John Wayne and America’s Bicentennial

Above, John Wayne in the Cody, Wyoming Bicentennial Parade.

Fifty years ago, the nation celebrated its Bicentennial. 

Part of the celebration included events in Cody, Wyoming. The Cody Firearms Museum was dedicated. A big parade was held in Cody. Its grand marshall: John Wayne.

JohnWayne.com posted an article on those events of fifty years ago.

It begins with:

What is the story behind the custom Winchester presented to John Wayne during America’s Bicentennial in Cody, Wyoming? On July 4, 1976, John Wayne traveled to Cody, Wyoming, to celebrate America’s Bicentennial as Grand Marshal of the Cody Stampede Parade. During the celebration, he rang one of four commemorative Liberty Bells, dedicated the new Cody Firearms Museum and received a custom Winchester rifle presented in honor of the nation’s 200th anniversary.

When America celebrates a milestone birthday, John Wayne is never far away. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, it is worth remembering how the Duke helped celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial fifty years earlier. His appearance in Buffalo Bill’s hometown reflected not only his enduring connection to the American West, but also one of the busiest periods of his career.

Above, the Cody Firearms Museum is now housed at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Graceland Unveils ‘All-American’ 4th of July Event

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one doesn't currently have any plans to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday, a trek to Graceland just may be what the doctor ordered.

Graceland announced an "All-American Weekend" to celebrate on July 4 weekend.

According to Parade:

In honor of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Graceland is hosting an “All-American Weekend” from July 3 to July 5, where fans will be able to see Elvis’ iconic Memphis estate like never before as it getes lit up in red, white and blue.

According to the official Graceland website, this year’s fourth of July celebration will include  include two “electrifying” concerts, including a performance from The Dreamboats, who are slated to “bring their electrifying, high-energy celebration of 1950s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll to the Graceland Soundstage for a night that will have you on your feet from the first note.”

To read more, go here. 

Gallup Lions Club Rodeo 2025

Rodeo season is almost upon us in the Gallup, New Mexico area.

The first rodeo will be the Gallup Lions Club Rodeo at Red Rock Park Rodeo Arena on June 12, 13 and 14. 

There will also be a downtown celebration on Saturday, June 7 featuring a parade, bar-b-que, battle of the bands and rodeo legends autograph signings.

Here's the official poster:

For more information, go here.

Prepping The Barbecue For Tomorrow

Above, after cleaning the barbecue grill. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since it is a nice day outside, I decided to prepare for my Memorial Day barbecue. I figured I'd get it done today rather than putting it off to tomorrow. Plus, I may go into Gallup tomorrow morning to see the Memorial Day parade.

It had been a few years since I last used the barbecue, so I had some cleaning to do. 

The charcoal I had in the storage box on the deck got wet and rendered unusable. I think the barbecue grill cleaner leaked and soaked them. I think I knocked the grill cleaner bottle over when I got a fire log out a couple of weeks ago. So I tossed them in the trash. Luckily, I had a couple of bags of charcoal in the motorhome, so I went over to the GOCO Beast Barn and got one of them.

I was thinking of getting a new barbecue this year, but I rarely ever barbecue these days since I had my heart episode five years ago, so it would be a waste of money. The old one is just fine.

Statement By Gallup Police On Parade Incident

 

Response to Ceremonial Night Parade Incident

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GALLUP, NM (August 5, 2022) – For Immediate Release -Gallup’s 100th Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Night Parade took place last night. During the parade, Gallup Police Officers were notified that several people were consuming alcohol in a vehicle that was parked along the parade route. Contact was made, the driver put the vehicle in drive and proceeded to strike police officers, pedestrians, vehicles and a business before the vehicle backed into a New Mexico State Police unit and those involved were taken into custody. All injuries were assessed by medical personnel and transported to local hospitals with moderate but no life-threatening injuries.

 

We are deeply saddened by this incident. We encourage everyone to attend the remaining Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial events. The city is working with multiple agencies to ensure safety is of the highest priority.  We will begin healing together in this celebration of cultural connections. We are Gallup strong.

Parade: 20 RV Must-Haves

Above, The Beast at a West Yellowstone, Montana KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For RVers, there are necessary things to get (such as water pressure regulators, sewer hoses, fresh water hoses) and things that are unnecessary.

Parade has a list of 20 "must-haves" for RVers. 

In looking them over, some I have (in different form) and some I don't (most I don't want or need). 

Lists like this are subjective. So it is up to the consuming RVer to decide for himself/herself.

They begin with:

It’s safe to say that RVing is having a moment. With travel limitations due to COVID-19, the RV lifestyle has been booming over the last year and continues to be one of the hottest new travel trends. According to the RV Owner Demographic Study from Ipsos, RV ownership is at a record high with 11.2 million households owning an RV in 2021. Recreational vehicle travel is not only relaxing but a good opportunity to connect with family while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors, or going on a fun road trip across the United States.

Whether you’re renting or already own an RV, recreational vehicle travel is way more enjoyable when you’re prepared and properly packed with the right essentials. That’s why we rounded up the top 20 RV must-haves for your next adventure. So don’t stress, and scroll down to discover the best RV products suggesting from camping experts around the world, including Brenda Puckett, owner of Queen Bee RV Inspection, Janine Pettit, founder of girlcamper.com, and more.

To read more and see the list, go here. 

50 Best Road Trips

Above, Mount Shasta as seen from the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This summer looks to be a very busy one (probably the busiest on record) as more people are vaccinated and are clamoring to hit the road.

Parade has a list of the best 50 road trips to take in the United States. 

They begin with:

COVID-19 travel restrictions are loosening up as more and more people get vaccinated, but if you don’t feel comfortable boarding a plane quite yet, there’s good news: there are still ways (and cool destinations!) to travel to without taking a flight. Just hop in your own car and plan a road trip across the United States.

With travel restrictions still ever-changing depending on where you go, road trips are more relevant than ever. Luckily, the U.S. is full of beautiful, scenic routes and destinations that will make it worth every mile. Keep reading for 50 of the best road trips throughout the U.S.!

To see what they are, go here. 

Signage

At the Trump parade Saturday in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, I managed to get some signs for the front yard.

 

I'm In The Havasu News!

It appears I made it into the Havasu News!

I am in the background in the black Stetson hat and red shirt:

The main story is on President Trump's upcoming visit to Arizona this coming Wednesday in Bullhead City.

They wrote:

President Donald Trump is planning a campaign stop in Mohave County on Wednesday. The final details are still being organized, but the president’s campaign office plans to visit Bullhead City and Goodyear on Wednesday according to Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Kelli Ward. 

Ward made the announcement during Saturday’s Red, White & Blue Parade in Lake Havasu City. 

To read more, go here. 

More Trump Parade Photos

The Trump parade in Lake Havasu City yesterday was a lot of fun. I posted about here. 

The photos I posted with it barely scratched the surface. Here are more from yesterday of the participating vehicles at the assembly area.

Lake Havasu Trump Parade

Above, long after we were done with the parade and en route to the gun show,
 parade cars were still coming down McCulloch Blvd. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At least 2,000 participants assembled today for the Lake Havasu Trump parade.

All kinds of vehicles (and some boats) assembled at Gallagher's Dining & Pub and the Lake Havasu Elks Lodge for the parade. The parade was lead by many motorcycles.

Before heading onto the streets of Lake Havasu, there were several speakers, including Congressman Paul Gosar (4th District).

Above, Congressman Paul Gosar addresses the participants. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once all the speakers were done and final instructions given, the vehicles lined up for the drive down McCulloch Blvd. to a park near the lake.

During the parade drive, many people along the sidewalks cheered us on.

Unfortunately, parking at the park was already taken up and we ended up going to a gun show. We found some good deals on ammunition ($20/box of 9mm ammo).

Later, that evening, we migrated to Mitch Geriminsky's house for his 67th birthday party.

It was a busy, but fun, day.

Some photos:

During the opening ceremonies, it was announced that President Trump will hold a rally this coming Wednesday at the Bullhead City Airport.

Busy Day

Above, Lake Havasu this morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today is going to be a busy one.

This morning, I will be at/in the Lake Havasu Trump parade in the streets of the city. It is going to start at 10:00.

Next, if time permits, we'll be going to a gun show. Hopefully, there will be plenty of ammo to buy, since many gun dealers are in short supply.

Later, this evening, it will be Mitch's birthday party at his place. 

So there's much to do today.

2020 UFO Festival Light Parade

Above, you know you've arrived in Roswell when you see this sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Hopefully, by the time July rolls around, all this quarantine, social distancing and closures due to the coronavirus will be (somewhat) a distant memory.

If it is, the 2020 UFO Festival will be taking place in Roswell, New Mexico. One of the events is the Light Parade.

There's the scoop on it:

New post on Official UFO Festival Roswell Website 2020 UFO Festival Light Parade by UFO Festival Now that you are homebound and have all the time in the world to kill (we wish it wasn't so - if we had our way), why not create something amazing for the 2020 UFO Festival?  The International UFO Museum and Research Center has graciously donated $1500 in prize money for the winners. Let's make this parade AMAZING! This year the theme is: Seeing is Believing Awards will be offered for: • Best Light Display • Best Theme • Crowd Appeal DOWNLOAD YOUR ENTRY FORM TODAY! (This is a fillable PDF.  We recommend you print it for a copy before you email it) The parade route goes north on Main St. beginning at 4th and ending on 9th.

Liberals Having Fits Over Military Presence At Washington Independence Day Celebration

Above, military hardware in JFK's 1961 Inaugural Parade.

The liberal media and crybaby Democrats are having fits over President Trump's plan to have a military presence at tomorrow's Independence Day celebration.

The babies are screaming that the President is "politicizing the military."

From CNN:

(CNN) - Donald Trump's attempt to make July Fourth great again is turning into an eloquent metaphor for the excesses and polarization of his presidency. 

His choreography for tanks on the National Mall, war plane flyovers, his own televised address and a longer than normal red, white and blue fireworks display means that even Independence Day -- for generations a rare unifying moment -- will be politicized. 

Instead of the "Salute to America" that he has proclaimed, Trump's critics fear he's really plotting a salute to himself. 

His latest grandiose photo op appears to be a reflection of his own vanity, obsession with crowd sizes, craving for the spotlight, penchant for military hardware and his flirtations with authoritarianism. 

But from the President's perspective, he's on to a winner. Cries of outrage from Democrats and the media at Trump's hijacking of the July Fourth celebrations will not offend all Americans. For a lot of them, it may be a welcome display of the country's strength.

"Flirtations with authoritarianism"?! Jeez, you can't make this stuff up.

The military has always been involved in different patriotic celebrations, including inaugural parades.

These people are lunatics!

To read more, go here.