It was my childhood friend, Nancy Hamren, who bid me to author the history of the hippies. She was Ken Kesey’s good friend and got me on the bus in 1987. She lived with Mountain Girl’s brother on the Kesey Ranch.

In 1980 I flew to New York with my wife and step-daughter in order to drive Mary Anne’s father’s 1979 Ford Thunderbird cross-country. It only had 5,000 miles on it. It was burgundy in color and the Heritage edition. Mr. Tharaldson told me he descended from Erik the Red – and Thor! My ex was the mistress of Thomas Pynchon, the beat writer. Nancy was the first girl I kissed at twelve.

Bill Bolagard owned a 1956 Ford Thunderbird that he souped-up. He sold Ford truck in LA. Bill designed the Ford Thunderbird Mach 5 for the Oakland to LA run along the Gideon speedway, especially designed for Raider…