Finding Fort Ord: Parents' 1950s Home

Ron 0:10

My goal was to see where Mom and Dad once lived for a short while in California back in the 1950s . The old Army base is called Fort Ord . I wanted to see it by motorcycle , so I did . Shortly after mom and dad married , dad was drafted into the army and called to report to his place on the Pacific coast for basic training . Being from a very small town in Texas , neither had traveled much of a distance before Definitely not this far . Now . Mom and dad are in their 90s and they still live in Texas , not far from where they were born . But they still speak of that frightening experience and that wonderful experience of being so far from home when dad got drafted , from home when dad got drafted . But they also talk about how amazing it was to have such an adventure together . As 20-year-olds I've heard the stories all my life Stories about getting the draft notice being shipped off to California for basic training , then transferred to Anchorage , alaska , for dad's military service . All in the 1950s . Mom followed wherever Dad went , even being a frightened young girl who had never left home before . She followed Dad , finding work in the area where she could so that she could stay close From that experience in Seaside , california , on up to Anchorage , alaska . Mom and dad remained together .

Ron 1:53

So this past week my mission was accomplished To see what's left of the now decommissioned Army base just outside of Seaside , california , to walk where they walked about 70 years ago , to stand on the porch of the now shuttered chapel where they went to church as a young couple . Yeah , I would have been quicker to fly for sure from my home here in Colorado out to San Francisco than just rent a car and drive 100 , and drive a hundred miles south down to seaside . But no , I needed to see it by motorcycle and , frankly , I needed the road time . So , rather than take the three-hour flight , I took the three-day ride to get to that destination , which turned out to be a seven-day round trip , a giant loop including Wyoming , utah , nevada , california , arizona and back here to Colorado . Was it worth it ? Are you kidding ? I've come back home with sore muscles , for sure I'm feeling it right now . I've come back

Cross-Country Motorcycle Journey

Ron 3:05

home with sore muscles , for sure I'm feeling it right now , but also a feeling of gratitude of how amazing the Western United States is . Once again I was reminded of that . There is nothing like seeing the Western US from the seat of a motorcycle , from the deserts to the high peaks , you see it all . But most importantly , I experienced a glimpse of my family's past , a view of the Pacific Ocean from a spot where my parents also looked at that Pacific some 70 years ago . Wow , there's nothing quite like it . The western United States from the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Colorado Rockies and Lake Tahoe in California to the Mojave Desert in Nevada , temperatures on this ride alone ranged from the low 40s to 90 . I've done this route about five times thus far over the past many years and it just never gets old . I'm getting older , for sure . I'm feeling it more and more out on the road , but as far as the views , it's amazing . It's just completely amazing . There's nothing like riding a motorcycle through this part of the country , as we talk about all the time on this podcast

Western Landscape: Mountains to Desert

Ron 4:44

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Ron 4:44

One of the many joys of motorcycle travel is to meet people on the road . I met so many good people , mostly short conversations , but some were longer than others . Sometimes a short conversation at a gas station and other times it was having breakfast with a stranger , or even dinner one night with a total stranger . If you watch the news enough , you'll come to believe that it's a very angry and dangerous world out there because there's so much risk and we need to just stay to ourselves and be safe , we need to isolate , we need to just stare at our phones in public places and maybe no one will come our way . But in my experience as a motorcycle traveler , no , that's not the case at all . What I've seen is that the great majority of people are good people , whether they're wealthy or homeless . Good people are all around us all the time . We just have to look up from our phone and say hello .

Meeting Strangers on the Road

Ron 6:01

On this trip , I spent one night in Las Vegas , and I've done that on previous trips before . It's fascinating , to say the least Dazzling lights , the sounds , noise and music from every direction , the amazing fountain at the Bellagio Hotel . Yeah , if you like all the noise and all the bling and the very strange , unexplained smells in every direction , then Las Vegas is the place for you . But Las Vegas is no place for me . It's on these road trips and visiting these busy areas like this where I'm reminded of how much I love the Rocky Mountains of Colorado , areas like this where I'm reminded of how much I love the Rocky Mountains of Colorado , the small towns , the tiny little coffee shops and the cafes in the middle of nowhere . Yeah , this is home for me .

Ron 7:08

I met a gentleman while in Seaside , california , who ended up having dinner with me one night . We're about the same age and he was such a kind heart . We vowed to stay in touch . What was cool is he grew up in Seaside . He told me all about the history , how things used to be had , told me about all the things that had changed over the many years of his life out there . He also shared with me a dream that he had for having a motorcycle and riding across the United States , just as I had . I hope that dream does come true for him and , along with meeting wonderful people on the road for these past seven days out there and seeing so many amazing things from the mountain peaks to the desert floors

Reflections on Human Connection

Ron 7:57

also , I saw a lot of people in pain .

Ron 8:03

I saw a lot of people on drugs or with schizophrenia or whatever may be going on . Some people literally passed out on the sidewalks and in the corners of abandoned buildings in these small little towns all over the place Saw a prostitute at a gas station In both Reno and Las Vegas . I especially saw a lot of people all night long mindlessly pushing a button at a machine while smoking a cigarette and drinking from a warm beer . That had been there probably for hours and hours . A lot of desperate lives out there .

Ron 8:44

Lives out there , yes , those of us who have both the mental and the physical ability to ride a motorcycle and the financial means to own it and maintain it . Man , we are so blessed , so blessed , so blessed so let me close with this so grateful for the opportunity to take this journey and especially to see where my mom and dad lived for that brief time in California , while dad was in basic training at the army , to make that pilgrimage by motorcycle especially . Oh man , what a gift . If you're lucky enough to own a bike and have the ability to ride it , you too have a gift , a gift in the garage . The world is full of incredible places to see and amazing people to meet , and among them are folks who simply need a kind word or , if you're feeling bold , an invitation to go share a meal .

Ron 10:08

This episode may feel a little bit less structured than usual , and that's because I'm still carrying the road with me 2,700 miles , as it turned out , solo , riding across the desert in the mountain peaks . A lot of reflection in that motion . But now , sitting at home , back with the family , and with my dog and my cat and a hot coffee right next to me , I'm very grateful , very grateful , sore , but grateful . My hope for you right now is this that you'll pause for a minute , look around and recognize how very fortunate you are . Then , if you're brave enough , go out , strike up a conversation with a stranger , someone new .

Ron 11:00

Better yet , find someone who may be going through a tough time , whether they're out on the streets or something else going on . Ask them their name , introduce yourself and find a small way to let them know that they matter . And all of the memories I've had of this past week , that's what it's been all about . I've had of this past week , that's what it's been all about really . What will stick with me is those human

Gratitude and Call to Action

Ron 11:30

connections , those conversations , those meals . That's what I'll carry with me , as always . Thank you so much for listening . I wish you peace and I wish you love . Thank you .