West Coast Beach
Chapter 5: Deciding their common goal was to fulfill their bucket list
As previously stated, they decided a common item from each of their bucket lists was to visit a nude beach; There just happened to be a nude beach just a couple of hundred miles from where they currently lived in Pomona. (The notorious “Blacks Beach” was just a short drive from San Diego.)
Together, they decided they would cross this common item off their bucket lists.
Mike: Another reason for visiting black’s beach as an item to do and cross off our bucket list is its ability to get done. The completion of it seems significant, and we have the resources to complete it. We are fortunate to live in a great location, surrounded by mountains and the ocean. If we lived any place but here, attempting this visit would be a real challenge, bordering on fantasy.
Dave: That sounds like a fun outing, visiting Black’s Beach and utilizing all the beach has to offer.
Judy: Us girls have decided to visit the nude beach, but we won’t strip down past our swimming suits.
Mike: Yeah… Anytime you can strike off anything from your bucket list, that’s a good thing.
Sally: Are you sure to go to a nude beach even rates high enough to be on our bucket lists.
Dave: We already agreed our next outing would be to Black’s beach so that we could strike visiting a nude beach off our bucket lists.
Phyllis: We need to make sure that this is on all our bucket lists and is important enough for us to spend the effort of a group outing on it.
The female members of the group lobbied themselves on the merits of visiting the nude beach. One extreme was that the free spirit tone of the adventure would be unforgettable and something they should insist on getting to experience. The other extreme was that it would be awkward and uncomfortable to be immersed in a crowd of recluse weirdos gazing at them.
The male members of the group had a much easier time deciding which way to vote. They were eager to visit the nude beach. They couldn’t see anything negative happening from the beach visit.
Both the sexes in the group found out later that the state invests fewer resources in the nude part of the beach than they do the non-nude part of the beach.
Tom: It will be fun. Let’s do it.
Mike: Ah… How about we vote on it.
The group members all seem to agree with Mike’s idea of having a vote. They confirmed their agreement largely through their body language.
Although, their climate and geographic location were unique in that you could go snow skiing and ocean surfing on the same day. No other activity could be thought of that was unique and significant enough to be an item on their bucket lists.
The alternative to visiting the beach was likely several more months, coming up with another bucket list item.
Dave: All who vote for the idea of going to Black’s beach, and striking (going to a nude beach) off their bucket list, raise your right hand.
Rafael: I’ll count and keep track of the vote count unless anyone objects, of course.
The male members of the group immediately and unanimously raised their right hands. The females of the group were more reluctant, but slowly they all raised their right hand. The group voted unanimously to go to the nude beach under the pretense of striking an item off of their bucket list.
Judy: If we don’t vote to go to Black’s Beach, what’s our alternative?.
John: We will have to spend numerous more months thinking of a replacement activity.
Rafael: The votes have all been counted. Eight voters for going and zero votes for not going. We’re going.
Dave: Is there anything else that needs to be decided about this trip.
Sally: Yes, we still need to figure out transportation.
Next, they had to decide on their transportation. Public transportation was not an option, unlike eastern cities, there was a lack of trains, and the busses were very dirty and inefficient.
They considered Rafael’s truck, but only briefly, until they got around to thinking of his bald tires. They decided to put figuring out transportation on the back burner for a while.
Tom: I have an idea what to do about transportation. Let me work on it. I will update you all before the week is out,
For now, the group was up-to-date on the decisions they had to make relating to the trip.
Likewise, they had to time this correctly when each member of the group could take time off from their jobs,