Pasadena Rose Parade Preparations

For those of you who will be tuning in on January 1st to watch the Rose Bowl game you probably did not realize that Pasadena has made a deal with the weatherman. In return for a picture perfect post card kind of day we do have to tolerate a little inclement weather for at least a few days. Yesterday, our San Gabriel Mountain range experienced some snowfall which was our first for the season. Look close and you can see it through the palm trees. Reaching a height of about 5700 feet above sea level it is not uncommon to see some snow capped peaks this time of year and throughout February. This is a wonderful time of year as the air is crystal clear and fresh and the San Gabriel’s provide a beautiful backdrop to the Los Angeles Basin. The rain we received at the lower elevations was very welcomed. For those of you heading this way for the New Year’s celebrations make sure you bring your winter wear. The temperature can dip to a chilly 45 degrees. Living in Southern California makes you forget how cold the rest of the country can be. Why, I even had to turn on the defroster to clean my car windshield this morning.

Parade Seating Underway

Construction crews are busy delivering and assembling the many miles of seating for the Tournament Of Roses Parade. The location of this shot is ground zero for the beginning of the Parade as it turns from Orange Grove to Colorado Boulevard.
The Parade route is about 5.5 miles and there are a couple of ways to view the bands and floats.

Ticket prices run about $53 to $85 for a seat or you can do what many others do and camp out along Colorado Boulevard. The more adventurous people begin gathering 1-2 days in advance and stake out their territory. Your so close you can smell the fragrant aroma of the flowered floats. One last thing, if you are visiting from the southern United States make sure you bring your own black eyed peas. They can be hard to find here.