That would be me, cooking breakfast, sometime in early spring, likely April, in the 1980s, at San Clemente State Beach in California.I have many fond memories of this California location.
As a kid San Clemente was our home base for exploring Southern California. I remember so clearly the day we got to San Clemente. Us kids all had our tasks to do when setting up camp, helping set up the trailer, that type stuff.
Mom and dad could tell we were chomping at the bit to get to the beach. I remember mom saying, just go. And we did. To get to San Clemente State Beach a trail takes you down the steep cliffs to reach the Pacific Ocean.
It was in that part of the Pacific Ocean that I discovered the fun of body surfing. And what it felt like to get stung by a jellyfish.
Over the years I returned to San Clemente State Beach many times. I remember one particular time when I realized it'd been 13 years since I'd first stood above the San Clemente cliffs when I was only 13. For some reason this made me feel very melancholy looking out at the ocean and north to the sparkling lights along the shoreline.
When I first saw the town of San Clemente it was a small town. San Juan Capistrano is the next town north. It was also a small town. By the 1980s they were no longer small towns. Instead the towns had all joined together in the type of sprawl that happened all over America. I liked it better when they were still small towns.
Richard Nixon's Western White House, Casa Pacifica, was a very short distance south of San Clemente State Beach. I do not recollect ever seeing Mr. Nixon surfing.
San Clemente State Beach is located on the south end of the city of San Clemente in Orange County.
Location and Directions to San Clemente State Beach
Interstate 5 South
Exit Ave. Calafia
Proceed straight onto Ave. Calafia
San Clemente State Beach entrance will be on your left side in ¼ mile
Exit Cristianitos Road
Turn left and proceed over the freeway
Turn right onto Ave. del Presidente
Turn left onto Ave. Calafia
San Clemente State Beach entrance will be on your left side in ¼ mile
No comments:
Post a Comment