Palmer Point California Coastline

June, ’80

This morning I limped down to Palmer’s Point, and then
hobbled down the cliff to the sea. On the offshore rocks was a large
group of sea lions. Some of them were having a good time frolicking in
the sea just off the rocky shelf. There were all shapes and sizes, and
the sea lions ranged in color from tan to black. After hanging there
for a while, I decided I wanted to play some music. I walked back to
camp, got my recorder, and found a nice rock to sit on down by the surf.
The sun was hot, but there was a breeze, making it a perfect day. I
almost felt like writing poetry, but when I tried to write, nothing
happened. I guess this journal entry will have to suffice.

Wondering whether or not I would be able to ride my bicycle again
was getting to me. Would I ever be able to pedal long distance again?
Fortunately, I didn’t have long to worry about it because that’s when
Lisa and Jade bicycled into the park. They were a just married couple
who had chosen to bicycle from their Oakland apartment up to
Oregon for their honeymoon. Once there, they planned to spend their
summer living in a commune in central Oregon. Talking with them,
I felt like I had just passed back into the 1960’s. They were vegetarians
and practiced a “saving the planet” lifestyle. Lisa was the “perfect woman,”
and Jade, with his blond hair, could have passed for the poster boy for Malibu Surfboards. Both were going to be schoolteachers. Lisa had another year of school to
go, but Jade would start teaching High School science in a few months.
They were the perfect medicine for me. My fears about the future all
but disappeared. They planned to hang in this park for a few days before
trekking north.