You went to Pasadena to support your favorite college football team in the Rose Bowl. Intent on "doing it right," you got to town on Dec. 31 so you could watch the Tournament of Roses parade the next day.

Since it was New Year's Eve, you made your way toward the world-renowned California Institute of Technology (manager of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory), found a lively, neighborhood pub and brought in the new year with 200 of your newest best friends.

Around 2 a.m., someone shouted, "Only six hours till the parade begins!"