while the blimp rolled and hummed above the stadium; while the prop jet circled the San Gabriel Valley and more small planes flew higher; while crews cleared Colorado Blvd. of tons of parade debris, while thousands enjoyed the 127th annual Rose Bowl Game with its excitement and noise...
...we had this.
One of the many things I love about Pasadena: that all this can happen in the same town at the same time.
20 comments:
Wasn't it just the perfect day for a long dog walk? I don't know about your experience, but I about had the Lower Arroyo to myself, and Sadie had lots of fun barking furiously at the Goodyear Blimp (and it worked, too, because the Blimp moved away...lol).
Congratulations for your 3rd anniversary, and Happy New Year, of course!!!
That prop jet may have been the Hercules waiting to release its cargo of six Navy Seal skydivers who dropped into the Rose Bowl carrying the game ball, game coin, flags of each team, and more. Happy New Year, again!
It was perfect, Diana--sunny and brisk. Boz didn't notice the blimp, but had a good time anyway. That Sadie is ferocious!
Thank you, jamr. I wish you the same!
I'll bet that's what it was, Mister Earl. It circled north of the Rose Bowl, waiting for game time. That must have been exciting to watch. We were hoping the pilot wasn't lost.
Before the game, the young couple from Madison sitting behind me asked me if there would be a parachute drop and I said I thought there would. A few minutes later I saw a plane circling high above. As I looked at it in my binoculars I noticed that it was a cargo plane and that the back end was open, so then we were pretty sure it contained the skydivers.
After the national anthem, you probably saw four loud phantom jets fly over. What's cool about that is they fly those jets from Lemoore NAS near Visalia. At half time, the pilots of those jets appear in the Rose Bowl. They must either land the jets close by, or they helicopter the pilots back from Lemoore to Pasadena.
In the morning, when the B-2 bomber flew over the parade, I came out on my front porch and could see the B-2 as it flew east down the parade route.
Happy 3rd anniversary!
ginab:
Mister Earl, I teared up watching the B2 fly over the parade route. I'm not a warmonger (Petrea and I are related, after all), but I'm a sucker for pageantry and pride. I cried for On Wisconsin and The Eyes of Texas, too!
Thank you, Winchester!
Mister Earl, knowing some of the local runways, we were wondering where those planes fly from. Thanks. Do you suppose the B-2 took off from Lemoore as well?
Gina, when Boz and I were out on the sidewalk for his morning pee yesterday, we heard the B-2 and caught a glimpse of it flying from west to east. Just a glimpse, though. That thing is fast.
Petrea: All the Stealth bombers are based in Missouri! The B-2 that flew over yesterday took off from Missouri! Some years they have the Stealth for Parade and Game, and then I think they may land locally, but maybe not!
The late Vern Orr, Secretary of the Air Force under Reagan (1981-1985), was a big proponent of the Stealth program. He was from Pasadena. He passed away in December 2008. For his funeral, a Stealth bomber flew over the church in Pasadena three times, after flying from Missouri. I saw the bomber flying low over Bristol Farms in South Pas and wondered what it was doing here.
Last year, I saw an open house in a gated neighborhood across from the Huntington hotel. Nice house. There was a model jet fighter on one of the desks. Didn't think much of it until I saw a giant portrait of Mr. Orr in the hallway. In the hallway by the bedrooms there was a sound-proof phone booth! You could not hear a thing in that booth!
Happy New Year, Petrea! I've missed checking in with you this week. I contemplated starting the new year doing something different than other years and going down to watch the parade. But instead I took Tommy to Eaton Canyon for a morning walk. It was gorgeous. It's one of the things I love about this area too: an eclectic array of things to do.
Yes! We locals have a different experience on January 1. My dog and I walked for 6 miles, winding through Prospect Park and Linda Vista, successful avoiding the buses going to and from the game-- those buses terrify my skittish dog. What a beautiful day.
Happy new year!
Earl, you always have cool info.
I'll bet Tommy loved that, Susan. Did you brave the rapids?
Game day is a good day, eh, Colleen? Good for a walk in the arroyo, good for a movie, good for shopping. Everything's quiet during the game except the skies.
Well Sistah. this gave me a chill. How divine. Glad you had this time. I can't wait to be back with you all.
HUGS,
V
How wonderful that you could find such solitude in Hahamongna - I wondered about the copyright 2010 on the picture, but the blimp proves it was taken during the match yesterday. Just a few days ago all this area was underwater, so I guess it's soaked down into the aquifer to supply Pasadena with valuable water during the summer.
We went to the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in La Puente in the afternoon - it's a beautiful place with expansive views of the snow-topped eastern San Gabriels.
Let us know as soon as you have your dates, Virginia.
Bellis, thanks for reminding me to change that date. I didn't know about that temple; it sounds lovely.
The Hsi Lai Temple was the subject of a campaign financing scandal several years ago:
"Taiwan-born Maria Hsia (pronounced "Shyä"), a long time fund raiser for Al Gore, California immigration consultant, and business associate of John Huang and James Riady since 1988, facilitated $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions through her efforts at Hsi Lai Temple, a Chinese Buddhist temple associated with Taiwan in Hacienda Heights, California. This money went to the DNC, to the Clinton - Gore campaign, and to Patrick Kennedy. After a trial, she was convicted in March 2000."
Who are you quoting, Earl? It's interesting, but "...through her efforts at Hsi Lai Temple" is vague wording. It doesn't tell me how she did it or that the temple was involved.
Got it from Wiki. Just recognized the name of the temple as having been somehow associated with this woman and the funding scandal. No reason not to visit there!
Well, I expect she just made contacts with other people that went there. Now Hsi Lai's fundraising for a huge temple complex in Taiwan to house one of the Gaitama Buddha's teeth that used to be in Tibet until the Cultural Revolution. With religious edifices, I always think about what else the money could have been used for. (A nature reserve in Utah for homeless dogs and cats comes to mind.) But do make your way up the steps of the temple one day, it's very relaxing there and the views are excellent.
By the way, my favorite participant in the Rose Parade was a huge bull ridden by a stout man. It was very easy-going about all the crowds and noise. Wonderful!
We went to the parade and it was a surprisingly relaxing morning. My dad sprang for grandstand seats for us so we simply walked down to Colorado from our house, sat down, munched on homemade oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies, watched the parade, and were home before noon.
@Bellis, my four-year old was particularly impressed by the man riding the bull as well - he (the bull) did seem calmer than all the horses!
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