Yes, that's right, this year you did see the very "first ever" llama group in the 118th Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2007. The theme was "Our Good Nature" and we (my daughter, Bridget Gochenour, and myself) were so excited to be a part of it. The llamas were washed and groomed the day before and we arrived on New Year's Eve at about 3:00 p.m., to a staging area where we set up camp for the night.   There was excitement in the air as we received a police escort inside this magic arena.  There were people already lined up on the streets with chairs, sleeping bags, barbeques, you name it, we saw it. We had 4 carting llamas, 6 handlers and llamas in authentic South American attire and the other handlers and llamas dressed in traditional packs systems that had the panniers filled with floral bouquets. The flowers arrived at about 4 a.m. on New Year's Day by a team of wonderful 4-H children and their leader who had created masterpieces out of roses, carnations, etc., a group of so many variety of flowers, I can't even begin to name them all.   The flowers were placed in bunches and lined up on plastic tarps on the sidewalks where we all pitched in and worked until 6:00 a.m. gluing and adhering flowers to llama carts, hats, saddle blankets., etc.   (See photos below).  Thanks to the generous donation by ALSA and to all of the private donations, we were able to acquire some of the most beautiful flowers I had seen that weekend for our use.   At approximately, 7:00 a.m., we had to line up at the beginning of the parade route to wait our turn to move forward towards Colorado Blvd.  During this time, we were interviewed by KTLA Channel 5 news and my 15 year old daughter, Bridget Gochenour, and our local llama organization President, Maryann Baker, spoke to the media of the llamas and answered their questions.   The Rose Parade was a wonderful experience and the crowd really loved the llamas. They were welcomed by the public.   I can't even begin to describe the feeling of beginning our descent down Colorado Blvd., passing in front of the media and parade hosts. The cameras were flashing and the applause was deafening. There were thousands of people in the grandstands. I have never been so proud to own llamas as I was at that moment. I couldn't help but tear up as I watched all of our llamas walk so beautiful and proud in representation of llamas everywhere. Caroline Gardner and Bridget Gochenour Please enjoy the photos that I took of our experience from beginning to end below.
Caroline and Bridget overlooking Pasadena in the summer of 2006 in anticipation.		Our Rose Parade Steeds . . . White Russian and E.L. Superman anxiously awaiting the big day, too. (Left to right - White Russian and E.L. Superman)
Giving White Russian a bath before parade day.	Now it is Superman's turn to get the "fluff & puff".	Drip drying the boys for their big debut.
Setting up our camp in the staging area.  Llamas penned outside and 6 of us penned inside the trailer. Patty DeWett, DVM, my friend and our honorary llama vet for this parade. We were busy setting up camp in our wall to wall aluminum hotel to sit down and watch a movie on DVD.		(L to R)  Megan Browne, Kaly Distler and Bridget Gochenour Susan Lewis and Caroline getting comfy on our comfortable cots to watch a movie and try to relax from our excitement of what was to come the next day.  Did I say it was cold?   Brrrrrr.
Where is the shower?	Our "living quarters" for the parade, our cozy horse trailer	Our llama unit housed on a city street for the night.
My friend, Susan Lewis, having a well deserved break - we weren't too excited looking, were we?	Gorgeous purple roses!	It's 4 a.m., and the flowers begin to arrive, just look at these beautiful panniers made into rose gardens of beauty.
You cannot even begin to imagine how beautiful these carts were flowered, I am still in awe of their beauty!
At 4am, my Bridget is shown helping glue flowers to the strands of flowers to be assembled to the cart tires.  It was cooooollldddddddd!
Kaly Ditsler and Rebano Escondido Iceman Getting ready to head to the parade route, it's a cooooollllldddd morning, too.	Eileen Ditsler and Chillout getting hitched to their cart.
Susan Lewis is getting her Rose pinned to her vest by Kaly Ditsler, everyone helping each other.	Superman and I are ready to go as we wait until we move up in line into the parade route off the side street were we staged at before.  It's very cold and about 7 a.m., just beginning to get light.   We've had very little sleep, but you would never know it, we were full of energy.	Okay, here we go, we are ready and have started to move up to the starting gate where they will tell us who to line up behind.
Bridget and Maryann are lined up now on the street.	Photo of us standing in back of the KTLA 5 news float which we will follow in the parade route.	Susan Lewis and her llama, Allegro, are moving up into position as the crowd begins to start snapping their photos and waving.
Superman and I are now on the parade route and there are SOOO many people on either side and it smelled of roses everywhere.   He was being such a good boy, just taking it all in in stride and very relaxed.		Eileen and Chillout are in their positions now and just waiting word that we begin to walk.
. . . and we begin our walk towards Colorado Blvd., and down the parade route, the time is now 8:30 a.m.
Here we goooooooooooo		Bridget and White Russian
The crowd loved the llamas, we couldn't help but wear a smile!
		We continue to stand patiently listening to the sounds of jets roar by and the crowds
We are officially done and the parade is over for us, now back to the waiting trailers to rest our weary feet.		Bridget summed it all up by saying, "Ahhhhhhh (big sigh), that was fun, let's do it again, I had a great time." BYE FOR NOW, HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PHOTOS!