I was the same age as the kids in the movie “The Goonies” when it was released in 1985. I had a similar group of friends, and our outdoor adventures mirrored what I saw on the silver screen. Some 30 odd years later, I make it to Indian Beach, the location where many of the scenes were filmed. What was I searching for though?
The beauty of the landscape was unparalleled. I meander around giant rocks that lay scattered on the beach, hoping not to trap myself with the incoming tide. I pull out what I affectionately call my crystal ball, and look at the world from a unique perspective.
I study the creatures of the sea that are clinging to the rocks, waiting for the incoming tide to free them, feed them, set them out once again on a journey into the great Pacific ocean.
I hike through the dense forest to the top of an overlook. Along the way I find a lean-to shelter with a small family making breakfast while warming over a new fire.
I sit on the edge of the world listening to the waves break, and wonder what would happen if I slipped, or jumped….
A small deer startles me along the trail. We stare at each other for a moment as we both size up the situation, then the deer disappears into the woods.
What I find here is the innocence of childhood, life before girls, high school and college, and work interfere. The joy of adventure with your best friends.
Do you remember being fourteen?