It has been a journey through more than 40 years of Almond Blossom Festivals in Ripon for Carol (Weststeyn) Madsen and longtime Police Chief Red Nutt.Weather is a gray cloud in Madsen’s memory with rain that poured down during her parade. She recalls Nutt helping her to climb up onto the judges stand in front of Mar Val Market that is now the Ripon Library. Both were soaking from the storm.“I remember the town being much smaller in those days with upwards of 1,500 people,” she said.