Checking out the Drake Relays Parade

Caught up in the Relays spirit, Linda and I went up to see the parade. The route is basically a trip around the campus and that's enough room to put on a pretty nice parade. We found a spot along University Avenue across from Old Main. One of the parade route security people stopped by and chatted with us as we waited. "Ready to get some Tootsie Rolls?" she asked. "They're the best value so you'll see a lot of them today." Our area was soon scattered with viewers. There were several kids to clean up the Tootsie Rolls so we wouldn't feel guilty if we let some fall from time to time.

Right on time, the parade made the turn off Twenty-Fifth and down University. Various community dignitaries were chauferred down the street in wonderful old cars and were celebrated by their fans. There weren't a great number of fans so we had to be demonstrative or it would have been a drive around campus. Of course, cheering produced amazing numbers of tootsie rolls of various flavors. Clearly, security had their finger on the pulse of the candy aspect of the parade.

Before it was over, one of our favorite parade and sporting event groups came thundering around the bend: the Isiserettes Drill and Drum Corps. These kids can fill up any room! Drums hammered out the beat as the dancers put on quite a show. It's always a treat to see them perform.