Last Saturday Boy Scouts from all over Texas converged in Austin for the annual Report to State Parade. The name says it all: scouts from the far reaches of the state travel here to report on what is happening in their area. For local scouts, this just means waking up a little earlier on a Saturday morning and heading downtown. But for many boys, this is a great opportunity to camp in central Texas and visit the state capitol.
Report to State is always scheduled for the first Saturday in February, although last year the parade was cancelled due to The Blizzard of 2011. For many years before that, I too sat on the Congress Avenue Bridge, waiting with my scout for the parade to begin. Perhaps I have selective amnesia, but I don’t remember a Report to State Parade that wasn’t absolutely freezing. However, this year’s temperatures were in the 50s.
Like most downtown parades, this route also heads north on Congress Avenue to the Texas State Capitol Grounds. The official viewing stand is on the balcony of the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental hotel. One year Texas Governor Rick Perry was on the balcony when we went by. Out of curiosity I walked up to the hotel on Saturday but there was no sign of our governor. Perhaps he is keeping a low profile?
Our old Boy Scout troop continued the tradition of forming a band for the parade, but thankfully they’ve found another song to play besides Louie, Louie.
Most of the scouts either walked or rode on trailers.
One troop went high-tech with segways.
If prizes were awarded (and I don’t think they were), this trailer complete with smoking smokestack would have taken first prize.