Father-Daughter Central California Coast Trip – Day Three, Part One

June 19, 2010
Santa Cruz, Carmel and Fort Ord.

This day started at 0 dark thirty for both of us. After rise and shine, a shower, shave and a pot of in room coffee I was out the door by 7:00AM to meet my daughter at the car. She arrived a few moments latter and we were on the road again, this time no sightseeing allowed. We were on a mission.

The drive to the wedding site went better than planned. After our “test run” on Friday, I figured a 2 hours drive time due to the US Open traffic at Pebble Beach. It took us a little over an hour to get to the Chevron station 3 miles from the hotel, so we pulled to top off the gas then pulled over to park. After I shut the car down, we looked at each other and said “Hungry?” so we went in to see what was available for breakfast.

First stop was the coffee island. I needed a good cup of Joe to wake up. Then I cruised around, found the pastry area and picked up some bear claws then went to find my daughter. She, being more sensible about food than me, was at the hot food section, picking up a couple of something’s on a stick. After paying for everything, we went back to the car to eat. That something on a stick was a pancake wrapped sausage with maple syrup from Farmer Johns. Who ever thought that up has a good idea for state fair food. I wanted to go back in to get another one but by the time that thought came around, I was enjoying the bear claw with my coffee.

Time was getting short to leave for the hotel so we bagged our trash and left for the hotel. This time when we pulled up to the hotel, we did not blink in fear of repeating Fridays drive by. I told her to have a good time and to call me when she was ready to leave the hotel. I told her that I would be parked in the strip mall across from the Chevron around 2PM.

With 5 hours of free time on my hands, I pointed the car towards the AAFES exchange located on the old Ford Ord Army Post to do some shopping. I picked up some t-shirts and refrigerator magnets then decided to explore the old post for a while.

This was my second time on the post. In 1990, I spent a few of days living in the Visiting Enlisted Quarters while on leave to do some sightseeing in Monterey. The only time I spent on the post was to sleep. The 1991 BRAC Commission decided to close Fort Ord in 1994. (Wikipedia has a good short history of Fort Ord and the 1991 BRAC decision.)

Several things amazed me about the appearance of the post. Except for areas occupied by the Provost Marshals Office, the Army Reserve Center, Cal State Monterey Bay and the local government, most of the post I drove on is in a slow, gradual decay. In the barracks area, it looks like when the Army left in 1994, they left all the furnishings in the rooms. And all it would take to make them ready for occupancy would be a good paint job, some heavy duty grounds maintenance and a few months of a good old fashion field day (Navy speak for a through cleaning of the ship’s spaces).

As I drove around, I noticed various unit crests painted on the sides of some of the buildings so I took some photos. Some were in “like new” condition while others were faded. In addition, there were some symbols and the number “4″ with various backgrounds. There were no visible building numbers. Click on the photo above, which will take you to my Flickr page then click on the set called Fort Ord.

(I would like assistance from any retired or former Army personnel formerly stationed at Fort Ord who could identify the photos, as this retired sailor has no idea where to start. Please email me (address above calendar) and don’t forget to let me know which photo you’re identifying. If you would like credit for identifying a photo, give me your permission to use your name and if you want, include the year(s) stationed at Fort Ord and/or the city where you now reside. Thank you in advanced for your assistance.)

My plans were to leave around 1:30PM or so. I was so engrossed with my drive around the post that I forgot to stop for lunch. When I finally paid attention to the time it was 2PM so I swung by the mini-mart to pick-up some ice and a cold soda and headed south towards Carmel.

I got to the strip mall around 2:30, found a parking spot then raided our road snack kit for lunch. Beef jerky with crackers and water was not bad. A burger and fries would have been better but there was no place around to grab food other than “designer” stuff. After lunch, I started to read then slowly nodded off. My phone woke me up around 3:30 with a call for “Dad’s Taxi Service”.

Parking in the valet parking area in front of the hotel, I shut the car down and asked if I could wait here to pick up my daughter. It was not a problem so I waited in a Honda CR-V. I got the “evil eye” from a couple of the hotel guests waiting for there BMW’s and Lexus’s to arrive. I just nodded and gave them a smile. My daughter finally arrived and we departed the hotel and headed back to our rooms in Santa Cruz.

I was still stoked about my drive through Fort Ord. I told my daughter all about my trip while being very rude by not asking about the wedding. After she gently pointed out my rudeness, I apologized and quietly asked how the wedding was. From what she said, it would have been nice to attend but that was ok because they are still best of friends after all of these years, something you really do not see that much anymore. I will have her write part Two of Day Three.

We arrived back at our hotel around 5PM and my daughter needed to crash for a while, which sounded good to me so we decided to get together around 6 or so to figure out what will be on the supper menu.

After our naps and getting back together, we remembered the doughnut and taco shop and decided to stop at both for supper. Ferrell’s Donuts line of goods were good and fresh even though, like most doughnuts shops, they were made earlier in the day. On the other hand, I was not impressed with the taco shop. It was ok as a stomach filler but was not as good as I was hoping for. The Don Pancho’s in Imperial Beach (near home) is easily better when they are having a bad day because the main cook called in sick.

During supper, we bantered about a few ideas on what to do Sunday, as it was our only true free day. As we ate and talked, I threw out San Francisco. After some more bantering, San Francisco was a go. We finally finished supper and decided to hit our rooms and rest up from the very long day, especially for her. Look out San Francisco here we come.

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