A Thanksgiving Odyssey: Bands, Buses, and Big Bad Balloons (Completed!!!)

[Captain_Oblivious]

And that’s a good thing because I wasn’t even worth shooting the next morning.

Are you sure? Did you ask Andy?

What!?!?!? Another Parade!?!?!?
Isn’t that where we came into to this D-Grade excuse for a TR in the first place!


NOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo……….

You see that ugly, multicolored, flowery looking thingy at the top of the hill on the far left of that last image?

I'm not sure that passes the Captain_Oblivious Art Test.

We staked ourselves out a spot just after the turn off of Main Street.

I'm sorry, I've just been trained differently. Whenever there's a parade you're supposed to head for the ride that usually has the longest wait.

After a couple of council rep and local officials, the next bit of actual entertainment was the synchronized go-carts maintained by one of the area Shrine clubs. A little like the Energizer Bunny, these guys would head up a little ways and then turn and come back variously breaking into figure eights or crisscross maneuvers before turning again to move farther down the way.

Now that's fun. More of these guys, please!

Meet “Fat Elvis”

Next you'll tell me they had so much trouble coming up with celebrities that they put 2 Grinches in the parade.

I figured you’d like a clearer look just to see for yourself that Elvis is indeed still alive (He may have just gone back home

That's Agent K's story.



Christmas had arrived.

As for that second picture… I’ve got no clue how to even explain that one. What they intended to represent or even what connection the papier-mâché dragon’s head that had been built onto an office chare had to do with the Christmas season escapes me at the moment (Chinese New Year maybe… still not sure). But again, does it really matter?

The Fort Mill Christmas Parade...We'll Let Anybody March!

Now it’s time to get back to a little bit of Americana. Does that mean Dancing Girls? Not just yet, we’ll get to that latter on. Right now though we encountered something else very American, are more typical of small towns…

The Pool Hall? Motorcycle gangs?

Boy Scouts.

Oh...right.

Pop Quiz! When you don’t have a lot of floats handy to glide down the thoroughfares at your local parade what do you use as a substitute?

Please say zambonis. Please say zambonis.

Random trucks of course…

Rats.

Next on the agenda was this hillbilly-esk contraption
(Plese don’t ask me to explaine it… I don’t think it’s possible).

I like Andy's theory. Although he missed the Griswold Christmas tree.

But as you can see, we did try to atone for our appalling lack of judgment by immediately following it up with more cub scouts (pictures of young kids are second only to pictures of babies when it comes to quickly changing the subject).

Hey, it works for Barry's TR.

Oh… and you did think to go back up there and click on that last compilation of images didn’t you?

Well did ya'?

"Site Blocked"

Riding what else? A fire engine of course.
(What? You were expecting reindeer?)

No zamboni?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
So what was the point?

There was a point?

I think that the real point of all this nonsense is to say that when a chance to travel presents itself, no matter how it is disguised, make sure that you hop on that bus

I'm with you, brother.

“Baby steps… get on a bus…”

Dr. Marvin!

Dr.! Leo! Marvin!

The entire world may be just over the horizon, but the entire world is also all around you if you take time to experience it. And more importantly, take time to realize that you are a part of that world, and not just existing within it. Proverbs proclaim that every journey begins with a single step. But they’re never specific as to when a journey ends. The easy answer is that it ends when you stop taking steps. The real answer is that is ends when you either don’t remember or no longer care about the steps you take. Myself I’m looking forward to taking more steps away from where I currently am.


If you’d care to follow along, I’d be grateful for the company…

If you do the journey right, it should never end. There's always something new around the corner.

Lead the way, sir. I'll be right behind you.

Unless the game's on. I just got HD, and it's spectacular. But it should only be a couple of hours.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Are you sure? Did you ask Andy?

That’s not really in my best interest now is it?

I'm not sure that passes the Captain_Oblivious Art Test.

It don’t pass my Art Test either…
But there it sits.

I'm sorry, I've just been trained differently. Whenever there's a parade you're supposed to head for the ride that usually has the longest wait.

Around here that would be either the Olive Garden or Outback.
At about 90min on a Friday or Saturday, that’s about the longest queue for a few hundred miles.

I wouldn’t be waiting for them mind you, but everyone else around here…

Now that's fun. More of these guys, please!

Tell ya’ what…
This year’s rendition of the event just happens to be this Saturday.
I’ll record these guys and post it up just for you.

Next you'll tell me they had so much trouble coming up with celebrities that they put 2 Grinches in the parade.

Us? Do something as unsophisticated as that?
Sacrilege!

That's Agent K's story.

The most respected agent in MiB history.
The most feared human in the universe.
And you’re doubting his story?

The Fort Mill Christmas Parade...We'll Let Anybody March!

So you’ve see it before?
You should have stopped by and said howdy!

The Pool Hall? Motorcycle gangs?

You forgot strip clubs, massage parlors, title loan hucksters, and 24-hour bail bond services.

Please say zambonis. Please say zambonis.

Not bloody likely…
There’s more ice in my freezer then we see during a given winter.

I like Andy's theory. Although he missed the Griswold Christmas tree.

Hey, it works for Barry's TR.

It works for nearly every TR
Mine tend to suffer from a distinct lack of “cute”

"Site Blocked"

Can’t get to Youtube at work eh?
You didn’t really miss much.

No zamboni?

I thought we covered that earlier?

There was a point?

Shhhhhhh… Don’t’ let on.
I’m trying to fool the hundreds of lurkers following this TR lmao into believin’ that they haven’t been wasting their time.

Dr. Marvin!

Dr.! Leo! Marvin!

That movie give’s me nightmares.
There are some great lines, but still… Nightmares.

If you do the journey right, it should never end. There's always something new around the corner.

Lead the way, sir. I'll be right behind you.

I appreciate the encouragement

Unless the game's on. I just got HD, and it's spectacular. But it should only be a couple of hours.

So much for encouragement (but we must keep our priorities in order).


Thanks for following along on this apparently pointless TR.
Hope it wasn’t too painful.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Thanks for following along on this apparently pointless TR.
Hope it wasn’t too painful.

Not at all. I actually like your writing. So there. And I love your philosophy on seeing the world, raising your child, and doing things right (without too much fuss). You're a good man, Charli--uh, Rob.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Not at all. I actually like your writing. So there. And I love your philosophy on seeing the world, raising your child, and doing things right (without too much fuss). You're a good man, Charli--uh, Rob.

Thank you sir. I am honored.


Undeserving…

But honored.

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Arrrrgggg! I feel like Charlie Brown, and that b*#%! Lucy keeps pulling the football away when I try to kick it. As you can tell from the blistering pace that I'm updating my own TR, my employer has decided that my "work" time needs to be spend on more "work." This really cuts into my DIS time.

However, I have thoroughly read (and thoroughly enjoyed) every word of every entry of your TR. Having spent only about 3 months of my life in 6th grade in any type of band (playing a trumpet), the whole "band trip" idea was a bit foreign to me. Growing up playing high school football, the band was merely something to play the fight song after touchdowns and entertain the good folks at halftime. Sure, I knew there was work involved in all of it - you don't play that well without practice - but I had no idea how much time, energy and effort it takes simply to march in a straight line and play music. Throw on top of that all sorts of funky choreography (while still playing music) and you've got a Herculean effort to put forth. I'm glad your young'ens got to head on up the big city and perform so admirably in front of a national audience. The lights and sirens welcome home was quite a treat as well!

Oh, and as far as this thing:

It reminds me of a "parade entry" (I can't in good conscience call it a float) that is in my home town's St. Patrick's Day Parade every year. 51 weeks out of the year, it's New London, Wisconsin. But around the middle of March, the city council and a few guys from the Dept of Public Works dress up as leprechauns and put up new signs on the outskirts of town welcoming everyone to New Dublin. (Yes, they're big on their Irish up there. And the green beer that comes with it.) Anyway, there is an old green hearse known as Finnegan's Wake that makes it's way down the parade route, following whatever band or elected official or whatever position it is in the lineup. The latches on the back door are faulty, so whenever it speeds up, the casket rams into the door, knocking it open, and the casket ends up laying in the middle of the street. The lepreachaun-clad driver and his assistant jump out of the car and scramble around to re-load the dearly departed. Meanwhile there is much rejoicing and celebration by the parade goers that were witness to the events. Rinse, lather and repeat on the next block. Small town parades. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

But back to the TR. Sure, it wasn't Disney. And while we certainly would like to, none of us think about Disney 24/7. It was great to follow you and your family on such a grand adventure. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I wish Max the best of luck on his college career and hope he can follow his dream of teaching music to the next generation of American youth.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Bad News!!!!
New TR started today.

Worse news…
This one ain’t about Disney either.
But you’ll find it right here just the same…



I should’a taken that left in Albuquerque
(a TR that won’t make it to Disney)
​

Oh, one more thing… I may actually be getting back to WDW this summer.
If that does occur, I promise that there will finally be an new GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes TR that is actually about a trip to Disney coming up in the late Summer or early fall.

Something else for you to ignore, but it will at least be something Disney that you can ignore.




We now return you to the reply that I slould’a made a good while back.

Arrrrgggg! I feel like Charlie Brown, and that b*#%! Lucy keeps pulling the football away when I try to kick it. As you can tell from the blistering pace that I'm updating my own TR, my employer has decided that my "work" time needs to be spend on more "work." This really cuts into my DIS time.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I missed where you responded back as well and am only just now getting around to answering back.

Seems tom me that you’ve been quite busy. First off, congrats of running the Half Marathon at Disney this past weekend. I’m looking forward to reading (hopefully) several TRs based on events of the First DDCC. I know that work has been rough for you lately, so you’re going to have a hard time finishing the current one much less starting a new on, but just the same, I’m looking forward to both events.

However, I have thoroughly read (and thoroughly enjoyed) every word of every entry of your TR.

Thanks!

Having spent only about 3 months of my life in 6th grade in any type of band (playing a trumpet), the whole "band trip" idea was a bit foreign to me.

Don’t worry, it quite foreign to nine out of ten folks (actually its more like nineteen out of twenty).

Growing up playing high school football, the band was merely something to play the fight song after touchdowns and entertain the good folks at halftime.

Yep… that’s far more normal (and we’re aware of that fact).
You’re in very good company there

But at our school, the first half of the ball game was the opening act and the second half was when you’d hit the concession stands. We’re not normal in any way (and we’re quite aware of that as well). This past year there was nearly equal interest in both though and I hope that trend continues in the future.

It reminds me of a "parade entry" (I can't in good conscience call it a float) that is in my home town's St. Patrick's Day Parade every year. 51 weeks out of the year, it's New London, Wisconsin. But around the middle of March, the city council and a few guys from the Dept of Public Works dress up as leprechauns and put up new signs on the outskirts of town welcoming everyone to New Dublin. (Yes, they're big on their Irish up there. And the green beer that comes with it.) Anyway, there is an old green hearse known as Finnegan's Wake that makes it's way down the parade route, following whatever band or elected official or whatever position it is in the lineup. The latches on the back door are faulty, so whenever it speeds up, the casket rams into the door, knocking it open, and the casket ends up laying in the middle of the street. The lepreachaun-clad driver and his assistant jump out of the car and scramble around to re-load the dearly departed. Meanwhile there is much rejoicing and celebration by the parade goers that were witness to the events. Rinse, lather and repeat on the next block.

Most Excellent!

Small town parades. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Where else could we possibly get entertainment of that caliber.

But back to the TR. Sure, it wasn't Disney. And while we certainly would like to, none of us think about Disney 24/7. It was great to follow you and your family on such a grand adventure. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

And thanks again for the thanks, and more importantly, thanks again for following along.

I wish Max the best of luck on his college career and hope he can follow his dream of teaching music to the next generation of American youth.

Actually Max recently received the acceptance letter from the University that is his first choice. Now we just need to get through the audition for acceptance into the School of Music (and then figure out how to pay for it).

 

[Rowdymom81]

I'm not even sure how I got here but I just want to say how much I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. You sucked me in and I was with you all the way to the end.

Good job all around!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I'm not even sure how I got here but I just want to say how much I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. You sucked me in and I was with you all the way to the end.

Good job all around!

Wow!!

I ain’t sure how you got here either, but I’m glad to hear from you.
Read the whole thing you say? That… took some doing.
Thanks for the kind words

I’m sure that you’ll find even better work to read on the official Trip Report Forum as well.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

There are some very fine storytellers around here (and when you find those that you like, make sure to go read some of their older works as well… some really good stuff back there)

Thanks again and welcome to the DIS Boards!

 

[Rowdymom81]

Wow!!

I ain’t sure how you got here either, but I’m glad to hear from you.
Read the whole thing you say? That… took some doing.
Thanks for the kind words

I’m sure that you’ll find even better work to read on the official Trip Report Forum as well.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

There are some very fine storytellers around here (and when you find those that you like, make sure to go read some of their older works as well… some really good stuff back there)

Thanks again and welcome to the DIS Boards!

Thanks for the welcome. I've been all over the board and read lots of trip reports. Your's are the first ones I've made a point to read them all.

Of course, it may be because we're "neighbors". (I'm about a half hour north of Charlotte... just off I-77, too.)

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Thanks for the welcome. I've been all over the board and read lots of trip reports. Your's are the first ones I've made a point to read them all.

Of course, it may be because we're "neighbors". (I'm about a half hour north of Charlotte... just off I-77, too.)

I did notice the location there. There aren’t near enough Carolinians on these here boards so I’m glad to see you roaming around these parts. You say you’ve read more than one of my TR’s… I might have to question your sanity but that’s a commodity I pretty much lack in the first place so who am I to question other folks mental faculties.

Thanks again for reading along and for taking the time to holler out.
And if you’ve completely lost you mind… I intend to start up a new TR sometime this week. It’ll be based on our June trip to the World and even to “that other pace whose name I must not speak”. You’re welcome to follow along on that one as well.


And as for everyone one else who may still be getting notifications from this old TR, you may consider that a warning as well.