One Year on the Road

On the evening of July 3rd, there was a party downtown.

There was live music and some dancing.

A bouncy slide for kids, beer and wine for adults.

Bailey was a major attraction.

July 4th is a major holiday in the Midwest.

Lots of decoration.

And patriotism.

A bike ready for the kids&#039; bike parade.

Decked out in red, white, and blue.

We waited for more kids on bikes.

Instead, some ATVs came by.

And tractors.

fourth-13

I guess kids get to drive on the fourth of July.

Wte waited for more, but that was all there was.

The bandstand in Central Park was all decked out.

Kate dressed Bailey in a red bandana.

At 5:00, we went downtown for the Big Parade!

Kids had bags to collect candy thrown from floats.

First came the fire trucks and police cars with all the sirens going.

The Grand Marshall in a buggy.

Next, the semi trucks.

All the truckers in town drove their rigs in the parade.

Their families, too.

At last, something more interesting.

Beautiful draft horses.

And a band, of sorts.

I don&#039;t even know what this float was representing.

Promoting gay marriage? Priests being able to marry? Unlikely.

Kids risking their lives for candy.

Bailey begs for a tootsie roll.

There were a few Model T&#039;s.

Elaboratly decorated.

Too hot and weary to be festive.

A lone bicyclist.

And, of course, CORN!!

Then came the tractors.

Some new, some old.

A tractor for peace.

Every farmer with a tractor joined in.

A tractor-drawn wagon.

Then some crazy ass farm equipment.

&quot;Whoa! What is that, anyway?&quot;

Farming monsters!

One final semi...

With a flag made of painted milk jugs.

Then all the horseriders...

...bringing up the rear.