Beach Bonfire

Every January in San Francisco there is a giant bonfire on the beach as described in this newspaper article.

I started this in 1978. It wasn't my idea. The idea came from my girlfriend, Carole Rae, who saw many Christmas trees on the street and came up with the idea that we should burn them on the beach in a great bonfire.

We picked a Saturday in early January, when there was no wind. My stepmother (Lou Phillips) and my son and I drove a rental truck around the neighborhood and filled it with 40 large abandoned Christmas trees.  Carole phoned our friends to tell them what time and place to be at the beach.

Over 200 friends came to the first beach bonfire. We unloaded the truck and had a wonderful time. Many influential politicians and business leaders came.

The second year we did it, I walked back the truck and found a Park Ranger who gave me a $15 ticket for starting the bonfire without a permit.

One of my former friends, a lawyer (Gary N.) insisted we fight the ticket. Under great social pressure I agreed.  The trial was before a judge I knew. She waved the ticket fee but made me promise never to start a bonfire again. The worst possible outcome.

The third year, I hid the truck after we unloaded it.  The crowd was even bigger.