Hippie Reunion?

Although I was in the LA area in 1973-75, I was in Santa Monica-- you may be able to find your friends through the Rainbow Family site, however. I'll post a link next time I'm here, but the site is called Welcome Here.
For those fortunate enough to be located out west, there are annual Gatherings of the Family, and you could most likely hook up there.
Here are a couple photos from this year's shindig. Maybe you'll recognize somebody. If not, check out welcomehere.org because there's a slide show there with almost 200 pictures.
Nice to meet you, Brother.

 

I wasn't there at that time brother, but wish I could have been. I envy anyone who was able to get to San Francisco during those times. But, I am soon going to visit Haight Ashbury this summer. Can't wait, want a picture of the sign with me standing in front of it. It means the world to me.

Good luck on your search for the people you are looking for and peace to you.

Daharma

 

Yes, I too wish you much luck on your search!

Peace and love,
Lennon

 

That'd be fun to get together again!

 

Dear Hippie Flower Girl,

Thank you for your reply. I recognize the photo as that of the Doors. The first time I saw a billboard of them was on Sunset Strip in LA and the only time I was at a concert of theirs was in San Francisco.

Peace and Love,
Roger
The now "old" hippie from "The City" or "The Haight"

 

Dear Acid Queen,

Thank you very much for your reply. There was a time...a very lovely time...in the city of LOVE...San Francisco. It was a time when the beautiful people from all over the US and the World came together to celebrate Peace and Love. I hope it will happen again. I can remember when I first arrived in "The City". I had hitched a ride (hitch hiked) from Hollywood. As I walked along Haight Street someone said "Are you hungry?" and stuck the end of a sandwitch in my mouth. A while later someone said "Open your mouth" and they placed a tab of acid on my tounge. Did I spell that right? As the night arrived someone else came along and said "Do you need a place to crash (do you need a place to sleep)". Well of course I did. And that was only the first day! There is no way to put into print the true experience of those times. You had to live it. However, you can get an idea by the writings here and by other postings of how it was. I sincerely hope we can again celebrate those beautiful time we have celebrated before.

Peace and Love Sister,
Roger

To Be Continued.....

 

Wow... Everything you say sounds beautiful, drjackalope!... I thing I'm gonna cry. I wish I lived in that lovely time, I really feel like I belong there... I hope it could happen again. Keep telling us stories about your experiences and your life when you lived in SF.

Peace & Love

Jelena

 

Dear Jelena,

It was summer, 1966. I was just about fed up with life in Illinois. I knew I was leaving, I just didn’t know when. At the graduation ceremony, as the principle handed me my diploma, he stared at me. Or should I say, he stared at my hair. Yes, it was long. Too long for then and there. It touched the top of my ears. Or just maybe it was just barely over them. It was not the right length. Why was it that I, not like most, not like I should be, not like a "good boy", have hair like that? What was I thinking? Why did I not have a crew cut, or butch haircut like I should? A nice, clean, respectable haircut, greased down with Brill Cream or standing erect with the aid of Butch Wax. Both products where readily available and I should have known about them. After all, we only had three channels then. And all in black and white. And both products advertised on all channels. Of course I knew what was expected.. But was it "right".

What gave me the right to question? What gave me the right to ask? Young men had died in World War II to save our country. Was I not willing to do the same now to save us, the United States of America, from the threat of Viet Nam? It was my duty to kill the Vietnamese. It was my duty to prevent the world takeover by the communists. Was I a coward who was not willing to die for my country?

No. I was not a coward then and I am not a coward now. A coward can’t say no. When I did say no to an unjust war, the war in Vietnam, my father was livid with anger. I can remember that day at the kitchen table. I remember it well. It was 38 years ago. He was a veteran of World War II. He said "I can’t believe you won’t fight for this country". His eyes welled up with tears. He had come from a different generation. Well, so did I. It was not a pleasant moment. He did the right thing at that time, his time. But it was my time now. The Vietnamese had not attacked us. The Threat? If they won then the whole of southeast Asia would go communist. Well guess what? It did not happen. He did the right thing and so did I.

That was it. The final straw. I could not stay in his house after that. He just didn’t get it. It was not World War II all over again. The draft was on and the youth of this nation where sent as cannon fodder to die in "glory" to protect us from the threat of being overtaken by the communists. Classmates where coming back in body bags. It was time to act.

Headlines appeared in the local newspaper. Not just our paper, but papers around the USA and around the World. "Hippies Riot In LA". There was a bus. The hippies had turned it over. In Los Angeles, on Sunset Strip in Hollywood.. I had to go. I wanted, or should I say, my goal in life was to become a surfer with long hair on the southern California beaches. It was November in the year of our lord 1966. I packed my bag, a small suitcase, and had about $30 in my pocket, and I hit the road.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Peace and Love,

Roger

 

I remember The Haight in 66'. I was prolly sleeping in a doorway on Haight Street when you got there jaclalope. I was raised in Anahiem and had been to hollywood on many occations, in fact I worked at the Wiskey (using my sister's ID)for a while and danced on Leon Russell's piano on one of my vacations to So. Cali to hang out with my people.
I lived in the Haight on and off for 11 yrs. I spent a lot of time on Hippie Hill and stayed mostly in the neighborhood excepted when I'd go to China Town or North Beach or Market St. to panhandle for 'Spare Change' to get some fish-n-chips and a bottle of whatever.
I was a 'Street Hippie' for a few weeks there on my stairway overlooking haight st. I witnessed and experienced many strange and wonderful happenings on them stairs. I was invited in a house to stay got pregant/married/divorced and a few yrs later joined a commune there in the haight and raised my boy there for 3 yrs. We visited Oregon for a while and went back to the City to the commune. It was quite an adventure and learning experience. It was either you grow and learn or 'go home'. It was love peace and hippie beads for the most part, there in the 60's. Everyone was 'brother' 'sister' and did their part tho I mst add that we didn't take no shit either, we were peace lovers but we were not cowards. The 'Elders" would help 'enlighten' ones as they came along seeking truth. The truth being that we are all bros n sis's and that we are here to learn and grow, we are here to keep the peace and the earth clean, we are to behave civilized and help where and when we are needed and do it joyfully as this is our work, to live in harmony with the earth and it's inhabitence. So here we are AllONE coming from the same Source the ALL.
We of the 60's era pushed it as far as it would go. We were beaten and imprisioned and even killed for excersizing our 1st amendment and for protesting the war. We now had families to take care of and we yearned for the Garden. A lot of us , like myself have found their garden and are living peacefully tending to it.
I hear a lot ask, what we the old ones are doing about things now. Well in answer I'd like to say that most of us are old and not in the best of health. We have raised our kids and a lot of us are raising our grandkids. We oldies are mostly on social security now or disability and some po' sobs are still out there 'humpin' it' trying to make a living outa piss poor wages but we still have the vibe that keeps the beat going. The movement never died, it was just laying low and working 'underground'. The youth is starting to put their energy forth once again and the elders are preparing a place/places to gather, striving for like mindedness in a communal endevor to create community/townships type setting, living off the grid and in harmony with the earth. They are begining to surface once again and are in need of positive energy and a hard fulfilling workforce. There is a need for purchase money for additional land and there is a need of more people to build and live in and take part in the community(s).This would be an excelent place to begin if one was wanting to be part of changing things and living as was intended in peace and harmony.
I know.. I need to end this long post, so consider it ended.. Blessed Be.

 

Dear Shameless,

Thank you for your comments. I happened to be on Sunset Strip in maybe November, 1966. I think Sonny and Cher where playing there around that time. My first time in Whiskey A Go Go I was surprised at the cost. Wasn't there a two drink minimum per hour or show and the cheapest way to go was a coke in a tiny thin glass for $1.25 each. That was a lot of money then for a poor, young boy from near Peoria.

Do you remember the conga drummers on Hippie Hill not far from the east entrance of Golden Gate Park? Sometimes I would see Pan the pipemaker there working on his massive communal pipes that could hold a lid or more. Did you get your fish and chips down near the end of Haight Street? They wrapped them in newspaper on the outside and had vineger if you wanted it. They had a long line outside much of the time.

Do remember the gal that ran Love Burgers in the entrance to a bar on Haight and not far from the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic?

Do you remember the Straight Theater or the time the street was closed and the Greatful Dead put on a concert? Can you remember Eddie Baker who was killed by the pigs about 1968-9 in his apartment on Page Street I think. If you where there all that time we must have met or at least seen one another. It won't be long and I will post some of the photos I have from that time.

Long Live Hippies,
Love, Roger

 

Be low is a fuzzy photo of who I thought was either Roach or Wheatgerm. Please let me know. And below that is one of me. Both were taken in 1968.

 

Below is a fuzzy photo of who I thought was either Roach or Wheatgerm taken in 1968. Please let me know.

 

Awww, no, Roger - that's not Roach or Wheatgerm. I'll try to send a copy of the one picture of Wheatgerm i have access to - hope it works! Thanks sooooo much.
And I sure am sorry that I never met you there!!

 

I'm going to try to add the picture of Wheatgerm.

 

OK. I am so sorry that the photos are not Wheatgerm or Roach. There must be someone else out there that has a story or photos to post? Please also check the commune listings as we need to start a commune here in Wyoming.

I love you,
Roger, dr.jackalope

 

hey you guys!I lived in s.f. in 1977,I hooked up with people on Fell st.,who friends out in florida told me about.Ihung out around five GREAT years.I worked some security gigs with the family dog,and met some interesting people to say the least!At any rate I last saw these folks around 1990,and havent been able to find any of them lately.They used to make these erotic pipes called "Molly and Kenny' and called themselves the nasties family.Any ways.Im all for a place to hook up with old friends,that would be a wonderful thing.I know alot of us have transcended the plane since then,and I just feel good energy about it .Im new around the site and am mostly technologically challenged but its been a joy to read toure stuff.Namaste...audreyanne

 

Hi Audrey Anne

Thank you for your post. I was gone in 1977 but let's hope there was someone else in SF who can shed a little light on who else was there. Who from the Family Dog was there?

Love and Peace,
Roger

 

Hey Roger,
Well I Do Declare,somebody Is Still Onto This Thread!well,i Was Pretty Young Back Then,but The People I Knew Were Around From The Beginning...a Lady Named Eden,who We All Called Pooh,ranger Scorpio Kenny...chet Was A Friend Of Hers,and At Times We Got To Work Security At Some Of The Familydog Productions.he May Not Remember Me,but Poohs Dog Aruba Who Was Irish Setter And St.bernard Bit Him When He Came To The House Once-it So Happens Chet Was Wearing A Bracelet And There Was Little Damage Done.we Eorked A Two Day Gig In Monterey At The Fairgrounds,saw Country Joe And The Fish,it Was A Beautiful Day,big Mama Thornton And A Host Of Others...also At The Greek Theatre In Berkley Big Brother And The Holding Co.but With Katht Mcdonald,this Was After Janis...these People Were A Collection Center For The Guatamalaen Earthquake,i Dont Remember Dates Very Well(no Wonder).i Ended Up Doing Alot Of Cleaning For Them,5 Years Worth,and Found A Manual For The Haight Ashbury Switchboard Training Volunteers How To Talk Someone Down From A Bad Acid Trip,what To Do For A Heroin O D ,just All Kinds Of Info From Back In The Day!dennis Mcnally Used To Come By To Visit,before His Book About Jack Keroauc

 

continued...IWAS DISTRACTED AND I DONT KNOW BUT I BLEW THAT POST.ANYWAY I SAW THESE FOLKS IN THE EARLY OR MID 80S BUT HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYONE IN A LONG TIME..LARRY &ZOE&VENUS,ANNIE RIELLY,BILL HUCKABA,MICKEY FINN SCHULTZIEKINS,THERE WERE SO MANY OF US FROM SF TO ORE.,HA.,FLA.,AND IN BETWEEN.WE DID BOOTHS AT THE HAIGHT ST FAIR,SCORPIO KENNY WAS INTO LITHOGRAPHY,SILKSCREEN,I DID SOME AIR BRUSH,BAY AREA RE COP ASSN.HA HA.WE HAD COLLECTORS OF PEKING GLASS SOLD LEVIS AT THE MARIN CITY FLEA .SO YEAH NOT TO BORE WITH ALL THE DETAILS.IT WOULD BE SO COOL TO HOOK UP AGAIN,DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THESE FOLKS?THE FELL ST 17 AS WE WERE REFERRED TO ON JULY 12,1978..I THINK.IT GOT POLITICAL.HOPE TO HEAR SOON,AUDREYANNE

 

Dear Audrey Anne,

Thank you for your reply.

I did not know well or was a friend of any of the Family Dog members or Chet Helms. However, I can remember meeting him at a concert I went to the Avalon Ballroom with my girlfriend Victoria in Late 1966 or 1967-68. That night the Velvet Underground was playing. I also saw Chet outside a Family Dog house somewhere in SF but I don't remember exactly where. It as too long ago. Do you have any pictures of then or now to post?

I also remember the band Big Brother and the Holding Company after Janis Joplin died. I had seen them in the late 60's and even met Janis. Sam Andrew, the bass player, had given me a ride when I was hitch hiking. After that about 1972-73 I went to see Big Brother in a small club near Sacramento. I remember seeing Big Brother playing with Kathy McDonald as their lead singer. During a break they agreed to have some nose candy. It helped Kathy since she had a toothe ache at the time. Peace and Love, Roger.