LIMESTONE — Sometimes being in the parade is more fun than watching the parade, as Mel Jones and his granddaughter, Terra Malkow, found out on the Fourth of July.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Representing the Pine State Motorcycle Club, Mel Jones and his granddaughter, Terra Malkow, won “Best Vehicle Entry” during the Fourth of July Parade in Limestone.
Terra’s from Colorado and discovered during her family visit that she loves going for motorcycle rides with her grandfather.
“When she heard that I was going to be in the Limestone Fourth of July Parade as a member of the Pine State Motorcycle club, she wanted to be a part of the celebration as well,” said Jones, of Fort Fairfield.
As Limestone’s parade theme this year was “Red, White and Blue Vibrations,” Malkow helped plan the patriotic display for Jones’ motorcycle, pitching in to help shop for the All-American adornments and attach them to the bike the day before the parade.
Central Aroostook woke up to a drizzly morning on the Fourth of July, but Malkow was determined not to let a little rain get in the way of parade ambitions, and Jones wasn’t about to disappoint his granddaughter; under misting showers, they drove to Limestone.
To their surprise, the other riders with the Pine State Motorcycle Club elected not to participate due to the weather.
Jones asked Malkow if she was all right with the two being on their own to represent the group and seemed pleased to hear her enthusiastic response.
“With the help from her sister and mother, we hurriedly prepared the motorcycle by cleaning it again after the wet ride over and placing the colorful decorations in their pre-determined locations,” Jones described. “Once we were ready, we took our place in the lineup — she, with her blinged out red, white, and blue helmet her mother had creatively prepared, and I, with an appropriate top-hat.”
While the two patiently waited for the parade to start, a woman walked over to the duo and handed them the “Best Vehicle Entry” parade trophy.
Jones said they were rather surprised, considering they didn’t even know Limestone’s parade was judged.
“Terra had a blast,” Jones said. “She proudly held onto that trophy with one hand and, with a smile from ear to ear, waved to the parade-goers along the entire parade route with the other hand.”
“If it wasn’t for her wanting to be part of the Fourth of July celebration and to just have some fun, she wouldn’t have such a great story to share back in Denver about a long-held celebration in the small town of Limestone in Aroostook County, Maine.”
(By Natalie Bazinet/Staff Writer)
