Skateboards 'n' Oregon

Dear Mike,

I was at Hood River with the family on the Fourth of July. We went to Rotary Skate Park that had a BMX track for Fionn to ride on. But really it was pretty much a skate park. Did they even have those when you were around? I don't remember them, but now they're cropping up everywhere. Fionn and I were sitting at the edge of a "punchbowl" watching this guy with long dreads test out a skateboard that was like a long board.

It was pretty awesome watching him move so smoothly round and round. After he'd finish a run he'd go back up and chat with his buddies giving feedback and bouncing ideas of ways to improve it back and forth. They kept at it. Before you knew it one of them would produce another board to try out. They were all pretty unique looking. I could totally see you being there, had you lived, with skateboard inventions of your own. That so would have been YOU. Later we were walking to the car to get something and these same guys were at the trunk of a car. One of them pulled out one hell of a skateboard something. It was like a skate board on a ski with a long leash and the Velcro part you'd imagine attaching to your wrist was really big like it must go around your waist. "Dude, I wasn't expecting this!" It seriously looked like something you'd come up with. It really got me thinking. Had you ever even been to Oregon, much less Portland? It seems like this would have been the place for you. All the outdoorsy stuff, the art, sustainable living. You would have been in your element surrounded by people who were just like you. You kinda seemed like a pioneer of sorts in LA. But your ever constant interest in inventing, skateboarding, pot, tie dye, and your dreams of living off the land would have been right at home here.

Love,

Gabby

P.S. You're heavy on my mind lately. R's cousin was murdered the other day. I am shocked that I would meet this circumstance more than once in my life. It and you are all I can think about. So I'm digging a patio and keeping my hands busy.