May 08 neighbor of the month

Bob & Laurabell bought their home in Inyokern eight years ago and we are fortunate to have them as neighbors. An interest in gold and gem hunting brought Bob & Laurabell to the El Paso Mountains and they decided to settle in Inyokern when Bob's asthma required a drier climate. Having good friends in Lone Pine and Darwin made it an easy decision to move to Inyokern. They are members of the China Lake Astronomical Society, Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert, Indian Wells Valley Gem and Mineral Society and Ridge Writers. Laurabell is a published author of Haiku Japanese poetry and a few examples of her "desert haiku" can be found on this page.

Bob is from Maine and is a WWII navy veteran. Laurabell came to San Francisco from Wichita Kansas looking for a life of excitement and fine dining in the city. A friend of hers introduced her to Bob and they started living together shortly thereafter and have never been apart. Laurabell jokes that she threw away her heels and false eyelashes, began wearing black socks and "haven't been to a decent restaurant since!"

It was 1963 and a few years before the 'Summer of Love' when they moved to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. This was followed by a year-long stay in a converted barn in San Mateo County. Then they moved to the famous Waldo Point houseboat community in Sausalito and kept their houseboat there from the 1960’s until 2005. Many of their neighbors were talented and accomplished people who had made the decision to forsake the modern trappings of the times for a simpler and more rewarding lifestyle.

Bob and Laurabell decided to stop punching a time clock at forty so they could pursue their interests. This was the sixties and they had a lot of company. They knew and lived around many persons who were already famous or soon to become well known- Janis Joplin, members of the Grateful Dead, Dino Valenti, and Ramblin' Jack Elliot, who insisted on daily mopping the deck of their boat when he stayed with them. They were older than many of their fellow house-boat neighbors and served as aid and mentor to many runaways who showed up at their dock, often feeding them and making sure they called home to talk to their parents.

As more people and houseboats filled this former shipyard turned houseboat community off of Richardson Bay, couples united and children were born. Families began raising their children on the boats and many boat children felt out of place in the Sausalito schools. Many in the community had teaching credentials and Bob and Laurabell formed a non-profit corporation and Marinship School came into being.

The 'school without walls' was an exhilarating place for children to learn. Laurabell taught tap-dancing and astronomy, following up classroom instruction with a field trip out on the boat to look up at the constellations on clear nights. Ray Speck taught a class in boat building and maintenance. When parents decided to 'mainstream' their children back into public schools a few years later the children placed 1-2 years ahead on their placement exams.

This was a vibrant and exciting community and Bob and Laurabell can be seen in this youtube video clip from the early 1970's with famed Concertina player Ale Ekstrom on the Charles Vandamme.

During these years Bob served as the manager of the marina and also started and ran a garbage service for the community. The times were changing and troubles with Marin County and Sausalito caused Bob to become involved in representing the community in negotiations with local authorities. Bob likes to say the reason you can't fight City Hall is that " if you do they will put you on a bunch of committees." This experience gave the more technically oriented man with an electronics and machining background the opportunity to hone his 'people skills' and he put them to good use.

After a time they began to tire of the 'politics' so he and Laurabell began working a placer gold mine on Silver Creek in Oregon. They camped near the Silver Creek cabin where friends and hat purveyors Carol and Jim Young started their business. They worked the claim about half the year and lived on the houseboat the other half. This seasonal nomadic lifestyle went on for over ten years and they enjoyed Silver Creek and the peace and solitude of the wilderness.

I met Bob and Laurabell at a talk they were giving about their mining experiences to the Inyokern Rotary Club. I heard them mention their houseboat in Sausalito and remembered that famed philosopher, author and lecturer Alan Watts had a houseboat in Sausalito. I had to ask if they had run into him in their travels and it turns out he was their neighbor and they used to stuff envelopes for him as a side job. Laurabell also mentioned his gourmet cooking using exotic spices from all over the world. It also turns out that there was a particular fellow who 'pirated' electricity from his house boat. In a true 60's play on words they used to say he was "really plugged-in to Alan Watts."

Bob and Laurabell sold their houseboat in 2005 but they still go to Sausalito to visit friends. Waldo Point still attracts the creative, intelligent and accomplished who enjoy a life without walls. Bob and Laurabell also listed Ted Nelson and Stuart Brand among their former neighbors.

Laurabell enjoys meditating at the center of the Indian rock walk behind their home. Bob and Laurabell also play in a jug band, Bob plays the jug and Laurabell on spoons with other friends and group members. They collect rock specimens, and have pow-wows in the back yard too. They still enjoy every precious moment together and are a joy to talk with and an even greater joy to listen to. We are fortunate to have such fun and interesting neighbors.

Much to Laurabell's delight the Neighbor of the Month for May received gift certificates from two excellent restaurants. Torres Steakhouse in Inyokern and Sizzler in Ridgecrest. Inyokern and the webmaster salute these fine businesses for their help and support. By the way, Bob just celebrated his 81st birthday this May.

Laurabell wants get the word out that the band is looking for a lead guitarist- does anyone out there know any jug band numbers?

call 377-9186.