The Passing Parade and Hollow Patriotism
Jul. 5th, 2023 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleeBy the time that Lisa and I took our place on the viewing stand our porch, parade entries had been staged back past our house.
This was in front of the house until the parade started shortly after 10 AM.
Entries stretched down Front Street toward the Imerys plant, then over to Main Street out of view to the right distance.
Behind the big crane were entries back west along Front Street and onto West Street. Given how many entries we saw, I'm unsure how they managed to stage them all. As you can see here, someone decided to park behind Lisa's van. Technically, I think that area is within our property, not part of the street parking, but we did not make an issue about it.
The sun shifted so that the porch was no longer shaded, and we moved over to the front of the house where there was still shade until about the time the parade started moving.
One group had an "apocalypse" theme, which if I understood their entry, was promoting a Halloween event. Well, things start promoting early. We saw Halloween displays in Jo-Ann Fabrics a few days ago.
The parade got moving, with various bunting and red-white-blue tinsel-bedecked vehicles making their way east. We went back to the front porch area, standing in the shade of the tree-of-heaven to watch the parade go past.
There was a long stretch of Jeep owners following the longest entry (the big Pilot/Flying J tanker).
Check out the number on the hood of this one.
Here's the Apocalypse group I mentioned earlier.
Lady Liberty elected to walk.
Fernley High School produces quite a few championship sports teams, both boys and girls. I am not sure, but I think this was the Cheer squad.
Some of the passing groups waved to us. We waved back.
I was happier in the shade than I would have been riding on one of these entries in the hot sun. We saw that some of the groups were carrying ice chests and distributing water to the riders, which was smart.
One of the two local waste disposal companies brought up the rear. Had I known that was happening, I would have liked to have gone out behind it with the push-broom, like the little man from the titles of Peabody's Improbable History.
After the parade had moved on an later, after people came back and removed their vehicles, I went out front to clean up the debris they'd left behind, mostly in the form of loose tinsel. I also found evidence of what I call "hollow patriotism."
Someone stringing tinsel (probably purchased at Wal-Mart) tossed this aside, where it blew into the East Lot.
Big surprise where the rah-rah colorful stuff was manufactured.
Actually, there was not a whole lot of junk left behind, for which I'm grateful. As I mentioned, we've left the posts in place but removed the wire. We did not want someone walking into the wire accidentally, and besides, it would probably have blown down eventually anyway.
There are about 40 photos total from the parade. As usual, you can click through to see the rest of them in Flickr.
This was in front of the house until the parade started shortly after 10 AM.
Entries stretched down Front Street toward the Imerys plant, then over to Main Street out of view to the right distance.
Behind the big crane were entries back west along Front Street and onto West Street. Given how many entries we saw, I'm unsure how they managed to stage them all. As you can see here, someone decided to park behind Lisa's van. Technically, I think that area is within our property, not part of the street parking, but we did not make an issue about it.
The sun shifted so that the porch was no longer shaded, and we moved over to the front of the house where there was still shade until about the time the parade started moving.
One group had an "apocalypse" theme, which if I understood their entry, was promoting a Halloween event. Well, things start promoting early. We saw Halloween displays in Jo-Ann Fabrics a few days ago.
The parade got moving, with various bunting and red-white-blue tinsel-bedecked vehicles making their way east. We went back to the front porch area, standing in the shade of the tree-of-heaven to watch the parade go past.
There was a long stretch of Jeep owners following the longest entry (the big Pilot/Flying J tanker).
Check out the number on the hood of this one.
Here's the Apocalypse group I mentioned earlier.
Lady Liberty elected to walk.
Fernley High School produces quite a few championship sports teams, both boys and girls. I am not sure, but I think this was the Cheer squad.
Some of the passing groups waved to us. We waved back.
I was happier in the shade than I would have been riding on one of these entries in the hot sun. We saw that some of the groups were carrying ice chests and distributing water to the riders, which was smart.
One of the two local waste disposal companies brought up the rear. Had I known that was happening, I would have liked to have gone out behind it with the push-broom, like the little man from the titles of Peabody's Improbable History.
After the parade had moved on an later, after people came back and removed their vehicles, I went out front to clean up the debris they'd left behind, mostly in the form of loose tinsel. I also found evidence of what I call "hollow patriotism."
Someone stringing tinsel (probably purchased at Wal-Mart) tossed this aside, where it blew into the East Lot.
Big surprise where the rah-rah colorful stuff was manufactured.
Actually, there was not a whole lot of junk left behind, for which I'm grateful. As I mentioned, we've left the posts in place but removed the wire. We did not want someone walking into the wire accidentally, and besides, it would probably have blown down eventually anyway.
There are about 40 photos total from the parade. As usual, you can click through to see the rest of them in Flickr.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-09 05:41 am (UTC)