I was watching a baseball movie with Clint Eastwood in it and the credits showed it was a Malpaso Production. I've been around a long time, and I know that's Clint's movie production company.

I also know the origin of the name Malpaso. I lived and worked in the Monterey/Carmel area back in the mid seventies, and Clint was the mayor of Carmel at the time.

Back in the sixties I was road tripping with a hot girl I had met bussing tables in a Tahoe casino and we spent a week on an amazing beach that could only be reached by a trail off the creek that flowed into it.

I learned later that Clint's ranch was back into the mountains a few miles from there, with Malpaso creek running right through it, emptying into the Pacific at the spot that I called Secret Beach.

Over the years I've taken friends, lovers and family there, and each time it had become less accessible. I'm sure by now it's closed off just to the expensive homes up on the cliffs.

Anyway, now you know the origin of Malpaso.