The Rodeo Parade

I rode in the Rodeo Parade today.

Want to see why I love Tucson so much? 

This is what I saw at 7:30am

from my perch inside the wagonette rented by The Happy Ladies' Club 

and piloted by the lovely Jane

owner and operator of this small business.

We were part of four tranches of wagons

and horses with marshals in red vests, 

 keeping order

and vaqueros on horseback, 

and all kinds of decorations on those wagons

 celebrating the organization

 which paid the fee to ride.

This is not an inexpensive proposition to mount.

These four groups merged onto the large, square, parade route, 

and we traveled right down the middle of the road.

We were not alone.
There were fans galore

and we waved to every single one of them.

Do not underestimate the amount of energy it takes to move your arm back and forth, rhythmically, while smiling and showing enthusiasm. By the end of the 2.5 mile route, we were all ready for right arm massages.

There's a Mexican flavor to the proceedings, which was obvious to us from the start, when this float of Nacho Libre-esque fighters cruised past

More traditional attire was also in evidence.

There was more, much much more, but I don't want to bore you with all five hours of our adventure.

Let me leave you with a smile.

The Happy Ladies Club was the very last entrant in the parade.

We were, as the kids used to say, toilet paper, wiping up the rear.

This was made evident to us with the arrival of these

pulling up right behind our Happy Ladies' wagonette.

They are large 

and well equipped

 (yes, that's a saddle on the hood)
for the task at hand.

And what might that be, you ask?

Well, remember all those horses?

I shall say no more.

***

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