Mac Meda Destruction Company

La Jolla Halloween Parting – Mac Meda Style

Front L-R, Mike Crouse (old lady) Roger Johnson (RIP and himself) Steve Manns (RIP, Indian) Second row: L-R, Dean Buriston (Flasher) Sue Ingrahm (cheerleader) Sue Rodriguez (bum) Next Row: Bill Wilhelm (clown) Ed Selbey (himself), Ralph Rodriguez (clown) Back Row: Barbie Blum and Cindy Krug (Martins) Eber (clown, and if you look closely he is flashing, but Manns' head is preventing the wee wee from being seen). Photo by Doug Moranville and taken at his house.

Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31, but to Meda La Jollans, the closest Friday or Saturday night.  As for a bit of history, it has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints, but who gives a blab blab hell about that.  Read more... (507 words, 2 images, estimated 2:02 mins reading time)

La Jolla Pumphouse Crowd – Beach Life

In this typical Meda prank and with an diverse crowd at the Pumphouse, Bill Decker has an embarrassing moment, his trunks are pulled down just as the picture is taken: Front (L-R) Robert Merril, unknown, Thomas Hendicks, Donnie Tompson, Bill Wilhelm, Kip "Pinky" Ives, Mark Edwards, Michael "Otter" Woods. Back: (L-R) Tom Jones, Lindi Person, Kathy Sanchez, Richard Krug (in back of Krug, Rupert Fellows RIP), Bill "Smack" Decker (in back of Decker the prankster) Jeff Junkins (RIP). Photo provided by Bill Decker and taken by Dean Burriston in mid 1970.

Just for starters, Tom Wolfe’s book, The Pumphouse Gang,” which he claimed immortalized the Mac Meda Destruction Co, ” … was a bunch of Bullshit,” MacPherson said during a winter 2006 conversation he had with a San Diego Magazine writer in 2006.

Roger Johnson – La Jolla Cove, Turkey Gobbler, W.C Fields and Demons

Roger Johnson known for his W.C Fields quotes and Turkey Gobbler stunts.

Roger Johnson was another unique La Jolla beach character that lived on the edge and eventually fell off.  His idol was W. C Field and Field’s quote. “I never drink water because fish fuck in it” Roger could quote all of W.C’s drinking quotes  and would  mimic him at times sober. He pretty much acted like W.C when he was shit-faced and it became an internal personally.  Read more... (515 words, 1 image, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

La Jolla’s WindanSea Wall – Social Status

We all know famous addresses,  the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and Sherlock Homes, 221b Baker St,  but for the La Jolla beach-goers crowd, 4811 Neptune, otherwise known as WindanSea’s “The Wall,” was thee spot to  hangout at. Not all could share its space. Only the coolest of the cool hung out there …

Unlike WindanSea Shack (where it was the spot for surfers) The Wall was the local status symbol and was perceived the prime location to hang and extremely visible to those driving by. It was common to have traffic jams as friends driving pass would stop and shoot the shit for 10,15 or even 30 minutes, or until a cop was spotted.  Those tourists driving the beach and caught in a Wall Jam, usually found themselves yelled and cursed at if they even touched the horn.  Read more... (356 words, 0 images, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

Showing Off a New Bike at Windansea Parking Lot

Hummmm, new bike??? Photo believed taken by Sarrett in 1968? and provided by Eber

For a while there it seemed the hottest thing was a cool bike, and there was nothing like getting one, regardless of who, what and where.

New was even better …

Once one was inquired about, and steps made to  acquire it,  it was then just a matter of showing it off to the girls at WindanSea parking lot. Now …  and without going into details of whose bike it was, well the Meda  editor rests his case on this short post.

L-R – Eber, Pete Bergstron, Lisa Coombe, Barbra Gosnell, unknown, Bill Uncapher and John K Weldon check out the newly acquired and cool machine.

La Jolla Abalone Diving – Bird Rock, Casa Pool and Cove

Dennis Downie shows how it is done. Here he is with his mother, Tony Downie, on her back porch in Bird Rock with 18 "BIG"green abs taken in 1969. That was a good day, claims Dennis - photo provided by Dennis Downie

Back in the good old days, La Jolla abalone  diving was just a matter of getting into the water and searching for these  uniques creatures. Or in the area of Bird Rock, at low tide one could walk out and over turn rocks and there would be these wonder creatures.  The prime spots were Bird Rock to North Bird and anywhere in the general area of the Case Pool and Cove areas (which is now a marine reserve) due to their rocky bottom. In the early 1970s,  Richard Krug organized the 1st Abalone Dive Contest that was held off Point Loma, were the best of the best divers, free dived, and afterwords have a huge ab party.  Read more... (568 words, 1 image, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)