Grateful Dead

that was fast, Marye......I just joked about it on the "If You're Going to San Francisco,"......harrowing near-death experiences of Humboldt County.....3/21/74 went off a cliff in a car & survived the wreck-really thought that was it as I tumbled head over heels down the hill. My son (the 3) was hanging over the next cliff-I pulled him up & we slept under the redwoods that night in a bed of redwood leaves. (it was pitch dark) Had rained the night before & the night after-not that night. I climbed up in the morn to the nearest house. I was not the driver btw

Twenty years or so ago I decided to hitchhike to San Francisco from Arcata. After a couple of slow rides I found a public campsite in the evening and pitched my tent next to a two quite wild looking guys. They asked me over to their campfire to share a beer. I soon found out they were father and son, from the Midwest somewhere and were driving on the next day to San Francisco. They were friendly enough, curious to meet a real English guy and sure, yes they would give me a ride to thecity in the morning. Perfect. So next morning we set off, but they soon decide to take the scenic route along the coast and turn right onto Highway 1. OK I think, it’s a fine day and the views are spectacular, why not? At the first little town (Mendocino maybe?) they stop outside a grocery to get some breakfast, which consists of a bottle of Southern Comfort and a bunch of beers. They sneer at me when I just get a carton of juice and a bagel. Soon we set off and right away they crack open the liquor, drinking deeply, trying to persuade me to drink with them, not so happy when I refuse. We drive on. Then they turn up the music loud and start talking furtively to each other, glancing back at me. After 30 minutes or so the son turns round, stares at me and says with menace ‘Ain’t you asleep yet?’. I was starting to feel uncomfortable now. And even more so when they suddenly pull off into one of the parking areas above the cliffs. But when they see a couple of camper vans parked there, they drive through without stopping, back to the highway. Twice more this happens..turn up the music, secret talk, and drive into a pull off . Each time there are other people there. Shit I realise. These guys are looking for somewhere quiet to rob me ...or worse. I decide to apply a little psychology. Things may go better if I to try to engage them in some friendly conversation. ‘So what are you guys doing over this way’ I ask. ‘We’ve been buying’ the father says, ‘but we didn’t like the deal so we just ....’ they look at each other and laugh. At this point the son gets a revolver out of the glove box, points it at me, looks me in the eye and says ’We only use it when we have to’ Then they turn up the music again and start talking and looking at me, arguing it seems, while the son plays with the gun. I decide I should jump out ..but at that time there are no other vehicles around. So I wait. The road passes into some open country , and there, set back from the road and standing by itself, is a very modern looking church. A wedding party is gathering outside. Immediately the driver turns into the driveway, winds down his window, turns up the music (Led Zeppelin) to ear splitting volume, and drives at speed right past the church , forcing the well dressed wedding guests to jump out the way, while the son leans right out his window shouting ’Fuck You Assholes’. We then go back to the highway. OK, I think, the police will be here soon for sure. For some reason the father now drives more and more slowly (he's really drunk).'Is there something wrong with the car?' I ask 'How should I know' answers pop roughly 'it ain't mine'. They both laugh. Soon we are going so slowly that we have a long line of cars behind us. When someone behind sounds his horn, the son leans out his window, cursing and giving them the finger. Surely someone has called the cops..but there is no sign of them. I quietly grab hold of my bag, nervously inching it towards me, checking out the door handle and looking for a good place to jump. Suddenly and unexpectedly pop pulls into gas station and road house and stops. ‘We are going to get some coffee’ he says as if everything was quite normal ‘You wanna come?’. ‘Er no thanks’ I say, trying to stay calm ‘I think I’ll push on’. The son laughs , points the gun at me one last time and says ‘You’re scared of us aint ya?’ laughs, puts the gun away and gets out. I grab my bag and run to the highway, desperate for a ride. A few minutes later a farmer stops for me..only to drop me at his turning about 2 miles down the road, in the middle of nowhere. ‘Shit’ I think. ‘What if those two maniacs come by and see me?’ So I hide in the bushes, giving myself just enough time to check out that each approaching car is not the two crazies, before leaping out of the bushes like a madman , thumb desperately outstretched. Needless to say this is not a good way to get a ride. After an hour I am getting desperate, when suddenly a Mercedes stops. The window rolls down and the very pretty young woman in the passenger seat says ‘Jump in’. I’m very happy to do so, even happier when I see the equally lovely young woman driving. These two real life angels went far out of their way to take me to my friends’ house in Marin, safe at last.

Quite a story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. Sounds like good material for a screenplay.

that's quite the story.....whew! glad ya made it out alive.....gun pulling ain't no fun unless you're target practicing on cans.....

badger, grate story as always... the last bit with the Blonde Babes in a Benz with Badger is a wonderful segue into a Russ Myer film... too bad THAT didn't happen. I'd buy the VDO. ( -: peace.

That was YOU badger? Holy donuts! Oh and that other guy wasn't the Old Man, he was my attorney.

Screen shot from the movie, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" from the website "afterthefirstshowing.wordpress.com".

there are similarities to the hitchhiker story in Fear and Loathing, but I would hope that Raoul Duke and Dr Gonzo might have done it with a bit more style than those two maniacs. Plaid shirts, jeans, and a 20 year old Japanese wreck not quite the same as slacks, Hawaiian shirts and a convertible. Now wherever did I say those two kind ladies in the Merc were blondes? Actually they were Italian brunettes. For sure the fantasy ending to the story would be that those two angels took me to heaven, but instead they took me to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, which, at the time, was plenty good enough for me. or maybe it was all a dream....nah..if that were the case there definitely would have been the fantasy ending. this message comes to you from the ancient city of Brasov in the heart of Romanian Transylvania. or maybe this is a dream too.....

I think it was in Humboldt County at a music/used record shop where I finally tracked down a record titled 'Elephant Mountain' by the Youngbloods.On this record is the song 'On Sir Francis Drake Blvd.',this and another cut 'Darkness,darkness(be my pillow)' were among my favorite psychedelic anthems....

Badger Babes Part II "Brunette Babes in a Benz with Badger" k?

"Bravian Balkan Badger Babes in Transylvania" (add kitchy vamp vampire accent) 'I vant to suck your....' safe travels, mate.

The winter of 73-74-the river flooded twice, rained 3 weeks, day in & day out-pounding mind you (I loved it, ex did not, being from the desert) We lived up on the mountain top & just stayed up there til the water resided enough to get to town for more supplies......a friend ran the river boat (county job) which took plp back & forth. Had it not been for that car wreck described before (he was the driver of the car), we most likely would've drowned-nothing quite as exciting as Badger's experience @ this point....CC-you're just too funny

Dialing for Dollars :) ! your stories are the BEST Badger! Really a true gift... I always know what you post will be good, Gotta smoke a camel beoforehand & afterwards ~ ha ha PEACE

I reckon your adventure was more scary than mine..off a cliff in a car...with a child on board too. Eeek... doesn't bear thinking about. So glad you made it!

no idea what the laws will do, but if Cali had a bit of common sense it would be only legal MD stuff would have to be local in state grown, then theyd be supporting a farming industry, as well as getting the tax from the sales and helping folks in medical need... I reckon they need a 'grass roots' effort to get that legislation on the books. ( -;

They are tightening the screws on the dispensaries here in CO too. The people always vote majority to pro-pot but it's like the govt doesn't believe it. What's the point in voting then? "Here's my half a dollar if you dare .. double twist when you hit the air. Look at Julie down below .. the levee doing the dopaso"

Thanks to everyone for your comments on my drive - through - the - redwoods idea for my journey to SF. I made the trip and it was so very cool. Now mind you I'm a landlubber so when I stayed in a hotel in Crescent City that was literally 200 yards from the ocean I was thrilled. Plus I got to eat FRESH seafood ... OMG that was heaven. Oh yeah and the redwoods were spectacular! I'm also glad to report that I have no tales of tragedy to share. "Here's my half a dollar if you dare .. double twist when you hit the air. Look at Julie down below .. the levee doing the dopaso"

Hope you went drove through Stout Grove by Crescent City, awesome 7 mile dirt road through the redwoods, it's less than an hour drive south of my place.

Used to drive like a bat outta hell to get to the city for Winterland....GD......never had a ticket, but there seemed to be @ the ticket box office when I went up to ask-"got 2 tixs?" Maybe she liked me or just good karma....soon after that I started working there & left Humboldt

One time my dog,Sheba, and I were doing a backpacking trip from Trinidad to Crescent City along the coast. We were in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park just north of Fern Canyon when we come upon a big Roosevelt Elk with a huge rack of antlers on the trail. We tried to go around him one way but the elk followed us and wouldn't let us pass, so we go bac k to the trail and he follows us back and starts coming towards me and backs me up against some bushes and small trees and it's 10 feet away and I'm wondering if it's gonna charge when Sheba starts running circles around it taking it's attention away from me. Sheba slipped once and the elk put its antlers down and starts going for her but Sheba got up and just missed getting poked. That gave us time to pass it by and keep hiking. A couple minutes later we come upon a herd of about 30 female elk along with the most majestic buck I've ever seen. We walked right past them just a few feet away. This past October we took a hike down to the Tall Trees Grove in Redwood National Park. Didn't see any elk but it's a beautiful 4-5 mile round trip hike if your ever in the area.

I forgot to add that you'd need to stop at a Redwood Nat. Park office to get the combination to the lock cause the last six miles of road are behind a locked gate.

Would be that aggressive usually they are spooky but if the pack of cows you came across were apart of the bull's harem and it was during the rutting season, then maybe your presence was threatening enough to make him defensive. Regardless encounters with wildlife can be sketchy! "Here's my half a dollar if you dare .. double twist when you hit the air. Look at Julie down below .. the levee doing the dopaso"

starsleeper, you and Sheba were most fortunate.Those elk are FREEKS,especially in that park.I've had close encounters with that herd on the Fern Canyon trail out to the beach....

I got the feeling that the elk that gave Sheba and I trouble probably thought he was the next in line to be the king of the harem and maybe he a little pissed he had to be standing out there by himself. Humboldt rocks!

I lived in Ukiah in 2008 and left after harvest season that year. Couldn't find much legitimate work * we all know you can't trim year round no matter how much you grow or who you know* and I had better luck down in San Diego work wise until I moved out here to CO. Been here since 2009 and it was one of the better moves I've ever made. Not to mention Red Rocks is awesome;) But back to Humboldt County. Lived in a tent in Garberville in a vineyard. The old man and his wife who owned it *their names now escape me* was very cool with us for that month and a half* it was september and freezing, I'm positive they felt bad for us* but my apartment in Ukiah was nice. Studio right above a bar and a mattress store. Caddy corner to the safeway and a CVS. Highway was a 5 minute drive and San Fran was never too far away. Kind of miss those days sometimes.

How could I forget? Potter Valley. All through Potter Valley. The general store sold cigarettes, beer, ammo, food and supplies, small one hitters and deli sandwiches and hats that read "Where in the Hell is Potter Valley?" fine fine times

That’s a wild story.. the quick ending makes me a bit skeptical but if not wow. Most people here are solid and we def tend to take care of our own before out of towners. During harvest season (sept-nov. and som work in dec) people from all over the world flock here to arcata to get week trimming. Lots of them do get work but again if you already have a team of girls or guys and know and trust them your gonna go with them instead of some guy from Denmark that rolls tobacco in his joints.. But prices keep dropping and good trimmers are askin more than us growrescan afford causing a riff being filled by Cheapported labor..Sound familiar? It’s simple economics. Ebb and flow. But yes there are some crazy ass tweekersand on the streets of eureka mostly. up here in the hills they cook and obviously use too, constantly getting arrested for distribution and just an example of a selfish bpeople cause most have kids and its sad. We do have people disappear all the time so bringba 22 or make damn sure you check out who your dealing with! It’s the Wild West out here.. polices are few and far I think it’s 1 cop for ever 250 sq miles. That’s a lot of ground to cover

Elk are big animals.. second only to the moose In the two toed, hooved, and horned cervidae family (in North America, there are 55 species in the family worldwide including antelope, caribou, reindeer, all types deer etc) there big and territorial.. especially during rutting.. best to look from afar with binoculars or crouch down low and be very quiet. As for fern canyon it does blow having to pay, I think it’s like 10$ now.. ..haven’t done it in years but my friends and I would drive past the first exit and take the one designed for people heading south and park our cars righ of the exit under some redwoods and just walk through the woods straight to agate beach no charge! We could easily go to fern canyon or chill on the beach.. never had any problems but that doesn’t mean you won’t .. looking back we probably just didn’t have a park ranger or choir see our cars but then again we did it often. Idk. I’d say it’s worth the ten bucks not to worry