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I get a lot of e-mails from people who, like me, grew up here in our beautiful Orange County. Many of them contain really cool tales about things that happened years ago, and in doing so they also tell a little bit about the history of this area.
I always read them and reply. Each one brings back memories for me. But, being the idiot that I am and working with only three still-functioning brain cells - one for eating, one for going to the bathroom and one for surfing - in my waterlogged head, I haven't saved any of them.
Then this morning, while sitting here in front of my trusty coal-operated computer, carefully contemplating the subject of today's story, this little light bulb goes off over my head.
It occurs to me that I really should compile a bunch of those cool stories and present them in my column.
OK, actually I was racking my brain for a topic, and when this idea came to me I had to kick myself for not saving some of those e-mails.
So, in an effort to more efficiently give you a true perspective on what it was like growing up here, and because I love reader participation, I am asking any of you who have previously sent me your stories – and any of you who haven't, yet might have some really great recollections of deeds and days gone by in Orange County – to please e-mail them as soon as you can to corkysurf*aol.com.
When I get enough cool material I'll do an occasional "growing up in Orange County" series.
To start things off, I'll give you a little rundown on just a few things that I remember.
I remember that the surf was crowded at the Huntington Beach Pier; it seems like it always has been.
But when I was a kid the crowd only stretched less than a block on either side of the pier. After that there would be no surfers as far as the eye could see in either direction.
Today you can stand on the pier and see nothing but massive amounts of boards and bodies that resemble ants all trying to munch on the same leftover strands of last night's spaghetti. It's total carnage.
I remember surfing at Dana Point. There used to be one of the most beautiful coves in the whole world there. The surf would come off the point and into the bay where there was a little fishing pier.
The afternoon westerly wind would blow straight offshore, making for some of the best waves on the coast when there was a south swell.
Right after I graduated from Huntington Beach High School, I moved into a tiny little house right above Dana Cove and used to surf there.
And it was a great place to "park" with your date, very romantic and nobody around at night. Oh yeah, and I remember "parking." Geez, that was great stuff.
Another reeeeeallly good spot for that was up above Dana Point in the hills. Back then, the area right about where Dana Hills High School is used to be prime "parking" territory. I guess it is an area that was just meant for education of one sort or another. I know that I learned a lot there.
I also remember my dad loading a bunch of us young surfers in the back of his old El Camino and taking us on "surf safaris" down Pacific Coast Highway. We lived in Surfside and sometimes he would take us as far as Windansea in San Diego.
San Onofre and Doheny were always favorites of ours in those days. And we would always stop at the Orange Inn right above Crystal Cove and get date shakes.
Date shakes were milk shakes made out of dates and to be really honest with you, I thought they tasted terrible. When you finished one you would be so thirsty that you needed a gallon of water to wash away the taste in your mouth.
But at the time it seemed to be a really cool thing to do and was all part of the rich pageantry of going on a surf safari "down south."
So there are a few of my memories. Send me yours and we will get this thing kicked off. Article by Corky Carroll five time US. Surfing Champion..... There are some parts of this article some of you older posters might get a kick out of, I am to young to remember. I wonder what they use to do at those drive in theaters they have swap meets at?
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GET LAID AT ON THOSE WARM SUMMER NIGHTS IN A CONVERTIBLE OR ANY VEHICLE FOR THAT MATTER. STILL IS A GREAT PLACE IF I CAN FIND ME A BABYSITTER ON TIME.....
-------------------- "NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE U.S./CHINA CONNECTION"
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Now come on DWE i am from this area where can you drive any more at 95mph in and around L.A. were lucky if we can travel 10-15 mph. Toll road in orange county maybe, but with all the speed traps you won't for long. In the 60's you could have, but you missed you time, good or bad.
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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Why does it have to be a babysitter? Wouldn't a cheerleader be okay?
quote:Originally posted by DWE: THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GET LAID AT ON THOSE WARM SUMMER NIGHTS IN A CONVERTIBLE OR ANY VEHICLE FOR THAT MATTER. STILL IS A GREAT PLACE IF I CAN FIND ME A BABYSITTER ON TIME.....
-------------------- "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
- Benjamin Franklin Posts: 3898 | Registered: Dec 2005
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