Hike to Eaton Canyon Falls

The trail starts at the end of the parking lot in front of the Eaton Canyon Nature Center. It is 1.5 miles to the falls.

The trail soon dips down into a wide and rocky arroyo. A seasonal stream flows at the arroyo bottom. This the first of many stream crossings.

Once on the other side of the arroyo, we were treated to an inviting stretch of oak- lined trail.

Sycamores, oaks and lots of sage. The trail continues north skirting the east side of the arroyo. Some shade along the way, but mostly the trail is in the sun.

Every now and then you can see (and hear) the stream from the trail. This picture is taken just south of the (Mt. Wilson) toll road bridge. The arroyo is still very wide at this point.

Sign along the trail as we go under the bridge. Ain't it the truth.

On top of the bridge looking south.

OK. We've gone under the toll road bridge. This picture was taken looking back toward the bridge. It is cool and shady. The rock wall to the right foreshadows what is coming up. The canyon gets increasingly narrower from here on.

Millipede curled up in the hollowed end of a log. You know they only have a few hundred legs; not a thousand.

Very quickly the trail leads to some absolutely stunning scenes.

As the canyon narrows and the stream winds around solid rock walls, the trail jumps from one side of the stream to the other. Here we're crossing from the left side to catch the trail again on the right side.

Then crossing back to the other side. There are lots of big boulders and logs to help at the stream crossings. But, unless you are very nimble, you're going to get wet.

Into the canyon. The falls are around the corner and I can almost hear the roar of rushing water.

A short scramble over some boulders and after crossing the stream again, we've arrived. Eaton Canyon Falls drops about 40 to 50 feet into a shallow round pool.



I think I'll wade in next to the falls. Ready to get wet?

That was refreshing! I'll just sit back on the warm rocks, dry out a bit and enjoy the falls. Watch for the little dog jumping in the pool to fetch a stick.

Where is the One Place You Would Take a Newcomer?

Let's say your friend has just moved to Pasadena. You think Pasadena's pretty special and you want to your friend to know why. Of all the places you want them to see, where do you take them? You can only pick one place.

My great aunt and uncle had an answer to that question. Here's the story:

My great aunt and uncle, God rest their souls, were known for their unannounced visits. I remember as a kid watching their car pull up in front of our house and hearing my mom frantically announce, "Margaret and Allen are here," as she raced from room to room. They were wonderful people, their only apparent flaw being a resistance to calling ahead. Drove my mom nuts.

And so, when Marcia and I married and moved to Pasadena, it was ordained that one day (we knew not when) Margaret and Allen would come visiting. Sure enough, not long after we moved here, they showed up on our doorstep.

The visit was unannounced, but not without reason. My great aunt and uncle had an agenda. There was something they wanted us to see. Something very special.

They knew a few things about Pasadena. My aunt had grown up here and, after they got married in the 1930's, she and my uncle settled here. They raised their family here and my uncle worked as an accountant. Later in life they moved on to another city. But, they still had fond memories of Pasadena. They were excited we had moved to their old hometown and there was something they wanted us to know about our new home.

So, after obligatory pleasantries about our super-fixer bungalow, my uncle said, "Let's take a drive." The four of us got in the car (elderly couple in the front seat and the young couple in the back) and we were off. My uncle mentioned the name of the place we were going and asked if we'd ever been there. Not only had we never been there, we hadn't even heard of the place. "Well, this place is beautiful," my uncle said. "You just have to see it."

Now, Pasadena has a lot of great places. Maybe more than any city its size, Pasadena can boast of historical landmarks, architectural gems, famous institutions. There are the grand public buildings, magnificent mansions, tree lined streets, museums, colleges, the Rose Bowl and the list goes on and on.

But, we weren't going to any of these.

Instead, my uncle drove north out of town. He went up Lake Avenue all the way to the end of the road, then left on Loma Alta. From there he turned onto Chaney Trail and drove us up a steep narrow road along a sparse hillside into the mountains.

Finally, the road dipped into a cool green canyon. We had come to the end of the road and the end of the mystery. We were at Millard Canyon.

Margaret and Allen were too old by then to get out and walk up the trail. So, my uncle parked the car looking toward the stream and trail. Marcia and I listened as the elder couple reminisced. They talked about the stream and the falls and the many times they came to the canyon. They talked about how fortunate we were to have such a beautiful place so close to Pasadena.

In all their decades of living in the city, the place they most remembered and most cherished was actually outside the city limits. It was Millard Canyon. That's the special place they wanted us to know about. They had driven over an hour, gambling we'd be home, to show us the canyon.

After the drive to Millard Canyon, my great aunt and uncle had accomplished their mission. They drove us back to our house, dropped us off and were gone. I don't remember any more about their visit other than the mention of Mijares as a good restaurant.

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That visit took place more than twenty years ago. Since then we've often been back to Millard Canyon. Before kids and after kids, we've hiked along the stream to the waterfall countless times. For his fifth birthday, my son and I camped there at the small campground. It is truly a remarkable spot.

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I am grateful to my great aunt and uncle for sharing their canyon with us. But, beautiful as it is, Millard Canyon is not the first place I would take a newcomer. That special place is, of course, East of Allen. I'll get to that in my next post.

Grand Plans and Grand Ballrooms: A Story of Open Space and Ice Rinks

The city has scrapped plans to build a 50,000 square foot ice skating rink and parking for 150 cars on this open field adjacent to Eaton Wash. This field, which lies between Orange Grove and Foothill, will remain open space. The ice rink will stay at the Convention Center.

Like everything in Pasadena, there's some history to tell here. There is the saga of ice skating in Pasadena. And there are the plans for this unassuming field -- grand plans that never caught on. It all goes back about 80 years.........

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We start in 1932 when plans were adopted for Eaton Canyon Park extending from the mouth of Eaton Canyon all the to Pasadena's southern border. This was the first grand plan for the Eaton Canyon and Eaton Wash. It called for continuous parkland on both sides of the wash -- kind of a modest version of the Arroyo Seco on the west side of town. The field pictured above was smack in the middle of the plan.

The grand plan doesn't seem to have stirred much of a following. East Pasadena was still the city's countryside -- the place of fields and dairies and open land to spare. Some probably thought, "there will be time to build the park, but not now."

Meanwhile, ice skating was on its way to Pasadena's downtown. In 1940, the Pasadena Winter Garden opened. It was home to a hockey team and figure skating classes. The Garden was a popular weekend hangout for folks who enjoyed live organ music and couples only skates. However, it is most famous as the original home of figure skater Peggy Fleming, who went on to win the only American gold medal at the '68 Winter Olympics.

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Fast forward 25 years.

Maybe live organ music didn't cut it in the hip 1960's. Or maybe interest in ice skating just subsided. For whatever reason, in 1966, the Winter Garden closed. Pasadena was without an ice skating rink.

As it happened, about this time, the city's attention turned to Eaton Canyon and open space along the Eaton Wash. The stage was set for an improbable marriage between Eaton Wash open space and ice skating.

In 1967, Pasadena's Director of Parks approved a grand plan for Eaton Canyon Development. This was truly a remarkable plan. The focal point was a hiking, biking and bridle trail along Eaton Wash. There was a wild bird sanctuary a the Eaton Wash Reservoir and ample amenities spread out along the wash trial.

The plan called for a cluster of attractions between Orange Grove and Foothill. No doubt aware of the Winter Garden's demise, the plan called for a new ice skating rink in this area. The new rink would be part of a group of active venues including an outdoor roller rink, an amphitheater, an animal farm and a swim club.

The plan never took hold. With the 70's came a city-wide push for development. The city's vision for the area turned to industrial and residential development.

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Meanwhile, ice skating returned in the mid-1970's . At that time, the city developed a a series of buildings around the Pasadena Civic Auditorium that would serve as a convention center. The new buildings made the old Grand Ballroom expendable. The Ballroom was converted to an ice rink and has been used as an ice rink ever since.

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Fast forward 30 years.

Several years ago the city made plans to renovate the convention center. Part of the plan was to return the Grand Ballroom to it's original use. But, the city had a problem. There was an ice rink in the Ballroom and the city had a long term lease with the ice rink operator. If it wanted to restore the Ballroom, the city would have to find a place for the ice rink. Where could the city put an ice rink?

Well, you guessed it. There happened to be an open field over on the east side of town. Somehow this field had escaped development and it was now solution to the city's problem. Plans were made, permits obtained. It looked like the field was destined for an ice rink and parking lot.

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But, times change. By 2009, a shaky economy caused the city to rethink the wisdom of risking public dollars on the construction and operation of an ice rink. On reconsideration, the council voted not to risk the funds.

But there's another sea change at play here -- a change in how the public regards its remaining urban open space and a new awareness of how our actions impact our environment. When the ice rink solution appeared a few years ago, the city was just starting to explore what it meant to be a "green" and sustainable city. The city is now further along that road and has often stated its aspiration to leadership in environmental awareness and action.

Though the economy may and hopefully will change for the better, I hope an ice rink on this open field is now a nonstarter. For an environmentally aware city, the incongruity is striking. Why would Pasadena want to build a giant refrigerated box and a parking lot on some of its last remaining open space?

Yes, times have changed and with the passing years so have attitudes and values about what should be built, what should be preserved and what should be pursued. All of which brings me back to where we started. Now, about those trails in the '67 plan....

Oak-lined Eaton Wash immediately to the west of the former ice rink site.

Man vs. Oleander

Every year about this time we do battle. The Oleanders and me.

We've done it going on seven years. I snip, saw, stomp and kick. The Oleanders twist and tangle, poke and cut. Every year, I knock 'em down. Every year they come back, bigger and stronger than ever. They're relentless.

I've learned a few things over the years. Early on all I had were a pair of just snips and a small tree saw. Now I bring loppers and a chainsaw. Still it is a battle.

But, this year was different. I came with a shovel and ax. This year I came to take the Oleanders out -- all the way out.

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There are a lot of Oleanders around. Though not native to southern California, Oleanders have been described as iconic to southern California landscape. They grow quite dense and make great screens. In California, Oleanders grow in an estimated 20% of home gardens. And the folks at Caltrans love 'em. They maintain Oleanders in more than 2,100 miles of freeway medians.

So, with such great references, what's not to like?

For openers, the entire Oleander plant is poisonous, from the sap, to the bark, right down to the leaves. The Wikipedia entry says, "Oleander is one of the most poisonous plants in the world and contains numerous toxic compounds, many of which can be deadly to people, especially young children."

Then there is Oleander leaf scorch, an incurable disease that has been claiming Oleanders for years. The disease is so widespread and unstoppable that some estimate it will kill 90% of Oleanders in the next few years.

Yellow and brown edges on Oleander leaves are a sign of leaf scorch. Oleanders with leaf scorch will not improve. They will wither over the next few years then die.

If you've got Oleanders with leaf scorch, the uniform advice is to take them out.

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So, four Saturdays ago, there I was standing in front of the Oleanders. Ax, loppers, chainsaw all ready to go. I really didn't know what it would take to get these things out. But I was ready.

Each Oleander was a fight. After cutting away the branches and doing some digging, I was surprised at how big the stumps were. Then I had to dig around and under each stump to cut out the roots. One a weekend was my limit.

Last Saturday I finished. Four weekends. Four Oleanders gone. Victory.

You know, it's a very satisfying feeling -- to look out and see mounds of dirt and stumps where diseased and poisonous Oleanders used to be.

I won't miss the Oleanders. Not even a little.

Oleander Stumps

Garden/Wine Making Updates

March and April is probably my favorite time of year. The rains have mostly come and gone, the sun is out, the bees are busy, and it seems the whole plant world is exploding.

And then there is the wonderful smell of orange and lemon blossoms. Sometimes the smell is overwhelming. And sometimes, it just sneaks up on you. Can't get enough of that.

We've been busy the past few weekends, getting work in between the rains. I've been working at taking out four oleanders in the front of our house. Hopefully that job will be done today. Some random garden notes:

We've cleared most our garden beds. Onions are started. Beets, peas, lettuce, beans and carrots are planted.

Marcia is starting the tomatoes from seed this year and we have a table top in the house now devoted to tiny little tomato plants.

After the super bowl, we picked the rest of our avocados. Was a great year for our tree and we have new flowers now. Hopefully the production will be the same this year.

We had broccoli from the garden the first weeks of this month and more is growing. However, some animal (I don't think it is a gopher) is nibbling at the base of the plants and we've lost several.

We had two tomato plants that made it through the winter, but are looking a bit worn out at this point.

Unfortunately, my cuttings from the Earthside wild grape don't seem to be taking.

Wine Making

Which reminds me that David has asked about our wild grape wine experiment. It was fun to pick and crush the grapes and, as I reported last year, the juice tastes similar to a concord grape. But, here's what happened to our wine effort. We successfully made wine out of the wild grape juice. But, turned out that the recipe we followed added too much water to the juice and the result was a kind of watered-down concord grape wine. I tried to compensate by adding some Welchs concord concentrate. The final product is drinkable, but not something I would recommend to others. I hope to do better this year.

Our less than stellar wild grape wine experiment matched our other experiments in fermentation. Our blackberry wine experiment (using blackberries gathered from our summer Oregon and NoCal trip) resulted in a very good blackberry vinegar, but no wine. Two seasons of trying to make hard cider have resulted in more very tasty vinegar.

Out of desperation, we finally tried a commercial wine making kit with all the ingredients and step by step by step instructions. The result has been a first rate red wine.

I'm looking forward to another try this year.

Giant Butterfly Over Hamilton Park

Hamilton Park was a buzz of activity yesterday afternoon before the Super Bowl -- football, baseball, softball, tennis, etc. And, the wind was just strong enough to lift this monarch butterfly kite up toward the clouds.

I've been enjoying the sky and cloud photography in many of the local blogs I follow. Yesterday's effort at Pasadena Daily Photo was incredible. Avenue to the Sky has a great piece up showcasing Mt. Wilson and the tower cam.

Dogs and Chickens

About a year ago we went to the Pasadena Humane Society in search of a new puppy. After many visits we finally chose the one - a playful little guy described as a Shepherd/Akita mix. We were taken to an office where a counsellor talked to us about the dog and asked a battery of questions. She asked if we had any other pets.

"We have chickens," we told her.

"This dog is a Shepherd mix," she said. "The Shepherd part of him should be protective of the chickens and even like to herd them around. He should be very good with the chickens."

That was what I expected. Our old dog had been a Shepherd mix. She would post herself just a few feet away from the flock, laying on her stomach with front legs forward ready to go. When a chicken wandered away from the flock, she would go get the bird and gently herd her back to the others. It was really something to see.

The counsellor continued.

"You have to be careful, though. This dog is also part Akita. They were bred to hunt."

"The Akita part of him might like to eat your chickens."

EAT OUR CHICKENS? The news should have made us bolt upright and run out of the office.

But, you have to remember the scene. We are in a small office -- my wife, two kids and I and this playful orange and white ball of fur. We are taking turns holding the little guy, his white-tipped tail going a mile a minute. But for the formalities, it's done. He's part of the family. And the thought that this little guy would eat Flopsy, Mopsy, Sparky or any of our hens ... well, it just didn't compute.

Plus, it was hard to know how to take the counsellor's warnings. She wasn't giving us the red light. She said it was impossible to know for sure what kind of mix this dog was or how the dog would react when grown. The little guy looked part Shepherd and we'd had a great experience with our old dog. But, the counsellor was definitely giving us a flashing yellow ... caution ahead.

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So, how has it gone over the past year?

Well, the dog has been great. Named "Bear," his claim to fame is that last year he actually treed a real bear. It is hard to know what kind of mix he is, but he's more powerful than any dog I've ever had. He's a part of the family and is always near one of us. It has been a joy to see him race and wrestle with the kids.

But, if you asked the chickens, their reviews would not be so glowing. Bear likes to play. That's good if you're a human or another dog. But, if you're a chicken, 70 pounds of dog-puppy barrelling after you with slobbering tongue flying ... it's got to be terrifying.

Bear hasn't eaten any chickens. And, I don't think he's going to. But, he loves to play chase and, given the opportunity, will chase the chickens all over the yard. We've had some scary moments with Bear tearing over the the yard and chickens literally flying about. But, in the end, calm has been restored. No hens have been harmed.

We've learned that Bear needs to be on leash whenever the chickens are loose in the yard. We try not to give him the opportunity to play chase with the chickens.

I am sure the chickens do not appreciate that Bear is a magnificent watch dog. On more than a few occasions, he's alerted us to coyotes near the chicken coop.

We still hope Bear's Shepherd lineage will kick in and he'll be a model brother to our hens. But, in the meantime, he'll be on leash whenever the chickens are out in the yard.

In-N-Out -- Historic Sign, Legendary Burgers

The In-N-Out Burger on East Foothill dates back to 1952. Back then East Foothill was part of the famed Route 66. This Pasadena store must have been among the first In-N-Out sites, opening seven years after In-N-Out was started in nearby Baldwin Park.

This In-N-Out Burger sign is on the City of Pasadena's list of historic properties. The neon and bulb rooftop sign is a designated as a Historic Sign.

Pasadena has only one In-N-Out and this is it. Seems this place is always jammed. It is not uncommon for half a dozen cars to line up in the right lane of Foothill waiting to pull into the drive-up. Where else can you get a fantastic hamburger for a buck sixty-nine?

I saw in LA Observed that Huell Howser has an hour special on In-N-Out tonight at 7 pm on KCET. Should be an interesting story about a phenomenon that is part of San Gabriel Valley history and certainly (insert Tennessee accent) a fine example of California's Gold.

My Mom's Kitchen Window

Clear skies and snowy mountain peaks remind me of my mom's old kitchen window. The window, like the house itself, was the definition of ordinary. An ordinary double hung sash above the kitchen sink in an ordinary small ranch style house on a street of other ordinary small ranch style houses. But, on a clear day, my mom's ordinary kitchen window became extraordinary. When the sky was clear, her kitchen window framed a spectacular view.

The house I grew up in had the good fortune of being the last house on a street that dead-ended into acres and acres of fields. My mom's kitchen window was on the north side of the house and overlooked an expanse of fields capped by the San Gabriel Mountains. The view was kind of like the photo, only without the buildings. The fields and the San Gabriel Mountains -- they were just there for the taking. At least that's how it seemed. And we appropriated it all. The kitchen window and the mountain views were my mom's. I remember her standing over the sink looking out her window. I often heard her talk about her window and her magnificent view. The field belonged to the kids. When not in corn, the field was inhabited by kids from our neighborhood. There were kites, football games, forts and any of a million things kids conjure up. It was our field. At least that's how it seemed. In truth, my mom owned the kitchen window and that's about all we could lay claim to. The field belonged to a farmer named Homer who lived in the rock house behind us. Homer had been there long before we arrived, with his horse, Dot. And my mom's mountain view? Well, who really owns a mountain view? In time, a swath of Homer's field was acquired by the state or Caltrans or whoever takes land for freeways. A phalanx of bulldozers dug a giant trench at the north end of the field that became the Pomona Freeway. The familiar southern California story followed. Homer's barn came down and Dot went away. The dead-end sign in front of our house was removed. New streets were paved across the field. Driveways and foundations were poured, houses framed, stuccoed and sold. All too soon, our field was gone.

And, my mom's kitchen window, which had for a time framed such a glorious mountain view, now looked north upon the stucco side of the house next door. Her extraordinary window was now forever ordinary.

Mt Wilson Tower Cam

The Mt. Wilson Tower Cam has some extraordinary photos following snow storms and is well worth a look. Photos today are spectacular. The Tower Cam is one of my regular links along the right side of this blog.

After the Storm 2

A line of geese enjoying Eaton Wash Reservoir. They sounded like this.

After the Storm

San Gabriel Mountains this morning from Sierra Madre Blvd.

Date Shakes

On the way back from Joshua Tree we stopped at Hadleys for date shakes. The sign in the store is right -- they are delicious and incredible.

I'm a big date shake fan. Over the years, I've had date shakes from lots of places -- the Orange Inn in Laguna Beach, Shake Shack at Crystal Cove, Indio Date Festival, and the old Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria. Mother's Market in Costa Mesa makes date shakes and I had a very good date shake at the Summit Inn just over the Cajon Pass. Hadleys used to have a store in Carlsbad where you could get them, but the store closed. There's a place in Santa Monica that makes date shakes. I can find it, but don't remember their name. There may be a few other places.

The best date shakes are blended with vanilla ice cream and chunks of dates. Sprinkling cinnamon and nutmeg on top makes them even better.

Joshua Tree 2010

You can definitely get away from it all in Joshua Tree National Park. The park is a good 2 1/2 hour drive East of Allen (including the stop at Hadleys).

We were there this weekend with my son's scout troop. I took this photo while straggling back to camp Saturday night.

The desert is a combination of desolation and beauty. The rock formations at Joshua Tree are spectacular. This weekend's clouds only added to the area's beauty.

The whole place has an otherworldly look and feel to it. Though named for a cactus-like plant, the park is perhaps best known for its incredible rock formations that rise abruptly from the desert floor.

These rocks were just to the east of my tent.

As were these.

The trip was to allow the scouts to learn rock climbing, which they did in impressive fashion. That's my guy on the far right. He and many others (including some dads) made it to the top.

Of course, I had to stay on the ground to take pictures. Great trip.

It Never Rains

Paradise.

The Midwesterners who journeyed west to found Pasadena were sure they had found it -- paradise that is. They were amazed that flowers bloomed in winter and you could pick oranges off the tree. Seems natural to want to share such a place with others. So, in 1890, the enterprising members of the Valley Hunt Club decided to start a parade to "tell the world about our paradise" (and maybe sell some land). The notion was to promote southern California and attract Easterners to move here. Climate was the big draw.

So, for fun, I compared our weather today with that of the hometowns of the four teams here for bowl games. Today, Pasadena's weather is going to be clear with a high of 74 and projections for high 70's this weekend. By contrast, it is snowing in Columbus, Ohio with a high in the low 20's and colder weather forecast for the weekend. It's better in Tuscaloosa -- they get rain and snow with a high in the 30's and in Austin, where they get 41 degrees with 20-30 mph winds. Eugene is on the west coast and doesn't really count, but duckland will get up to a cool 51 with some showers.

Seems an easy sell. Why live there when you could live here? For decades upon decades, we've assumed that, once the folks back east get a load of our weather, they would all want to move here.

And they did. People moved here in droves. Back in 1890 when this whole parade thing started, Pasadena's population was pushing 5,000. As of 2007, the census folks estimate the city's population at 143,000.

But, you know, as good as the weather is, I think it was mostly work that really drew people to California. Work is also what keeps people here. It's not much use to live in paradise if you can't find work and pay your bills.

That's been the story in my own family. My great-grandfather on one side and my grandfather on the other side moved here for work. One came to California to work in construction and the other in the orchards. For a century, California's seemingly limitless resources and opportunities sustained each generation. That is, until my generation.

Times have changed. We don't like to think about it, but California is not the land of opportunity it once was. I've seen friends move out of state for a better life. I've seen family leave to find work. And I read regularly about how California has lost its appeal.

In fact, much has been written of the domestic migration out of California over the last decade. This, and population movement in general, is a regular topic on the NewGeography blog. They report that over the last decade a net 1.5 million people moved out of California to other states. Over the same period, Texas and Alabama saw net population growth as the result of domestic migration.

Then there's this interesting little thought. We might be seeing Rose Bowl history tonight. I haven't done an exhaustive search on this, but this game may mark the first time Rose Bowl teams have hailed from two states that are outpacing California in domestic migration.

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Still, it seems like paradise here. It is a sunny January day. We have the mountains behind us and the beach to our west. Flowers are in bloom. Orange and lemon trees dot the neighborhoods. There is beauty upon beauty, if you take a moment to look.

On the other hand, the stories of friends and family and the migration statistics are real. Over the last decade, the state seems to have bumped up against something. Maybe it's the economy. Maybe it's the schools or cost of living, or traffic. Maybe it is all a temporary thing -- coming changes will push the state to new levels of luster and appeal.

Or maybe, it's just that even paradise has its limits.

2010 Rose Parade Additional Photos

Sierra Madre's float. Lots of energy. Beach Boys song. Skaters. Great job.

Around these parts we're not used to seeing Trojans wearing blue and gold. But, this group did it with style. I was interested in this band on its name alone. Soddy Daisy, is a Tennessee town about the size of Sierra Madre (12,000 people) and fields an impressive band. The banner carrier on the right has either found something really funny or is in excruciating pain after walking five miles.

Bobby Grich. Angles second baseman in the 70's and 80's. In '81,he led the league with 22 HRs, in baseball's pre-juice era.

The venerable Valley Hunt Club, which started it all 120 years ago. I imagine that this is what floats looked like in the parade's early days.

I liked the monkeys, but an off year for the generally stellar Cal Poly float.

Flags and mountains. You only get this view on Sierra Madre Blvd.

Oh yeah, there were fairies on horseback.

2010 Rose Parade From Sierra Madre Blvd.

Great day for a parade. It must have been about 70 degrees and sunny as we left the house and walked down to Sierra Madre Blvd. We staked out space on the grassy median next to folks who had camped all night and others who walked in from the surrounding neighborhoods. My sister and her family joined us which made it an extra special day.

I like the mountain vistas on bright mornings like today and I enjoy walking the street before the parade starts. There are crowds of people -- some who arrive in the morning and many who have camped overnight. There's a buzz of anticipation. Plus, it's just fun to walk in the middle of a street I drive to work on every day.

In past years this is when I'd call my mom. I'd walk down the street talking to her on the cell phone and sharing with her the sights and sounds as she watched the parade on TV. Like all the holidays, New Year's morning is another reminder of her passing and I missed her as I took this year's walk.

There were two bands that were off the charts. This was one. The band members, including the two banner carriers, are blind. Members of the band are assisted by sighted persons who helped guide them along the way.

I don't claim to be an authority on bands, but in over 20 years living in Pasadena, I've watched a lot of Rose Parades and seen a lot of bands. To me, a good band should engage and move the crowd. This band hit the mark.

Therefore, this band shares honors as this year's East of Allen Best Rose Parade Band.

The other East of Allen Best Band honoree is the Ohio University Marching Band from Athens, Ohio.

The Rose Parade route is five miles long. When you're standing where we were (toward the end of the parade route) you see some bands that are pretty wrung out. So, when a band kicks it into high gear and starts dipping and dancing, the crowd goes wild.

I've never picked up a tuba. But, I can imagine how hard it is to carry one around for five miles, while playing music and dipping and kicking along the way. These folks were amazing and very entertaining. Very deserving co-winners of Best Band.


East of Allen Best Float winner was easy. Just can't beat dogs snowboarding downhill on a float.

Runner up Best Float is this one -- Donate Life's float "New Life Rises." The float title and the faces on the float tell the story.

The Donate Life float was built in the same place as the Boy Scout float. When we went to the Rosemont Pavilion to help on the scout float, there were maybe a dozen groups helping out on different floats. The Donate Life group was in a different class than anyone else. It seemed they had more volunteers than anyone, had these very cool Donate Life t-shirts, their tent was always buzzing with activity and all looked to be having great fun.

Enough with the awards. On with the regular parade stuff.

Rose Bowl mascots this year were a bit different. I guess I'm used to seeing mascots that symbolize power or strength. I know Ohio State is a venerable institution with a storied football team, but to have a mascot with a nut for a head is .... Well, I don't quite get it. Maybe it's a Midwest kind of thing.

On the other hand, I get that Oregon is rainy and maybe a bit quirky, so the duck makes sense. Still not symbol of power like a Trojan or Bruin, but it makes some sense.

There was a lot of down time in this year's parade. That gave time for bands of people to run back and forth across the street spraying silly string into the crowd. Looks like this guy got a silly string hair do.

From Brazil. These folks got the crowd going.

One of the most recognizable faces to American children, Ronald McDonald had some sylish shades and was showing off his "eye" phone.

El Dorado H.S. Band from Placentia. My nephew, who was with us this morning, is a student there, so I've got to give them some space. Actually, the band was very very good. During parade down time, two of the band members -- one with a saxophone and another with a trumpet -- stepped out of formation to treat the crowd to solos. Very impressive stuff. In an ordinary year, this band would vie for East of Allen Best Band honors.

Ahh, the long awaited Boy Scout float. Nice job on the yellow roses in the front. I last saw this float on Tuesday when my son and I helped on the decoration. At that time, you could definitely see where the float was going. But, the finishing touches have taken the float to new levels.

Shirt sleeve weather on January 1, floats, scouts, crowds on Sierra Madre Blvd. and mountain views. Where else but Pasadena?