Rode our bikes from our house in Irvine to up over the those first set of hills where the toll road is now, past Irvine Park to Yorba Park. This was way before even Jamboree was extended up there, so we just went through neighborhoods and open land. After getting there we went down the Santa Ana River channel all the way to the ocean in Huntington Beach for our 50 miler to meet the requirements of cycling merit badge. Just two 12 year old boys. When we got lost we knocked on doors and asked for directions. We carried a folded up map in our pockets. When we got to Huntington Beach we used a pay phone to call to get a ride home. This was in the summer of 88.

We also regularly took to the bus from Irvine to Newport Beach with just kids. It never seemed like anyone was ever afraid to let kids go outside then. We were all latchkey kids (both parents worked) so perhaps that led to the lazza fare attitude of our parents.