In 1997 Kesey’s La Honda House was a “Fixer-Upper,” accessed only by forest trail or foot bridge across the San Gregorio creek. No bank would lend on it, so Eva & I ‘creatively’ financed the sale directly with the Keseys.

The dedication to “OneFlew Over The Cookoo’s Nest” reads: (to quote Ken Kesey) “To Vic, who told me there were no dragons, then led me to their lairs.” That same Vic Lovell is an old friend of mine and helped negotiate the sale, explaining to Ken that I was not only a poet, but a Masters in literature, a psychedelia aficionado, a General Contractor, and a motorcycle racer to boot!  A perfect fit!  

The original structure, from the 1940s may have been a hunting cabin.    The house is much larger than it appears from the street.   On the 'sale closing' day, Ken referred to the house as his "Viking Lodge."    The "Great" room is 450 sqft.  

The El Nino flood of February 2nd, 1998 almost destroyed the house, but flood insurance and a FEMA Disaster loan allowed us to restore it, lift it above the flood plain, bring it to seismic code, and add a vehicle bridge.   The restoration took 18 months  to complete.

Both Eva & I are woodworkers and builders, and we preserved the antique aesthetic of the house, removing, numbering, and restoring original interior paneling, 

We show the house occasionally to school classes, researchers, and interested folks from all around the world, but it requires a balance since we have no ambition to be a “public” site.

You might say La Honda is one of those Dragon “Lairs,” where a deep cultural curiosity persists, wondering what magic endures from the youthful aura of the 1960s.  Folks from all over drive by, and often stop for photos.