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American Morning

Festive Floats Mark the Rose Parade

Aired January 01, 2002 - 09:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In less than two hours the Rose Parade gets underway in Pasadena, California and the theme this year, "Good Times". Our Thelma Gutierrez joins us now from the parade staging area with a preview of today's festivities. Happy New Year to you Thelma. It's nice to see you.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you Marty and Happy New Year to you. You mentioned the theme was "Good Times", well I've got to tell you lots of people camped out all night waiting for a very good time here at the Rose Parade. I want you to take a look at some of the floats right behind me.

They are incredibly spectacular floats. They are lined up for the biggest event for the city of Pasadena. This is the first time that the Rose Bowl game will be held on a different day. Nebraska and Miami will actually play on Thursday. Now the parade will begin in about an hour and 15 minutes. The actual starting point is about a half mile away and there are 53 floats in this year's parade.

In between each of the floats that you see here will be high school and college bands playing and equestrian units. Now the parade route is about 5 1/2 miles long and the people who drive these massive floats have absolutely no way to see where they're going, so they have to depend on people called spotters or observers to actually guide them along that route.

Now the man that you see right in front of me is Brian Link. He's such a person - you are the spotter for float number 24, which is the Ivory soap Procter & Gamble float. Talk to me about how critical your job is.

BRIAN LINK, FLOAT OPERATOR: Due to location of the driver in the back, we have to be up in the front telling our drivers exactly where to go. We have to follow the pink line or the red line in the middle of the street and ...

GUTIERREZ: Now Brian, your position is actually hidden in front of the float ...

(CROSSTALK)

GUTIERREZ: ... and you are communicating with the driver via walkie-talkie.

LINK: Yes ma'am.

GUTIERREZ: All right, talk to us about where the driver actually sits.

LINK: OK, the drivers - the driver's compartment, as you can see, it's pretty simple. It's just like a car with the basic throttle, brake and shift controls, has all the other controls, all he is listening to are my commands, going exactly where I tell him to go.

GUTIERREZ: Brian, you are the eyes of this float, and again, the driver who sits in that little tight compartment that you see right here can not see a thing and so, he must rely solely upon the advice and the guidance of Brian Link. Brian, thank you so much and Marty, we're just waiting for this parade to begin; lots of revelers here; lots of people waiting for that good time to come. Again the parade begins in about an hour and 15 minutes. Marty, back to you.

SAVIDGE: Looks a little overcast. How's the weather temperature wise?

GUTIERREZ: I'm sorry Marty.

SAVIDGE: I was just asking the temperature. Is it warm enough for a parade there? People look a little chilled.

GUTIERREZ: No, actually it is a little bit chilly, but I've got to say that is by California standards. It was about 40 degrees overnight. Now it's probably warming up a little bit, but yes, it's a little bit chilly by California standards.

SAVIDGE: All right, Thelma Gutierrez joining us live from the Rose Bowl parade and it's nice to see you. Once more Happy New Year.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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