Mac Meda Destruction Company

Police Raid WindanSea, La Jolla – Mac Meda July, 1968, Convention

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Brian Munoz probably summarized it best; after getting a few “to-go orders”  for a beer run, he went to the Liquor Box, filled his truck with cases, and when he started pulling out of the parking lot  heading down Nautilus St -  that’s when he slammed on his brakes. He suddenly had become the caboose of a freight train of police cars heading to WindanSea Beach.

It was known fact in La Jolla, any whisper or rumor of a Mac Meda party the cops, press, and school authorities took it seriously, or in this day of age, “A Terrorist Attack,” and  became anal about the carnage of  drinking, destruction, and sex that a Mac  Meda Convention would generate.  In this particular case, WindanSea Beach was going to be the targeted area and this time, the departments heads of police were determine to break up the outlaw group once and for all.  Read more... (566 words, 0 images, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)

Cop Rolls Car Busting La Jolla, WindanSea Convention

Over excited cop rolls his car trying to bust a Mac Meda Convention at WindanSea- Photo taken by I believe Jon Sarrett and provided by Doug M.

Here is how the story goes. Huge Mac Meda Convention at WindanSea. Cops like always were waiting out of sight, usually lined up like a fright train somewhere in Bird Rock or at the top of Nautilus St; glued to their radios, tapping fingers on the dashboard, just waiting to  bust underage drinkers.

And the wishful wish of finally put the end to the La Jolla outlaw drinking group that had been terrorizing the so-called respected citizens of La Jolla for the last 5-6 years. Oh my … such bad boys and girls of the beach life.  Read more... (302 words, 1 image, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)

Drinking, Destruction, Sex – Police – La Jolla Mac Meda

Published on June 21, 1965 by San Diego Evening Tribune

The Mac Meda Destruction Co. sounds like a joke, started as a joke, thrived as a joke and ended up like a joke.

Or is it?

Some of the teen-age, members of this loosely organized group boast the motto, “Drinking Destruction and Sex”

Here’s the joke punch line, written Jan 10 (1965):

On that day, beer flowed freely among the young Mac Meda crowd – nearly 200 of them minors – at a secluded grazing pasture of Carmel Valley, just north of the San Diego City limits.

Fifty police cars raided the teen-aged car caravan “beer blast” Four youth were arrested on charges of possession of alcoholic beverages and will be tried March 2 in a North Country Municipal Court, Oceanside.  Read more... (882 words, 2 images, estimated 3:32 mins reading time)

Carmel Valley – Adobe House Convention

L-R - Phil Hendricks, Mike Chacon (RIP), Chris Hendricks, Ray Darby, Pete Nestejon, Jerry Thaster, John Insinger, Bruce Collins, Jon Sarrett, and Sandy Woods - photos provided by Jon Sarrett

As Red Mountain Inn owner, David Osborn said in a comment, “Mac Meda’s conventions had to move around a bit. The cops were always looking to bust the next one.” Besides, Browns Ranch, WindanSea and Sea Lane, there was the coolest of all coolest places to have a Convention. This editor knew it as the Adobe House or Farm in Carmel Valley.  Read more... (579 words, 2 images, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)

Carmel Valley Conventions – Brown’s Ranch

If memory serves me correct this is Jimmy Bumstead (drums) Little Dave, Bob Morton (facing) rock a Carmel Valley Meda Convention back in early 1970s - Photo by Bill Decker

Carmel Valley in the old days was considered the sticks – depending on type of vehicle, and pit stops it took about a two beers as the crow flies before one got to the Carmel Valley turnoff off Interstate 5 and another 1 to two beers to get to Brown’s Cattle Ranch. Browns Ranch was not really owned by Brown, he had the property just North, but just an easy name to remember and one that become iconic with Mac Meda Conventions.  Read more... (511 words, 1 image, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

Conventions – Keg Party – Drunken Beer Orgies and Wild Women

The first Mac Meda Convention in Sorrento Valley in 1963 - Photo by David Osborn

A Los Angeles Times reporter once wrote, “ … drunken beer orgies and wild women” when referring to a Mac Meda Convention.

No doubt, Mac Meda perfected the keg party, if not invented it.  And the greatest technical advancement to the keg party was the invention of the plastic trash can. Lightweight, somewhat strong, could hold a keg perfect and most important; it provided the right size container to pack about 100lbs of ice to keep the keg cold on a hot Sorrento or Carmel Valley or WindanSea day.  Read more... (610 words, 3 images, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)