Bayside, California

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Bayside, California is a region located in the northern part of the state, along the coast, in Humboldt County. Though Bayside has its own post office, it is formally part of Arcata and has no mayor. It is policed by the local sheriff station. Bayside is home to many middle class families, mostly Caucasian. Most parents work away from the home, some at the nearby Humboldt State University or in the timber industry that exists in Northern California. Many children in Bayside attend Jacoby Creek Elementary School, a prestigious public elementary school in the area.

Bayside is surrounded by pastures and second growth forests (very few old growth trees remain in this heavily logged area) and dotted with aging victorian houses. The Bayside Grange, an historical meeting hall for farmers in Bayside, is still used as an all-purpose hall for the community. Right across the street, in the original Jacoby Creek School building, is the site of a Hot Yoga studio. Bayside is also home to Hank's Coffee Shop across the street from Jacoby Creek School. Formally the home to the Bayside Market, Hank's is significantly more upscale and posh, and while this is nice for the wealthier families in the area, it has led to tension between the store and the children of Jacoby Creek School who need an after-school hang out area.

The original Hank ran Bayside Market for many years, up until the early 1990's. He was the original old-school shop owner. He was always suspicious of Jacoby Creek youngsters taking advantage of him, and he was more often right than not. Many kid's first shoplifting experience took place at Bayside Market. Hank was always very happy to sell you a hot dog, he seemed to have a real fondness for putting together a nice dog for a youngster in need.

As you go up Jacoby Creek Road, the first left is now known as Baywood Heights, a private road and development. As many of us from the 80's and before can attest, this used to be an old dirt logging road with endless forest for exploring by adventurous youth. The first swing, constructed by one "G.P." and friends was to your immediate left as you began up the steep road. It was right over an old barbed wire fence and hanging from a very old oak tree, now deceased due to development. This was a small, fairly short swing. It was slightly dangerous, however, as more than one person got smacked in the head by someone swinging overhead suddenly.

The second swing was higher up the hill from there, this one also set up by "G.P". This was close to the top of the hill off of a fairly tall redwood tree. However, it was close to the trunk which somewhat limited the swinging range, but we got plenty of use out of it. If you went to the top of the hill there was a pile of old growth redwood trunks you could stand on and look down the other side toward the Appleton's old ranch house.

The third historic swing was further up the road. It was installed right before the Baywood Heights development really got going. If you entered the first home site to the right off the road, then bore right, the swing was hung off of large madrone. It was off of an extended branch so it had a major swing radius, and the rope was hella long too. So you could get WAY out there. At one point someone constructed a platform that you could jump off of, enabling even longer swing distance. The hill was fairly steep so you'd up a good 40 feet off the ground at the peak. This was "G.P."'s greatest feat of swing building at that point and this site was a prominent location of activities perpetrated by the shadowy' "Bayside Posse" (Formerly the Bayside Nintendo Fun Club).

Eventually as word circulated around Arcata High about this awesome rope swing, every crew from the school was up there at some point or another. Drunk jocks were taking major risks, doubling up on the rope, all kinds of crazy stuff. Many good times were had by all. That was a great swing. However, eventually it was noted that a small, sharp Madrone branch was nicking the rope with each swing, and slowly fraying it at the top. Eventually it was going to snap. At a certain point, G.P. and other Bayside Posse members made the responsible decision to cut the swing down so that no one would be hurt when the rope failed.

Soon after Baywood Heights lots were sold to yuppies and they closed off the entire area. Now you can't even walk the road or they'll call the cops. Thus ended an era in history, from 1850 - 1992 or so when Bayside was a place of freedom and adventure, and was converted into a Yuppified fascist state where the priviliged few rule over all. Thus ends this account of the glorious history of the Bayside Posse.

A common misconception is that the early 90s hit television show Saved by the Bell took place in Bayside, when in fact the show was set in Pacific Palasades, CA, and the characters on the show attended the fictional Bayside High School. Also, Bayside High School is where the characters of That's So Raven go to school.