Red Lines, Blue Lines

Red line in the middle of the road.

Long before America was divided into blue states and red states, Pasadena's Orange Grove Ave., and Colorado and Sierra Madre Blvds. were painted with our locally-famous colored lines (which can wreak havoc on out-of-town drivers not used to these curious street markings).

Now, the blue lines are meant to be the "out of bound" zone for parade watchers, and at points (such as near the terminus on Sierra Madre below) the marching bands can walk right up to boundary, literally inches away from spectators.

The red line, right smack down the middle of the street, is more interesting. In the past, when floats became so large that drivers had difficulty steering away from innocent pedestrians, the red line allowed them to center their floats in the street. Over time, they were aided with on-board cameras and viewers, but the lines still remain.

By the way, enjoy these shots of the mountains. I expect tomorrow to be cloudy and gray.



Pasadena's "Blue Line"