1968

I came across this song, "Soulful Strut" by the group "Young Holt Unlimited", on a blog I visit a lot, and it sent me down memory lane to the summer of 1968.  So much was going on:  the Vietnam War was raging, Robert Kennedy was killed in Los Angeles, Nixon was elected president.

But for me, I was a 16 year old kid with his driver's license and my parent's 1954 Chevy Belair 2 dr.  that looked just like this one.  Same color, with the skirts covering the back wheels. 

My friends Phil and Steve and I would cruise Foothill Blvd. with the widows down and the am radio blasting KHJ, KRLA, and KFWB, and who can forget "Wolfman Jack" howling on the radio at 610 or there 'bouts on the dial from somewhere in Bakersfield.  Gas was 29 cents a gallon and there was a great drive-in burger joint at the corner of Foothill Blvd. and Garey Ave. in Pomona, that had carhops on roller skates.  We all hung out at Mr. Taco at Riverside Dr. and Central Ave. in Chino. 

Carla Taylor was my high school girlfriend and we went to all the football and basketball games, and the dances afterward.  Then we would end up parked in front of her house, behind the hedge, and steam up the windows of that great car. 
 

Music has always been a big part of my life, and I loved both rock and Motown music from that time.  I remember going to dances at the high school cafeteria and dancing the entire two hours.  I would come out of there soaked with sweat. The Trends were a local band from Chino H.S. that played at most of our dances. 

Who can forget the 1968 psychedelic 17 minute masterpiece by the "Iron Butterfly" In A Gadda Davida?  I loved this piece.  My parents had a hifi  (lol) that was on a cart with wheels and I would wheel it into my bedroom and listen to this with headphones on.