July 4th Trucks, Tractor and Trikes Parade, Plymouth. (Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)
Celebrating America’s 249th Birthday in a Small Town
Independence Day in Plymouth, CA at the Trucks, Tractors and Trikes parade
By Katy Grimes, July 5, 2025 9:36 am
As California Governor Gavin Newsom was probably sipping on a PlumpJack Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and bashing the President for the One Big Beautiful Bill passage, as well as hard-timing him over fires which broke out of federal land in California, normal Californians took a day off from the vitriol of living in Newsom’s mismanaged and failing state and enjoyed family and friends while celebrating the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, 249 years ago.
Or perhaps it was Brandon Richards (He/Him) sipping on a Whiteclaw, writing nasty messages on X on the governor’s behalf…
We normals had backyard BBQs, parties for the kids, and gathered with family. We weren’t sipping Plumpjack wines eating crudités, Tartine Fromage blanc, and smoked Salmon canapes. No. We enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs and all the fixings, chips, salsa, guacamole (from avocados grown in California Chuck Schumer), sipping White trash Margaritas, and drinking incredible Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Viognier.
As I have reported before, living in downtown Sacramento for more than 30 years hasn’t always been a picnic. I frequently write about crime, encounters with homeless vagrants in downtown, in my neighborhood, as well as in the park near my house, and oppressive state and local government.
A day of celebration was in store on July 4th in Plymouth, CA at the Trucks, Tractors and Trikes parade, as well as a moment of relief.
Plymouth is at the mouth of the Shenandoah Valley, the wine country of Amador County. There are forty-two wineries located in the heart of the celebrated Sierra foothill Gold Country. And the small towns, Plymouth, Amador City, Drytown, Fiddletown, Pinegrove, Pioneer, Volcano… are nestled into the hills, mountains, near rivers and lakes. And wineries… the fabulous wineries.
The highlight is the Independence Day parade, with kids on bikes and trikes, 4-H kids on horses, decorated horses, decorated farm equipment and tractors, big trucks, little trucks, the random decorated car, scooters, golf carts, kiddie cars, and lots of decorated pets.
Passengers in the trucks tossed candy to the little ones.
Kids raced out into the street for candy… a few adults too.
When you enter the region on highway 16, it’s as if you’ve stepped into a portal back to the old west and historic gold country. And the people are genuine and the nicest.
The July 4th parade opened with the National Anthem. Then, the Mother Lode Scots led the way.
The fire trucks rolled through, followed by decorated pickups, tractors, more tractors, kids on tricycles, go-carts, vintage trucks, Shetland Ponies, horses, dogs, but no goats this year. I missed the goats!
Parade goers cheered. Adults enjoyed pomegranate mimosas and cold beer – plenty of cold beer.
California’s cities are a hot mess – and dangerous – even deadly.
The streets of cities and towns in Amador County are not lined with squalid homeless tent camps. No one is pooping on the sidewalks in Amador City or Jackson the way they do in San Francisco (home of the public defecation map), Los Angeles and Sacramento.
There are no organized smash-and-grab retail thefts in Sutter Creek or Ione.
People are not pushed into oncoming trains the way they are in San Francisco.
Plymouth has no homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny-theft, arson, or even shoplifting to speak of.
A recent Sheriff’s log included this crime: “Traffic Hazard in Plymouth. Caller advised several cars stopped due to a loose horse in the roadway.” And this: “Suspicious Person in Martell. Possible female transient, approximately 50 years-old, 5’10”, going through trash and making a mess. Business would like her removed.”
This is not to say that everything is coming up roses in Amador County. But it’s normal. And most Californians crave normal again…
What is normal in California? When kids could walk or ride bikes to school unescorted by parents. When we didn’t lock our doors. When kids could stay outside until dark and play. When a single income was enough for a family. When most families had one car. When we started every day in school with the Pledge of Allegiance and sang America the Beautiful, with our hands over our hearts. When the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were for boys and girls. When anyone who wanted to work could because college wasn’t a prerequisite. When politicians supported business, agriculture and the oil and gas industry in California. When a classical Liberal Arts education was made up of rigorous disciplines from the natural sciences to the fine arts, and teachers taught these disciplines enthusiastically.
And normal in California was when most people did not have to think about politics because elected leaders actually represented constituents, rather than despising them – and when Gavin Newsom was just a privileged punk in San Francisco that most people hadn’t heard of.
Make California Great Again.
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Katy’s last two paragraphs accurately depict California as it used to be. As a kid, I played outside until it was dark. I don’t recall my parents ever driving me to school, even it it rained. You either walked, rode a bike, or took the bus. We said the Pledge of Allegiance in class. No one locked up their guns at home, and no one ever came to the school shooting it up. There were no homeless people, because if you were caught with drugs, you went to jail. That was your new home.
We need to get back to basics. Step 1, get the Democrats out of office.
I remember those days well. We received a viable education; memories to be cherished.
I was there as well. Good stuff.
Two more facts Guber! “Under Investigation.”
“Near State Highway 166.”
_____
If human caused, and at least one suspect is apprehended for arson in a Federal jurisdiction, an address and criminal history may demonstrate a dire need for more inductive thought processes by our state executive.
Newsom never disappoints with a miserable message!
Nothing says, Happy Birthday America than a bitter rant from a bitter little man, who plays Governor of California. Well at least he did not punish us with an 8 hour marathon speech about why Republicans are so baaad, whahhhh😩😭
Newsom is a buzz kill. There is nothing but negativity coming from him
Katy, your pictures remind me of the 4th of July parade back in Modesto when I was a kid growing up. We played until dark and as we got older played hide and seek after it got dark. It was an innocent time. Can we go back to a simpler time? I believe so, but it’s going to take a lot of work and self-determination if we keep playing someone is a victim somewhere it won’t happen. I leave you with this video. https://x.com/iAnonPatriot/status/1941292159438897303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1941292159438897303%7Ctwgr%5Ee63700b506ce7c5e98bf875e12aee7fef17ea4f1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fbrettt%2F2025%2F07%2F05%2Fchubby-woman-is-ready-to-fight-doesnt-care-if-people-abuse-snap-benefits-n2415263
Well, isn’t she just the face of leftism? Without her phone camera, she’d be just another anonymous leftist moron.
Boy. There’s nothing stunting that broad’s growth, is there?
An ugly body with a mind to match. Funny how that works.
Maybe my grandparents experienced a “normal” life in Sacramento with the attributes that Katy listed, but it hasn’t been that way for quite some time–probably since the early 1960s? Democrats have controlled Sacramento as long as I’ve been alive and it’s gotten progressively worse with each passing year with them in almost complete control. Former City Councilman Robbie Waters who has passed during the COVID scamdemic was the only Republican I ever remember holding office in Sacramento. He was a former sheriff and policeman who tried to make a difference with Sacramento’s crime problems but Democrats blocked him in everyway.
On July 4th around 11 am we went to Planet Fitness on Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento and saw two police cars come roaring into the parking lot responding to an altercation with a group of individuals in front of a fire works stand that had been set up. Upon leaving Planet Fitness, we saw a homeless man lying motionless on his back on the corner of Stockton Blvd. and Lawrence Dr. with his shopping cart full of his stuff next to him. We called 911 but dispatch said that someone else had called and an officer was on his way to access the situation. There are homeless people all along Stockton Boulevard like there are along most major streets in Sacramento. This is a snapshot of what we experienced in Sacramento on July 4th under Mayor McCarty and Democrats. Sigh.
On the evening of July 4th and last night, it sounded like a war zone in Sacramento with bottle rockets, cherry bombs, roman candles, M-80s and other illegal fireworks going off well into the early hours of the morning despite a City of Sacramento code prohibiting it. Calling the Sacramento Police Department to report illegal fireworks doesn’t do any good because they’re overwhelmed and they won’t respond. Sacramento is just a typical lawless Democrat city.
It was probably not as bad on Sacramento Street in Stockton.
Katy, if you are going to live in California ,why don’t you consider moving Amador County, since you seem to like it here? We would love have you as a neighbor!
Thank you! I am a part time Amador County local.
Thank you for noticing the important things out there! In Galt, we had a wonderful parade as well and so many people were dressed in red, white, and blue. It was a festive day filled with smiles and community! As to the likes of Newsom, the more they lose grasp of their own self-created negativity, the harder they scratch and crawl to try to keep it. But, in the end, the goodness of the day strongly overshadowed any attempts to make it bad. And any “protesters” out there were nothing more than that occasional annoying fly you have to swat away from your delicious Independence Day tri-tip!
“Gavin Newsom issued what he called a mock executive order.”
He’s unraveling.
Maybe it’ll be Elon who saves America.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/musk-unveils-america-party-challenge-one-party-system-thats-bankrupting-our-country
MakeMarsGreatAgain. /s
“Maybe it’ll be Elon who saves America.”
Not anytime before Hell freezes over. He has always be “eccentric” but lately it seems he is losing his mind. I hope he doesn’t end up like Howard Hughes. The “third party” idea of his is not well thought out.
We moved from East Sac to just down Hwy 49 from Plymouth a few years ago. We didn’t get into town for the parade, but the fireworks on Main Street that night were absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it. The public brought their own fireworks and set them up in the middle of the street for four straight blocks. Everyone lined both sides of the street and cheered until we were hoarse as the fireworks went off for more than two hours.
Wow Katy. Your last two paragraphs are fond memories. Well done. As an older person it brought out both the past great State we had to grow up in and the absolute awful truths about where we are today in CA. Thank you. Well written and enjoyed. I wish those “ old days” were back here. A