Snake Saturday Parade with the Patriot Guard Riders - North Kansas City, Missouri

For the second year in a row the Patriot Guard Riders were invited to participate in the parade. Bikes and trikes were the order of the day. The Tribute trailer was our “float” and was proudly pulled by Korean War veteran Frank Waitzmann. Kurt “Pyro” Eckard was the Ride Captain for the event with over 30 bikes and trikes of all shapes and sizes on hand, several complete with big flag mounts.

The morning air was chilly with clear blue sky slowly taking over the early morning gray of dawn, when the sun hasn’t quite made an appearance to signal the day and night is grudgingly giving way. The day’s activities began with a full breakfast buffet at The Depot in Avondale, and there were already two dozen bikes parked at the curb when I rolled up the hill. We enjoyed the fellowship afforded by good people and good food and when the eats were complete we mustered outside to get the Tribute trailer set up and the big flags unfurled on the motorcycles and the trikes.

We made our way down the hill into North Kansas City and worked our way through the back streets to our designated staging spot. When it was our turn, we fired up the scooters and made our way out into the sea of moving people, vehicles, animals and marching bands. The folks were five and six deep in places and were having a blast and so were we, rolling on the thunder to the enjoyment of the crowd, young and old alike. At this point I’d be remiss in my duties as your man in the mix if I didn’t relate with relish how enjoyable, yet requiring a deft amount of skill, riding a two-wheeled vehicle behind horses and dogs on asphalt on a warm pre-spring day can be.

Remember when I said Snake Saturday was a showcase for non-profits in the Kansas City area? That’s right; you didn’t know there was going to be a test did you? Northland Festivals, Inc., which oversees the parade, along with corporate sponsors that include the City of North Kansas City and North Kansas City Hospital, award cash prizes each year to the various organizations and groups that participate in the parade.

This year’s prizes were awarded as follows: