Youthful lunacy is universal, I guess—at least among young men.
When my grandfather was a young man, he and his friends climbed this crazy rock in southern Germany. Today, I came across a photo of their efforts. It would have been about 1928.
You can barely see four or five people hanging on that rock. (Click on the image to make it larger.)
Why?
Here's a closer view.
* * *
When I was about the same age, I recall doing things equally crazy and stupid.
Recently, I drove through the Santa Ana Mountains on Santiago Canyon Road and I recalled a night 38 years earlier. I was working at a gas station along the 55. After work, at about 12:30 a.m., I drove my old '66 VW into the mountains.
Loved that VeeDub. It was cherry. I had just tuned it up.
But it sported the last of the 6 volt electrical systems. The headlights were horribly dim.
I roared (well, I buzzed) down the grade toward Irvine Lake at well over 90 m.p.h. The car did OK through those curves at the end of the grade, but I did sense some significant instability. I backed off.
I recall feeling exhilaration. I realized that what I was doing was very dangerous.
"Wow," I thought.
Good Lord! What was I thinking?!
* * *
I'm waiting for the moment to talk to my nephew about this. I'll say, "Adam, at some point, you might be tempted to do a dangerous thing, 'cause young men do that. Don't know why. They're stupid, I guess."
I'll cite examples. I'll describe some of my own misadventures.
I'll say: "Please don't do that. OK?"
He's a great kid. He'll nod gravely.
Yeah. That'll do it.
Sheesh.
4 comments:
Your canyon is the place where high school kids go to die.
I too have driven through that canyon doing 90-100, and sometimes, in addition, turning off my lights to see how dark it really is. Seems like a death wish now that I recall it - but it was all for the thrill baby.
I also climbed some rocks yesterday. Not nearly that crazy looking though. No, mine were within reach and pleasant to climb on.
Bohrstein, first, I am glad that you are still among us. I had my doubts. Second, you are quite right when you say that "my canyon" is where teenagers go to die, but I wasn't referring to Live Oak Canyon, where I now live, but the portion of Santiago Canyon Road starting a mile west of Irvine Lake and going past the lake (that's gotta be about ten miles from my home). It is that stretch that was the scene of one of my youthful idiocies. That stretch of road is, in fact, far safer to "go nuts" on than Live Oak Canyon, which, notoriously, is full of twists and turns and stupid teenagers who drink and drive and plow into might oaks. I had my moments of racing foolishness, but I stuck to mostly straight roads--unlike the many fools and louts these days who seem intent on splattering themselves upon trees along Live Oak Canyon, thereby littering a beautiful place and knocking out everybody's electrical service. Live Oak Canyon is, of course, the most beautiful drive in the county by far. (Hence all of the commercials filmed here.) Maybe there should be an age requirement to drive it.
Ah, thanks for the clarification. An age limit seems a good idea prima facie, but would you really want to stop every time before you head in to the canyon? My favorite thing is making that green light when I'm coming from El Toro and zooming off in to the dark.
Anywho, I'm still around, and I get your news everyday. But I am short on time and it goes straight in to my Google Reader where I basically read, and view pictures, but in order to post comments I have to click "Visit the Site" and then post. Occasionally I do this, then change my mind, other times I think I can post a decent enough comment to say "Sup dudes." I'm always here though.... lurking....
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