Motor Family - In Motown: Holiday Magic in Royal Oak 2008

Pre-Thanksgiving Royal Oak means Parade Time! Santa's first stop in Michigan is, and should always be Royal Oak. It's a regular event - but unlike last year, we had both kids with us. Different and nice.

Cold day - 24 degF setting out. We were suitable donned in thermal gear, making the weather a non-issue, as seemingly did everyone else.

Pre-parade. If you were to have had too much to drink last night, and fell asleep on the middle of the road on Washington, above is what you would have woken up to. Assuming, of course, that Royal Oak's fine Police Department would not have put you safely away, or that you did not get ran over by a crazed party-goer and ended up dead or badly wounded. But I digress. Back on track....

So, you'd stand up, and above is what you would see. A beautiful morning in downtown Royal Oak. Ok. Enough.

There's Oakland County Sheriff. They could have picked ya up off the road, so as you would not have spent the night asleep in the middle of Washington Avenue, when there's a parade on the way.

Or indeed, the afore mentioned Police Force. Forget the flags, there's people asleep on the road!

Back to reality. The pipe band were there. Nice and melodic, as a group of men should be, assuming they were properly dressed without underwear. Twas cold, as I said earlier.

And the bands.....

We watched the above and below band traipse through horse poop. The music was alright.

Nothing like a lollipop aircraft. As of now, I have no idea what that was all about.

And it wouldn't be the Christmas Parade without the Lancers- grown men in little cars. I think I see my future!

Is there not a whole bunch of grown men our in the woods right now trying to bag a species not unrelated to those above? They could have came to Royal Oak!

Stagecrafters are doing The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. Above is The Witch.

And above is some kinda clown. Again.

It wouldn't be Christmas without a couple of sheiks....

And above is the wonderful CandyBand. I love the forefront lady's expression - the band were not that bad...

And above is the Cass Tech Marching Band, who represented us at the Orange Bowl in Texas last January.

Paws. Taking a pause.

The one wheeled biker club. Only half as badass as a regular club.

Look carefully above. That unicyclist is actually rope skipping. Seriously.

Scouts should be marching. Not in a float!

Above is Detroit School of Rock and Pop. This is the first I've seen or heard of them - except for a seemingly quiet storefront on Washington. More can be found about them on their website - best of luck to them! Make the Detroit area famous for music again!

Pinewood derby racing for bigger kids. Now there's an idea - could solve this issue!

WHIP IT

Whip it .... like... Noir Leather! Wouldn't be holiday season without a little leather, pvc, and general fun.

Santa arriving in town, and below, getting the key to the city. He must have lost the one he got last year. Dunno how - it was huge!

And on we went to Lily's Where the bagpipers congregate. We had a delicious brunch there - I reccommend it! Nothing like munching on a cajun shrimp omlette while listening to Scottish pipes and drums.