I frequented a certain section of the Nat'l Forest in SoCal so often, I "adopted" it.
No lie. Under the USFS's Adopt-A-Canyon program, I was the Head Cheese in that area.
My duties were mainly to keep it clean, write up campfire permits and report anything that needed reportin' (like a busted picnik table) to my boss.
There was very little to do. The area, very beautifully wooded with a trout stream full of stocked and native trout, was very rarely frequented.
Which is one of the reasons I adopted it.
It also had a full compliment of wildlife like deer and birds and reptiles, with very few bugs.
There are 3 waterfalls within 45 minutes of the trailhead, one of them 2 & 1/2 stories high.
A group campground was also located in that area, but we usually camped out in a big sandy area a few dozen feet from the stream. I was there many weekends throughout the year with a friend or 2, and had set up a rockring and sittin' logs.
And I would have my Kaos In The Kanyon Parties there.
All the parties I have thrown in the last 25 years have been camping parties. My friends like to get toasted and I didn't want anyone to have to drive home under those conditions, plus most of my friends dig on camping overnight.
I would schedule the parties for a full moon in July. With the moonlight reflecting off the buff-colored canyon walls, you could hike without a flashlight.
There would usually be 40--60 people attending. People were encouraged to bring noise-makers, and there were acoustic & elect. guitars, full-size conga's, bongo's, rainsticks, tambourines, maracca's, all kinds of stuff and if you didn't bring anything you could bang a stick on a rock. One time a guy who was in the UCLA marching band brought one of those drums they wear while marching. He looked spiffy actually wearing the marching band coat--and nothing else.
People were asked to come early, like in the mid0afternoon. There'd be time for people to split off into 2's or 3's or small groups. You might want to stand naked under a waterfall, fish, splash, or have some of my world famous Killer Kanyon Chili.
Dusk though everyone gathered at a central location.
There might be announcements of upcoming events, but this was also the itme when the heavy drug-taking would commence.
Happy cookie's, shroom tea, acid, e, booze--all kinds.
And the music would start.
We'd usually start out with songs, but as time passed and the drugs took effect, it was all the noisemakers, and chants.
If you've never heard 50 people with all sorts of instruments going at it free-form, you're missing something.
No words to describe it except TOTALLY AWESOME!!! People would split off from the drum circle to take a side hike or **** or whatever before returning, but the circle kept on.
Some people would crash in 2's or 3's off to the side, but most of us slept in a cummunity pile. We put all of our blankets and sleeping bags in one location like a giant bed and then lay down where ever you want, next to whomever you want.
The last Kaos was the best. It was my farewell Kaos before I moved away from my homeland (SoCal), the end of the Kaos parties and also my 420 parties which I hosted at a different campground.
Anyway our leader Bert gathered us together and people told me how much they'd miss me being around and then the most amazing thing happened.
They started chanting my name.
First just one, then a few and within seconds it was like 50 people chanting my name. It was bouncing off the canyon walls no doubt frightening small woodland creatures.
It was like the heavens had opened up and light was shining down from above--like a religious experience.
I felt sorta like I had just hit the winning home run to win the World Series.
It remains the best 30--60 seconds or so in my entire life.
The "gang" is still together, still having sweat lodges and what not, and a few times a year some of them venture up north to visit.
No lie. Under the USFS's Adopt-A-Canyon program, I was the Head Cheese in that area.
My duties were mainly to keep it clean, write up campfire permits and report anything that needed reportin' (like a busted picnik table) to my boss.
There was very little to do. The area, very beautifully wooded with a trout stream full of stocked and native trout, was very rarely frequented.
Which is one of the reasons I adopted it.
It also had a full compliment of wildlife like deer and birds and reptiles, with very few bugs.
There are 3 waterfalls within 45 minutes of the trailhead, one of them 2 & 1/2 stories high.
A group campground was also located in that area, but we usually camped out in a big sandy area a few dozen feet from the stream. I was there many weekends throughout the year with a friend or 2, and had set up a rockring and sittin' logs.
And I would have my Kaos In The Kanyon Parties there.
All the parties I have thrown in the last 25 years have been camping parties. My friends like to get toasted and I didn't want anyone to have to drive home under those conditions, plus most of my friends dig on camping overnight.
I would schedule the parties for a full moon in July. With the moonlight reflecting off the buff-colored canyon walls, you could hike without a flashlight.
There would usually be 40--60 people attending. People were encouraged to bring noise-makers, and there were acoustic & elect. guitars, full-size conga's, bongo's, rainsticks, tambourines, maracca's, all kinds of stuff and if you didn't bring anything you could bang a stick on a rock. One time a guy who was in the UCLA marching band brought one of those drums they wear while marching. He looked spiffy actually wearing the marching band coat--and nothing else.
People were asked to come early, like in the mid0afternoon. There'd be time for people to split off into 2's or 3's or small groups. You might want to stand naked under a waterfall, fish, splash, or have some of my world famous Killer Kanyon Chili.
Dusk though everyone gathered at a central location.
There might be announcements of upcoming events, but this was also the itme when the heavy drug-taking would commence.
Happy cookie's, shroom tea, acid, e, booze--all kinds.
And the music would start.
We'd usually start out with songs, but as time passed and the drugs took effect, it was all the noisemakers, and chants.
If you've never heard 50 people with all sorts of instruments going at it free-form, you're missing something.
No words to describe it except TOTALLY AWESOME!!! People would split off from the drum circle to take a side hike or **** or whatever before returning, but the circle kept on.
Some people would crash in 2's or 3's off to the side, but most of us slept in a cummunity pile. We put all of our blankets and sleeping bags in one location like a giant bed and then lay down where ever you want, next to whomever you want.
The last Kaos was the best. It was my farewell Kaos before I moved away from my homeland (SoCal), the end of the Kaos parties and also my 420 parties which I hosted at a different campground.
Anyway our leader Bert gathered us together and people told me how much they'd miss me being around and then the most amazing thing happened.
They started chanting my name.
First just one, then a few and within seconds it was like 50 people chanting my name. It was bouncing off the canyon walls no doubt frightening small woodland creatures.
It was like the heavens had opened up and light was shining down from above--like a religious experience.
I felt sorta like I had just hit the winning home run to win the World Series.
It remains the best 30--60 seconds or so in my entire life.
The "gang" is still together, still having sweat lodges and what not, and a few times a year some of them venture up north to visit.
