Everyone in the parade setup crew works diligent to complete the tasks. Since we are required to get to the lineup early, members often arrive several hours after the Bus is in place and much of the sound system and decorations are set out waiting to be installed. The shoe is in mounted, however 9200 watts of speakers wait to be lifted to the roof. This could not be done without the help of these volunteers and Chef Kati B keeping us fueled up.Terry and Sandy made the trip to keep every one safe
Security Detail, 2017
If the shoe fits
The shoe built is in three sections and stored completely assembled in our California Barn. Tim and I devised a docking station ontop of the bus where it now only takes 30 min to mount the prop for an event.
lowering the shoe for Prep
You can imagine that the delicate material takes a beating during travel and requires constant repair. between use we lower the shoe for several hours of repair and update.
Set up and ready for the next day event
We pull the RainbowRV Van as a tow'ed car. This requires a permit when the shoe extension is used The entire combination is just under non rush hour permit length for California. On a trip to AZ we needed to pull the van closer to the bus to meet code which limited our turning radius.
The parade set up got off to a good start and we had a bunch of fun with the other parade contingents who were close by. As luck would have it, San Diego Chanel 10 was next to us. Anchor personality, Kimberly Hunt and her hot husband Billy were supporting the newsroom LGBT members in the parade. I was sent by our members Terry and Angie to coax Billy up into the shoe. I walked over to the couple and thinking that her name was Billy I said "Billy would you like to get to in my big shoe" Turns out that Billy is actually her husband San Diego Chargers Billy Ray Smith. He answered "I'm good but my wife may want to go up. "Talk to Tim, there is more to this story when Kimberly walked into the bus.