Leavenworth -- Autumn Leaf Festival

The final days of this trip. We de ou last "vacation"" stop in Leavenworth for the festival fun with part of the family. Susan and I arrived on Thursday to Mary (Susan's sister) and Phil's house; Sarah and family would arrive on Friday evening and we would all have the weekend together.

On Friday I took myself on my usual bike ride loop for a few miles, while Susan and Mary had a plan to take a hike up Ski Hill.

 

A pleasant house by a pond

 

Wondering if these students were practicing for tomorrow's parade

 

Bike Friendly Leavenworth

 

A piece of the River

Upon returning home I found that Susan (exhausted from all the driving of our long trip) and Mary (exhausted from a month long stay in Korea helping with her newborn grand baby) were each taking a nap. The heck with that hike up Ski Hill -- they were tired out.

On Saturday there would be a kids parade before the regular parade and we would decorate all the bikes. But first let's explore the festivities.

 

Lucy would try her hand at climbing the wall

 

And she would get up fairly high

 

Kaitlyn would do her own climbing to get to the top of the slide

 

Jaydon screams down the slide

 

And Lucy has her turn

 

The bandstand draws a small crowd for some music listening

 

We gathered up bikes and people and transported to Mary's condo garage as a staging area for decorating.

 

Unload bikes and decorating gear

 

Mary had provided some colorful stuff for the bikes

 

Kaitlyn thinks this is fun

 

Lucy thinks her (and their) bikes will be the prettiest in the parade.

 

Family finds the best viewing spot

 

Get to the parade start and .... wait

 

Starting of the parade

 

Jaydon would like to be riding faster!

 

Lucy paces herself too

 

Kaitlyn did her wave to everyone along the route (it was just too cute)

And their bikes were the prettiest and best decorated in the parade -- though there were a few more with quite nice decorations as well.

After the Kids Parade, the Regular one started. At an hour and a half long, it is the longest parade I have ever been to. So many schools from around the state

had junior and senior high school bands, and many local and non-local people had elaborately decorated floats, cars and wagons.

Unique for the Leavenworth Parade are the Alpenhorns

After lunch at Mary and Phil's, the family did do the Ski Hill hike and I joined them for only part of it.

Lots of fun and good activity for this weekend and a fine way to close out our travels for this summer.

I don't know how I did this to myself, but a week after getting home I will be flying out to Michigan for yet more fun with my friend Vickie. Will be blogging again, so keep an eye out ;'-)

Posted with Blogsy