Smilin' Jack: Don't Rain On My Parade

Or - Whadya Want!?! A Parade?

What better way to spend a Saturday than watching a parade in small town America. We'd heard about the Issaquah Salmon Days from Fran and so we penciled it onto our calendar and, Bah-Da-Bing, Bah-Da-Boom, today was the day!!

Early to rise lets one be early to leave for the parade...and to get a good spot!! So we were up early and out the door in good time.

The first thing we see when we come out are the pigeons The pigeons have, kinda, taken over the bird feeders. They're all ground feeders so they don't go to the actual feeders but they are so much larger than the other birds that their presence dominates.

And when we come out, they fly away but they don't go far.

But fly away they do when we come by. Some to the wires and some to the roof where they can watch, patiently, until we leave.

I don't know how I feel about the pigeons. I liked them at first but now they've gotten so numerous.

Here's a fun fact about a pigeon.

During WWII, G.I. Joe, the pigeon, saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia, Italy, and the British troops occupying it. Air support had been requested against German position at Calvi Vecchia on the 19th of October in 1943. There was no radio communications and no one knew the troops had already taken the village.

They sent G.I. Joe with a message and he arrived with just five minutes to spare before the planes took off on their bombing run. The British 169th Infantry Brigade was spared and up to a thousand men were saved.

G.I. Joe was presented the Dickin Medal for gallantry by MG Charles Keightley in November of 1943 at the Tower of London. The citation credits G.I. Joe with the most outstanding flight made by a U.S. Army Homing Pigeon in WWII. He became the 29th recipient of the medal and the first non-British one.

After the war, he spent his remaining years at Fort Monmouth, NJ, until he passed on at the age of 18 at which time he was promptly mounted and put on display at the U.S. Army Communications & Electronics Museum at Fort Monmouth.

It's like a scene out of Hitchcock's movie, The Birds...

We're watching you!!

We made it past the Birds and we were on the road...heading out to Issaquah. Driving down the MLK alongside the Link rail lines...

...and here comes the Link!! Ascending from the elevated tracks to come down and snarl up the traffic on MLK.

It's a lot easier to drive around on a week-end day. Just a touch less traffic but it makes a big difference.

In no time at all, we were out on I-90 going across the floating bridge.

Looking off the bridge Seward Park is in the center with Mercer Island putting its toe in the picture from the left side.

Some nice sky this morning.

Carol actually got on the camera today. I've noted all of her pictures with a "CB" in the upper left hand side of the picture.

Some more drama...with Mercer Island now dominating from the left and there is Seward Park poking out from the right.

The tunnel under Mercer Island.

We've crossed the Island and are on our way into the interior.

Some dramatic skies...

Pretty good!!

We arrived at the Transit Center and easily found parking and then waited for the shuttle bus to ride over to the parade. I thought it was pretty doggone nice of Issaquah to provide these 'free' buses to shuttle you back and forth to the parade.

Hahahaha...I was wrong. My cynical side should have warned me it was too good to be true.

More later.

It's been a while since I've been on a school bus. Still don't like them.

Not at all.

And to go with the school buses, when we got dropped off, we had to cross the street and so they provided us with a...Crossing Guard.

Hahahahaha, I was looking forward to recess.

Turns out, the street we were walking up was the staging area for the parade.

These kids were part of some kind of fencing club.

Yeah, I know, fencing!! I told you this was Seattle-Lite...Yuppie Town!!

This float was being judged when we wandered by and so the girls were doing their routine.

I didn't realize the kids on the float were also judged for their routines. I just thought they sat there and did the 'parade wave' and smiled.

Nope!! They put some heart into this performance.

Booyah!!

Some guy gave me this. On the back it talks about apps and going on the 'Net and...

I don't know.

It's a mustache...what are you gonna do?

I'm guessing they've already been judged...The Lilac Float.

And we came out right about where we started our walk the day before. That little brown tent to the left? It's a temporary ATM that Wells Fargo put in.

We were doing good on time. Really good. So we had some time to wander around before we had to grab our seats.

And so we had time to find this Frozen Surprise!!

D'ya see it!?!

Frozen Bananas...Dipped in chocolate!!

Someone was excited!!

We had walked up Front Street the other day and so we were a bit familiar with the area. It was totally covered by tented booths today!!

It was blanketed with tents, each one hosting a different shop with art, etc., for sale.

And it were pricey. These magnets ran a bit above $30 for one.

Ouch!!

To be fair, they were like small ceramic figures but, still, Ouch!!

And lots of interesting artwork. I was especially impressed with the photography (not pictured here) that was displayed.

Oh, and this wasn't bad, either.

These guys took wood, put together like a fence, and then painted (?) the image onto them. Here's a War Bird and a Snow Bird.

This guy had some interesting stuff for sale. Topical, too.

It was getting close to Parade Time and so we started making our way back to the parade route. But not before these kids came down Front Street heading to the staging area.

Looking good and sounding good, too.

I had just yelled, Smiles, everyone!! Smiles!! It worked!!

Carol liked this guy's work. I was OK with it...for a child's room.

I just liked the "12th Man" sign. This place had metal things for sale.

I know, I can't think of what to call them either.

And, obviously, these guys make wooden thingies.

I like it when I'm spot on with my technical language and expertise.

We found a good spot for the parade. I was trying to see if the Ice Cream Tent was open yet. It was starting to get a bit busy along the parade route.

Issaquah Salmon Days Parade Selfie!!

The Fire Trucks were going to lead off the parade.

They are the "Protectors of Preston"

Alright!! The fire trucks took off with the sirens going and then they sang the National Anthem. And everyone stood and the men removed their hats. Hooah!!

The Army came along with a Color Guard...

And the I Corps Band.

Looking good!!

Although I still don't like the Beanies. Shoulda left them with the Green Beanies, Rangers and Sky Soldiers.

Most normal folks can't carry them off.

Right after the I Corps Army Band were the Veterans of Foreign Wars...The VFW.

Looking good, y'all!!

All the services represented and his retirement home behind his ride. Hahaha, life is good!!

The representative from Issaquah's Sister City in Morocco.

Look!! There's Sammy The Salmon!!

Hey, Sammy!!

The Issaquah Tribe was represented. They're an integral part of the operation of the Fish Hatchery and managing the Issaquah Creek.

Row, row, row your boat, gently...

The first float!!

Wow!! I was impressed!! I had not expected floats...I was thinking it would be a bit more like the parade in Renton.

Oh, WOW!!

It's Bigfoot!!

How cool is that!?!

Hey, What's happenin'!?! Lookin' good!!

He was a big hit!! A really big hit!!

Hey, Man!! Gimme a call, let's do lunch!!

A tough act to follow, but this clown did.

Hahaha, You rock Ronnie!!

The Spartan Pom-Poms from Skyline High School.

Smiles, girls!! Smiles!!

Seventy-Six Trombones led the Big Parade

With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand...

OK, I may have exaggerated a wee bit there but it sounded good. The kids could make some noise!!

And my favorites, the drum line!!

Gutentag, Y'all!!

It's the Leavenworth Town That Did!!

Make a tourist mecca, that is.

Oh, and a dance mecca too. They stopped and did the Chicken Dance and most everyone joined in. A couple of Too-Cool Kids, like me, just watched.

(That's code for I didn't know how to do the dance!)

Not bad at all, right!?!

Ach du lieber, y'all!!

Here come the Girl Scouts and...SpongeBob SquarePants!! Hahaha, now she just comes to us..

C'Mon, Buddy, suck it in there, will ya?

Small Town America meets the Big Rigs!!

It's been a Happy 80 years for the West Seattle HI-YU.

Don't ask. I don't know.

That cake is a smaller version of the one in Animal House, right!?!

Hahaha, the Keystone Kops even made the scene.

It's that damn Seahawk Helmet again!!

That thing IS everywhere!!

Gooooo, 'Hawks!!

Hey, you hoser!!

It's an international parade!!

Here's the entry from British Columbia, Canada, eh!!

For peaches. Whoda thunk!!

These kids from a Montessori School came by rocking to the beat of YMCA.

It's fun to stay at the YMCA...

And so, of course, they were followed by the actual band members also dancing to the YMCA.

Admit it, right now you're humming that tune in your head, aren't you!!

BOOYAH!!

Score!!

Hahahahahahaha...

Whup!! Here comes the Lilac Float.

Double the Lilacs,

Double the Fun!!

Don't ask me. I don't know.

And here's the Issaquah High School Marching Band.

And the little girl to the left is captivated by them!!

Gooooo, you Mighty Indians...oops!! I mean Eagles.

They changed their mascot back in 2003.

Gooooo, you Mighty Eagles!!

And....there they go!!

Next up was the Rhythm & Reins Equestrians.

Looking good, Ladies. And you girls look good, too!!

Yippee-Yi-Yo, Cow Patty!!

Port Townsend sent over this float from their Rhody Festival.

Hahaha, I just liked this scene full of balloons.

I'm sorry, I don't know who was represented by this float.

I do know it's one of my favorites...Peter Pan getting the best of Captain Hook again...and again..and again.

Whoever it is, they believe!!

Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning...

Here's the Bellevue High School Fighting Wolverines Marching Band!!

Those doggone Canadians!! They're everywhere, eh!?!

Celebrating the New West from Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, don't cha know!

Aloha!!

Here's the Colors of Hawaii...the Kau Lio Pa'u Riders.

Then Ol' Eagle-Eye Carol spotted this guy,

Making lazy circles in the sky!!

Seriously, you see these raptors everywhere.

Sorry, I don't know this one either. But whoever they are, they're celebrating.

Celebrating some mighty big strawberries.

The Wolf Pack of Eastlake High School from Sammamish.

More kids from Issaquah.

Whup!! There's my bank!!

Ride'em Cowboy!!

Heeyah!!

I really like the attention to detail of the Wells Fargo Team.

See the guy in red on the far left? He's got a pitchfork and he's ready in case one of the team decides to, ah, er, relieve themselves. The guy to the right of him is pulling the hand cart for the, uh, er, deposits.

Attention to detail.

I like that.

I want his job!! That guy with the pitchfork!!

Then along came the Wrestling Team.

They were really giving this thing a good pull. I bet they weren't as eager to pull towards the end of the parade.

And the Muckleshoot Casino. Where everyone has a chance to win.

Not much of one but a chance nonetheless.

Then this Chinese Dragon came along...

Some kind of meditation thingie.

The Interlake High School Saints!!

Now, before you get your knickers in a knot about mixing religion in with a public school, the Saint they're using as a mascot is a Saint Bernard.

Whew!! Crisis averted.

Gooooo, you large, secular Saintly Dogs!!

Then these two came ambling along. I don't know who was in the salmon suit, but this guy was giving her all his attention. He never once looked up or around as they were walking.

Just a small salmon strolling slowly along.

With a guy wearing a tie-dye blanket.

And so I said, What's a nice fish like you doing in a place like this, and she...

Here's the float from Sequim, Washington.

Sequim lies within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and gets less than 16 inches of rain per year, about the same as L.A., and they've given themselves the nickname of Sunny Sequim. Yet it is near to some of the wettest temperate rain forests in the U.S. This climate anomaly is called the Blue Hole of Sequim.

See the lighthouse, Michelle?

Here's the real one…the New Dungeness Light House.

I think this was a Day Care for Doggies thing.

Whatever, they had some good looking dogs.

You're gonna see some strange things in any parade but I never expected this.

They're towing a trampoline and inside, on the trampoline, they had a girl...jumping up and down.

On a moving trampoline.

Hahaha, not my idea of safety but what do I know.

Next up are the Happy Lassies from the Daffodil Festival in Pierce County. They must have used this float for the Washington State Fair!!

The local High School Heroes...The Football Team.

Then these kids came along and started threatening the folks along the parade route. These little thugs began karate-chopping the air in front of the audience.

I heard one yell, Give us your money!! Or else!!

This float was from Olympia, Washington.

Here's the Patriots of Liberty High School in Issaquah.

Gooooo, Patriots!!

These guys had the best job. Well, at least better than the guy that followed the Wells Fargo Stagecoach. Making bubbles. That's it, just making bubbles.

The parade was over so we headed straight towards the Ice Cream Stand.

Hahahaha, one happy girl!!

And it were crowded.

Boy, Howdy, it was crowded.

And it went on and on.

They had a lot of the local arts and crafts for sale.

I can now name all these birds. Hahaha...

And this fellow.

We had met him earlier. He came up and, not surprisingly, started speaking with a Scottish accent. He was passing out flyers for a Rummage Sale. He was more interested in talking, really, than in passing out the flyers. He was having a good time.