What a fantastic turnout by our local MVPA club!
Danny arrived at the TxDot parking lot about 7am driving his
M37 and pulling my M416 trailer. I arrived driving my M38A1 and
was shortly followed by Rick H also in an M38A1. JD Hoffer Jr
and Sr. arrived from Corpus Christi (they spent the night in
Austin) driving their '42 GPW, and JH M and his wife showed up
in his M35A2. Madison H was there unloading his M37 while Jeff
L pulled up in Rory's Unimog and Rory was driving his M813A1
five-ton with his two sons David and Patrick in tow along with
Jane.
About 7:30 or so, I hooked up my M416, while Bill B and his wife Karen
boarded Danny's M37 and we all headed onto the bridge skipping the AAS
parking lot madness. We staged on the bridge and shut down until the start
of the parade. Members of the various Oak Hill scout packs found us and
began to congregate. Prior to the start, I sold .50cal and 20mm inert
rounds to the kids and gave some history lessons on the various calibers
used over the years starting with the 45-70 and Calvary days up through the
current sandbox issue rounds.
At 9:30, the parade began and we finally moved about 15 minutes later.
Danny was carrying Bill B and his wife and represented Venture Crew 634 out
of Bastrop. I was next up with the Oak Hill Pack 395 banner and had 13 kids
and adults stuffed in my jeep and M416 (14 including me). The Hoffers were
next with a few Pack 395 members as was Rick H and JH. Jeff L, Rory C and
Madison H picked up the rear with Cub Scout pack 405 from Oak Hill.
We meandered up Congress Ave. following the normal parade route stopping
along the way for pictures and announcements. At MLK where we normally turn
West to head back South, the officer in charge sent us East which created a
mess with getting back. Since our Southbound route was East of Congress
Ave, there was no way for us to get back to the TxDoT lot without having to
traverse IH35. Since we were not about to attempt that with all the kids,
we opted to have them walk back across the Congress Ave bridge from 2nd
Street at Congress Ave. The rest of us backed out of 2nd Street location
and made the trek down the access road of IH-35, West on Riverside and
finally back to TxDoT. What a mess.
Messes withstanding, we all packed up, said our good-byes and departed
our separate ways. From the Boy Scout parade, I headed up to Camp Mabry for
my second event of the day.