We've heard about it for years and years... well, 4 of 'em at least. One year I was actually traveling down Highway 99 and saw all the commotion as I rode past on my Shadow. However, this year (2009) you won't be able to get there via Hwy 99 due to the bypass construction.
Big Jim from Lincoln, said it was the greatest... and he's not a man that to be taken lightly. So I decided he would be the fella to ride there with.
Maybe we could catch the phenomenon on video tape and put it up on the Internet. We awoke to a fine morning. Just in time to beat the pancake breakfast rush. "Which begins at 7am. I have never missed that. Things will be happening all day and the parade begins at 10am."
It was a great day for a ride. Not much traffic. Cool air. Sunshine. A made-to-order day. We crossed the river, turned off the highway, rounded the bend toward Nicolas and led a suit of car's behind us which were pulling off the road to the left and parking on the edge of a row of walnut trees along the levee. It was the sunny side of the street, but the sun didn't seem too hot at the time.
People were buzzin' up and down the road on quadrunners, carrying out preparation duties, no doubt. A couple of youngsters came down the road on one pulling a little trailer full of iced sodas, donuts and hot coffee.
I bought a coffee and asked it that was a good place to watch from. "Yep. Starts up there," she pointed. "And goes right down through here," said the mom of the two kids following close behind them... on foot.
I looked the way she pointed but saw nothing, so I found an empty hay bail which lined the streets of the parade, drank my coffee and waited for Jim to park his bike.
A turkey vulture was riding thermals above the walnut orchard across the road. It circled several times and then moved on as unaware of the people scurrying to and fro below him as they were of his motionless-wing gliding in the blue sky above.
A clean red and blue airliner seemed to follow Highway 99 southbound for awhile and then veered off westward, to get into the flight pattern at Sacramento's airport, no doubt. Then some little girls across the road from us began to squeal. "Look!" they pointed up the road. And it was true.
The Annual Labor Day Parade had begun in Nicolas, California. It was great, just like Jim said.
Some fire engines came first, and 4-H'rs and horses, old cars, old trucks, old tractors, old politicians, cheerleaders, ball teams, drill teams, a melon stand on wheels, more horses and riders, Shriners, bands, wagons and a train.
The train was a three car float with an engine, flatcar and caboose. I was told that it was created by the students from East Nicolas High School. They and their teachers should be commended... it was really something to see. It even puffed smoke.
It was a great parade in Nicolas... not East Nicolas, mind you... Nicolas. I suspect that some other units entered the parade a little closer on in to town than we were parked so I may not have taped it all, but I have the biggest share of the event recorded forever.
The phenomenal part of all this is the people who came from everywhere to see this parade. We followed the last of the parade into town. We had to go straight when the parade turn on Marcum Road. We stayed on the road that passes though Nicolas and goes on around the bend and after a ways, comes to an intersection with Highway 70 in East Nicolas.
Cars were lined bumper to bumper (sometimes even two or three deep) along both sides of the road almost the whole way to East Nicolas. There were also field/parking lots, driveways and yards full of cars.
We couldn't believe we got the good parking place we did, so close to the edge of town on the west side when we saw all the cars on the east side! What a phenomenon!
There were craft and food booths and some more entertainment but we had to head home. So did a lot of other folks, many of whom came just for the parade... and a little taste of Americana... small town USA.
Maybe the American Dream isn't dead. Maybe it's just hiding out in Nicolas, California. Way to go! Nicolas!
Keep your eye on my new Website. I want to tell the whole world about these great tiny towns in our wonderful state of California.
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