i woke up at 8:30am to get ready to go to my 5th patriots superbowl parade (past parade 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015). i felt much better than yesterday, but i wondered what being out in the cold will do to my recovery. the parade was at 11am but i didn't want to get there too early (standing outside for so long) or too late (not being able to find a good spot). but when i turned on the news at 9:20am and saw that there was already a crowd of spectators crowding copley square, i knew i had to get into the city soon. i left the house at around 9:30am. the forecast today was snow transitioning into sleet following by a day of freezing rain. as i walked to porter station, large clumps of snow began falling from the sky. the bad weather was just starting.

i arrived in park street at 10am. seemed like i got there too late, because it was already madness as swarms of people crowded boston common, lining the tremont street parade route left and right. yesterday i'd picked out some choice spots with high elevation using google maps, but all those selections went out the window, and i'd be lucky if i could find any good spots at that point. normally i like to stand on the corner of boylston and tremont, but it would be too crowded at this point to even make an attempt. i found a large elevated 6x12' rectangular planter to stand on across the street from the H&R office. i couldn't get a front space so i stood in the back, with a large dirt-filled empty space in middle. i had my umbrella anyway, so better to be in the back and not block anyone.