Lakeside Western Days Parade
by Roy Denner

Who are those guys???" This was a common question from the onlookers as the San Diego Off-Road Coalition's entry in the Lakeside Parade kept rolling by and rolling by.
No, that's not Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at the front of the group. It's County Supervisor, Chairwoman Dianne Jacob, and SDORC member, Roy Denner, astride beautiful Palominos provided by the Long Beach Mounted Police (also SDORC members). The Palominos were lined up just behind US Congressman Duncan Hunter in a Chenowth military sand rail designed specially for Desert Storm.

With 94 vehicles, bicycles, and a small herd of horses participating in this year's Lakeside Western Days Parade, the SDORC entry spread out from Channel to Maine on Woodside. The parade theme this year was "Back to the Future." The theme for SDORC's entry was "Riding Together Back to the Future."
The action started on parade day before the sun came up. Word had leaked out that KUSI TV would be at the parade staging area at 7:00 a.m. and, as everyone knows, SDORC does not shy away from free publicity. In order to have horses all decked out in their sterling silver adorned saddles and tack, plus riders all dressed by 7:00 a.m., the early start was necessary. In addition to preparing the horses, a large array of off-road vehicles - including dirt bikes, quads, buggies and jeeps had to be moved to the staging site to participate in the live TV coverage.
Anita Lightfoot, from KUSI, was the commentator and she gave SDORC great coverage. Of course, the horses were the big attraction, but it was made clear that they were part of the SDORC contingent (whatever works!). When Frank Hilliker, Chairman of the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, and Parade Chairman, was interviewed in front of the TV camera, he promoted SDORC as one of the major participants in the parade.
In addition to Congressman Hunter and Supervisor Jacob, other dignitaries riding in the parade with the SDORC unit included Jay LaSuer and, Lakeside Citizen of the Year for 1999, Rick Smith. Jay LaSuer, as most off-roaders know by now, is the off-road community's choice for Assemblyman for the 77th District to replace Steve Baldwin, who is termed out.
Bob Neal, General Manager of Bill Signs Trucking in Lakeside, donated the use of one of their fancy tractors pulling a 40 foot flat-bed trailer. Bob, himself, drove the rig in our contingent. On the trailer the Ocotillo Wells PAL's (Police Activities League) equipment was displayed. Quads used in the program, with kids mounted and ready-to-ride, were displayed on the front half of the trailer and the entire 20 foot enclosed trailer that houses the PAL equipment had been fork-lifted onto the back half of the trailer. Ron and Joanne, instructors from Ocotillo Wells, rode with the kids. The display was pretty awesome!
The Tierra Del Sol 4-wheel drive club was out in force with 14 of their fanciest jeeps strung out in the SDORC group along the parade route. The San Diego Trials Riders - the guys who ride the crazy motorcycles with no seats - showed off some of their tricks to the onlookers. These riders can do more things while riding on their front wheel only than most of us can do on two wheels. Nick Castiglione, SDORC member, added two beautiful Percheron draft horses and a pack horse to represent another segment of off-road public land users. Jim Arbogast from CORVA drove his "Open Coyote Canyon" sign truck. Off-road bicyclists were represented by BMX riders and mountain bikers.
Oh yes, there was also a large number of dirt bikes, quads and dune buggies spread liberally through the SDORC parade entry. Linda Berman, who works at Sunlight Press, in Lakeside, an SDORC business member, had printed up signs on orange poster boards with "Lakeside Supports OHV", "Lakeside Wants an OHV Park" and similar messages. She walked the parade route before the parade and offered them to any parade watchers who wanted them. The result was that, about every 30 or 40 yards, someone held up one of her signs as we went by.
Congressman Hunter, Supervisor Jacob, and future Assemblyman LaSuer saw, first-hand, the support off-roaders have in East County. After the parade, SDORC sponsored a barbecue for all SDORC participants at Lindo Lake Park. Heartland Meat Company, Fud Racing Events, Tierra Del Sol, and Emad Bakeer all contributed to the barbecue.
Last, but certainly not least, SDORC has been informed that the SDORC parade entry won, not one, but two trophies. One for "Best Theme" and one for "Community Organization." Everyone who participated had a great time! The Lakeside Parade was one "Totally Positive Experience" for the off-road community!

This page last updated 6 September 2000