Flashback

[bloomz]

First stop: the vast Polo Fields in the middle of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, site of the Human Be-In held Jan. 14, 1967. The free “gathering of the tribes” drew tens of thousands of flower children and focused national media attention on the hippie phenomenon, with its evolving lifestyle of rock music, marijuana, LSD, shaggy hair, casual sex, communal living and Eastern philosophy.

Revisiting the venue for the first time in 40 years, Country Joe is stunned at its size. The sun has burned the morning fog away, but the air is still brisk as he surveys the giant oval crater, guarded by towering eucalyptus trees and cawing crows: “This is huge. This doesn’t jibe with my memory at all. Are you sure it was here?”

Indeed it was, he realizes, getting his bearings. Here was where they parked the flatbed truck that served as the stage for poets Alan Ginsberg, Michael McClure, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gary Snyder and Lenore Kandel, as well as political activist Jerry Rubin. Over there was where LSD manufacturer Owsley Stanley parachuted into the event while the drug’s most famous promoter, Timothy Leary, advised attendees to “turn on, tune in, drop out.”

Yup - I wuz there. "Pow Wow - A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In" I had hitch-hiked to San Francisco.

I remember well Owsley parachuting into the croud and Timothy Leary and Ginsberg on the back of that truck. What a day. Wonderful memories.

full story

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18803490/

I wuz somewhere in that crowd.

More pictures - Freewheelin Franklin (Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers) used to come to my house when I lived down there 73-79

http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/keenan/c1967-1.html

 

[Connie]

It seems so long ago. It seems like yesterday. We were so innocent and sure of ourselves...

 

[Flame]

Something weird....I met my husband via a chatsite 10yrs ago called 'Pow Wow'...hahahaha funny how things come back around. I don't think its going now though....it was a good chat site ( obviously )

 

[RJD]

JB,

You were there? Groovy, man! That's almost three years before I was born!

 

[FlowerGirl1972]

Cool JB:boggles:, LOL, I don't remember it because well, LOL, I wasn't born till 1972!!! HEHE!!! :>

 

[BamaE4U]

You beat me to Frisco by a few. . . .

years. A Buddy and I made the trek from Michigan south through Bama, west through TX and on to CA in a VW Bug with the "California or Bust" sign on the back. We took a month in 1970 and hit the road.

Vivid memories of the drive up 1 through Big Sur (spent the night in Monterey:wide and Santa Cruz into San Francisco. The Haight was still going strong. We managed to stay out of too much trouble.

A trip with a capital T to remember and forget, if you know what I mean.

 

[bloomz]

JB,

You were there? Groovy, man! That's almost three years before I was born!

You mean you really could be my son?

Groovy indeed!

Vivid memories of the drive up 1 through Big Sur (spent the night in Monterey:wide and Santa Cruz into San Francisco. The Haight was still going strong. We managed to stay out of too much trouble.

A trip with a capital T to remember and forget, if you know what I mean.

Wasn't the Haight Ashbury scene a trip? I remember well people lined up on both sides of the street sitting in front of the head shops.
I still love head shops to this day,even tho I don't have a lot of use any more for what they sell.

Maybe some incense.....

And we stopped at Big Sur for a trip on the way to the Monterey Pop Festival where I saw Jimi burn his guitar.

great memories - I'm so glad to have experienced the 60's.

 

[RJD]

You mean you really could be my son?

Groovy indeed!

Suddenly, I'm troubled...

 

[Holly]

I spent 67-69 in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco. I was only 6 at the time, but still remember the trips into San Fran. The flower children would sit on the street corners stringing their beads. Mom and Dad would let me sit there with them and learn the trade.
I can vividly remember driving down the coast, just me and my dad. Suddenly he pushed me down on the floorboard and told me to stay there. Scared to death I did what I was told. When I got up all I could see was the back ends of 100 motorcycles. That was my first (and last) encounter with Hell's Angels. They were a scary bunch in those days.
For a 6 year old I thought it was heaven....thanks for the trip down memory lane!