to glue some orange lentils on those crowns...messy job. 

orange lentils and lots of white glue...

There were huge tubs filled with all colors of lentils, dried flowers, seeds...

every color of the rainbow.

They received special instructions about this process.
...paint on the glue...then slap the lentils on...
Vannie said you could have cooked a pot of lentil soup
with what was stuck on her clothes.

There were volunteers everywhere.

Notice how this guy was trying to hold
his cardboard box under where he was gluing.
He was trying to save as many seeds as possible.

Green lentils...
"The soup is getting better"

This was the Chinese Airlines float.
V and D tried to get someone to tell then how much the sponsors
had to pay to enter a float...but everyone was very closed-mouthed. 

Louisiana Folks...what does this remind you of?
Yep...Mardi Gras...

Almond Breeze Float
"The Best Almonds Make the Best Milk"

Notice the bees on the Almond Breeze poster.
Here they are...
The white is coconut...black is onion seeds...yellow will be the straw flowers...

So many steps...lots left to do...

This one got an award, but not sure what.
"Passing the Touch"
"Years of Hope"
"Years of Courage"
Can you see something that is green toward the back of this float?
That's the Statue of Liberty...she is lying down while the work is being completed,
but will be upright for the parade.

This is part of the Liberty float.
Those pumpkin seeds were being glued on one seed at a time.


Amazon Studios Float
"Show the world who you really are"


OK...when Vannie showed me this one,
I realized if that bus could be on a float...I could to.
How am I going to do this?


Did you see the pine trees in the poster?
These girls are carefully gluing on bark (from bags of mulch).

Some of the old antique cars used to feature the parade grand marshals...
The cat walk above the cars are places that people can come to get a closer look at the floats.

Time to head back...
These palm trees were lining the streets on the Redland Universality campus.
Looks like a postcard. 

V and D decided to go back to the campsite by way of the old Route 66...
This cute little drive-through was sure reminiscent of the  50's.

Oh my goodness...
Dave said he had seen these tepees in pictures, but never in person.
...and there they were...Right on Route 66
The Wigwam Motel...circa 1949... $77 a night
Good Reviews
San Bernardino, CA

We are heading to the Airstream Rally on the 28th.
Will be there 5 nights...
Rose Parade
Band Performances
Equestrian Shows
Food, Fun, and Friends

CALIFORNIA...PARK 4...WE MADE IT...

By

Minuet in G

"MinnieG"

(a 1979 Argosy made by Airstream that said "Halleluja" when she crossed over into California)

Yucaipa Regional Park

Yucaipa, CA

I LOVE my spot.  Such a beautiful park...

It looks like fall.  The leaves are all colors

and are sprinkled all over the grounds.  I feel like I'm in a puzzle.

It was a little chilly and wet when we arrived.

What do Louisiana folks do when it's chilly and wet,

they take the gumbo out of the freezer.

I was quickly filled with the smells of home.

The skies had cleared this morning.  

There was a glow in the air.

Everything smelled refreshing.

Check out that snowy mountain...

The San Bernardino Mountain

When Vannie went to the grocery store,

she said she saw cars covered in snow.

Must have been skiers on their way home.

Sights on the Way

Our Park in Quartzsite

Lots of mountain ranges...sand...dirt...scubby vegetation

...and then this...

General Patton Memorial Museum

Chiriaco Summit, CA...I10

This area was a desert training center for WWII.

Dave and Patton

Dave continues to be amazed at how widespread the war afford was

and how it touched even remote communities.

Some of the recent places that V and D have come across on this trip,

are Marfa, Quartzsite, and here.

Dave's dad was in the Army Air corp in Europe.

Exhibits included a large collection of tanks used in WWII.

Next to the museum was a small community and travel stop.

Vannie said it was if they had discovered an oasis.

...and then they smelled the coffee...

...and the apple pie...

Who can pass up a good cup of coffee and warm apple pie?

Not V and D, for sure.

The perfect stop before heading into the traffic near San Bernardino.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

Matthew 1:10

Wishing you a Christmas filled with 

"exceedingly great joy"

🎄🎄🎄🎄

CALIFORNIA...PART 3

By

Minuet in G

"MinnieG"

(a 1979 Argosy, made by Airstream, that is amazed by all the RV's in this part of the country...

they are everywhere..MinnieG is feelin' the love.)

BENSON, AZ
Butterfield RV Resort and Observatory

We only spent one night in Benson, but it was memorable.

Dave had left our water hose at Davis Mt. State Park...but luck would have it,

there was an Ace Hareware in walking distance.  Problem solved.!!!

Wonderful breakfast in the park...Vannie and Dave hit the road with full bellies.

`QUARTZSITE, AZ
Shady Lane RV...off of I10 on Central Blvd.
Why stop at Quartzsite?
...late in the day...cheap...

If you need to shop for rocks, Quartzsite is the place.
Everywhere you turn, rocks and more rocks for sale.
Small ones, large ones, rocks of all colors...

 
Breakfast at Taco Mio Restaurant...in walking distance from me.
Good coffee...which is a must for these Louisiana folks.
They passed up the tacos and went for the old standby...
2 eggs over easy, hashbrowns (would have rather had grits, but not to be had this far out west),
toast, bacon, and a pancake on the side...
That should hold them for a while.

Covenant Lutheran Church was right behind Taco Mio, so V and D stopped in for the service.
The special music was about Mary.
The sermon was about Joseph...and, of course, baby Jesus.
Vannie said that the congregation was incredibly friendly.
Such a surprise blessing...
"Proclaim and be an example of God's Love"

Last Camp of Hi Jolly
This pyramid of stones found in the area marks the grave of Hi Jolly.  He was a Greek immigrant. Hi Jolly was hired in 1857 as a camel herder in the U.S. Army.  Yes, the army actually had a camel corps.  It was to be used to chart a wagonroad across New Mexico and Arizona.  But in 1861 the Civil War started, ending the Camel Corps.  Hi Jolly came back to Quartzsite.  The Quartzsite Cemetery is named in his honor.

Dave loves finding little bits of American history...

OK, folks...there's cactus...and there's CACTUS...
Dave said the big ones are saguaro cacti.
The long skinny ones are called chollas.
Not sure what the fuzzy ones are. 

This was taken out my screen door.


Another adventure...and this one was a doosie.!!!
The Kofa Mountains and Palm Canyon
About 20 miles out of Quartzsite

...getting closer...

...and there's the trail through Palm Canyon...

Vannie and Dave haul their hiking sticks out of the back of the truck.


Let's go, Vannie...

Dave plugged their location in to his phone on Goggle Earth.
A M A Z I N G

       

What I want to know is...
Why does  Dave always look so straight, and Vannie looks like she is the leaning Tower of Pisa?
We all had a good laugh when we looked at these pictures.

OK...they made it to the palms...
Can you see the sign?  It's pointing to the palm trees.
Yes...palm trees in the middle of the mountains.


Here's a close up...


...and just a little closer...
Vannie said it was definitely worth the climb.


I love this panorama view.



Time to head back down.


...and back on the road...


What an interesting day in Quartzsite!!!
They had lots of stories to tell.
Time for a cup of tea and a piece of banana bread
and rest those aching bones.

California tomorrow...YAY.!!!