Ray Plumlee's an American Odyssey
Traveling Webmaster's Deck Log
This is a copy of my old Deck Log (Online Journal). I am now using an online blog at my "Have Web Sites Will Travel" web site. I use it to chronolog my travels around North America (my American Odyssey).
This "Old" Deck Log is now only an archive of past postings. It tell's the reader where I have visited and what adventures I have had up til the time I started my blog on Have Web Sites Will Travel. This archive was written primarily from the perspective of a tourist. Not necessarily my work log though I may do some of that too, especially in those early days when I built the sites resouces. Initially I used it to detail my efforts in getting prepared for the adventure. Then I chronicled the adventure itself.
To read my current Blog, Deck Log, Journal or Captains Log go here.
Date: 28 March 2004 2:15 PM
Location: City: Hemet State: California
Log Entry Title: Summary of 15 to 28 March 2004 in Hemet California
Log Entry: Links to specific SitRep Updates:
15 and 16 March 2004 Interesting Job Offer
18 March 2004 Thinking about changing my plans a little
19 March 2004 Day Trip to Gen Georges S. Patton Museum and the Salton Sea
21 March 2004 Day Trip to Mount Palomar Observatory
22 - 25 March 2004 This Week Got Off to a Rocky Start
26 March 2004 Weekend Plans
27 March 2004 Day Trip to Tijuana and Visit with Friends in Chula Vista
15 and 16 March 2004
Today I was contacted by DTI Associates Incorporated, who had obtained a copy of my résumé which is available at my personal web site: http://rayplumlee.com/resume.phtml
They asked me to apply for a position that is part of a new contract that they are bidding for with the U.S. Navy's Supervisor of Salvage (SUPSALV). Essentially the position they thought I might qualify for was as a Field Operations Specialist. The person filling this position would represent the company (and SUPSALV) in salvage operations around the world. Examples of salvage operations that this position would be involved in would be the USS Cole being lifted by the heavy lift ship and brought back to the states, the sinking of the Ehime Maru by the USS Greenville SSN-772 where the US Navy underwent a salvage operation to raise the Ehime Maru to search for missing crew and students.
To be honest I did give this a second thought. Over the years my online résumé has gotten me several inquiries, despite my Disclaimer:
Please Note: Below you will find a Sample Cover Letter and Résumé. However, unless you want to offer me a really exciting position, especially with great opportunities for travel, please do not use this résumé as a means of hiring me, rather as a way to get to know a little bit about me.
I considered their offer over night but realized that my current adventure would be a tough one to compete with. As they explained to me these types of operations will happen very rarely but when they do they need a very fast mobilization to the scene. The rest of the time would be a desk bound job in Washington. So this morning I contacted DTI Associates Incorporated and gave them my decision to not apply. I of course am flattered that they were considering me, but It will have to be a very exceptional offer to truly tempt me.
18 March 2004
Since my arrival in the Southern California (Hemet) the temperature have been unseasonably high with temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's. As an example, today's high was 93 degrees (over 20°F above the 70°F average for the month of March!). This high temperature violates my primary travel rule of staying cool (not hot not cold). Plus I am getting several new PHP and MySQL projects so will be busy and staying out of the heat as best I can. There are a few places I must visit not to mention old Navy shipmates and a cousin. As for destinations like San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, etc. I have been to them numerous times over the years so will probably not visit all the destinations I originally planned. That's OK as I will definitely be back here over the coming years. I will work hard to visit here when the temperatures are not so high.
19 March 2004
Took a day trip today. First stop was the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum located at Chiriaco Summit between Indio and Desert Center. It is the site that was selected as the headquarters of the Desert Training Center (DTC). This site, called Camp Young, was the world's largest Army post during WW2. Around the world there are several museums in his honor.
My Truck in front of the General George S. Patton Memorial Museum located at Chiriaco Summit in California.
General George S. Patton display.
General George S. Patton's Ivory handled pistol (replica).
Certifying letter for the After Action Report for the 3rd Army exploints during WW2.
The only thing left from the original Fort Young headquarters of the Desert Training Center (DTC). It is one wall of the chapel. It is now used as an open air chapel for special occations.
Then I went on to the Salton Sea. I decided to circumnavigate completely around the Salton Sea. While I was doing this I stopped off at Niland, California where the former WW2 Navy Base was located. Where there used to be quonset huts all over the place to barracks the sailors, there is now only cement slabs left. The site now is used by dry camping RVers. There were a hundred or more scattered about. I have some pictures (I will upload in a day or so) and I will show you some of what there is there these days.
Here I am adjacent to the Eastern Shore of the Salton Sea.
A view of the eastern shoreline of the Salton Sea.
Next I went to Niland California on the eastern shore of the Salton Sea to the location of an old WW2 Navy Base, Camp Dunlap. It is now called Slab City because, where the old Navy buildings (mostly quansit huts) stood there only remains cement pads. Today a hundred or so RVers and campers use these pads to dry camp. There is a small commuity of sorts. With their own church and entertainment site.
This is the entry area to Slab City at the old WW2 Navy Base near Niland California.
Another attraction at Slab City is Salvation Mountain. This is the sign for it and off in th distance you can see some campers scatered around.
This is the Salvation Mountain. Someone has spent a lot of time putting this togather.
This is the Slab City community bulletin board.
This is the Slab City Christian Center.
This is The Range. It says it opens every night at dusk and has live music. This was the only place I saw that passes for entertainment.
21 March 2004
Took another day trip. This time went up to Mount Palomar, Observatory. The Observatory is 5,550 feet above sea level. So I guess you can say the Observatory sticks it's head out above most of the haze that is the regular air of Southern California. I will post some pictures in a day or so.
Here I a again at Mount Palamar Observatory.
This is a better view of the Mount Palamar Observatory dome.
Mount Palamar Observatory dedication plaque to George Ellory Hale for whom the Observatory is named for.
This is a view from the public observation room. It is dark in here to help keep the temperature down. They keep the inside temperature down to match the night time tempreature.
On the way down from Mount Palamar Observatory I stopped off at Mothers Kitchen Restaurant for a cool drink. There is a small store and post office here. As you can see their was a biker rally on that day. In fact there were at least a 100 and probably many more up and down the mountin.
21 - 25 March 2004
Did not have a very good day today (Monday). I started off the day going for coffee and a donut at Sam's Donut shop on Florida Ave. here in Hemet, California. Walked back home with a full cup of coffee then sat down to my computer (my main workstation is a laptop) with the coffee setting next to my computer. My boy cat Patches jumped on the table to be with me and some how between my reaction and his jump the coffee all ended up in my laptop. Well it fried it.
As that is the computer I do all my work with I had to replace it. To make a long story short I spent the rest of the day purchasing a new laptop and starting the process of reloading it with all the applications I use.
In fact it has taken me a few days to recover as I was continuing to service my clients and for some reason (there must be a Murphy's law to cover this) several of them all decided to contact me for things they needed done.
26 March 2004
Well the temperature has come way down from the last two weeks. Where it was hitting a high of 93°F just a few days ago, today it only got to about 68°F. What a relief. I am planning on heading down to San Diego this weekend and maybe on down to Tijuana, Mexico for a while. My plan now is to go ahead down in the morning and get a hotel room for Saturday night and come back Sunday.
27 March 2004
Headed south with intentions of going to Tijuana. When I got into the San Diego area I first stopped off and looked at the Sports Arena Blvd. I wanted to see what had happened to one of my favorite watering holes in the 60's when I was stationed at the Naval Training Center. The bar was then called "That Place Across The Street From the Sports Arena," which was later named "Foggy's Notion." From a viewer on this web site I heard that it had been torn down and was now an Oil Change station. Well I found that where "That Place Across The Street From the Sports Arena," aka "Foggy's Notion" was now a parking lot in front of a Home Depot.
Next I went over to the site of the now decommissioned Naval Training Center, San Diego. My first visit their was to attend boot camp, then I returned over the years for schools and such. The last time I was their while still on active duty was to attend my son Ray's graduation from boot camp in 1994. In fact Ray was in the very last company to go through Recruit Training Command, San Diego before it's closure. My last visit their was 1995 after I had retired (1994) to attend my best friends Wally Latall's retirement ceremony.
I drove along Rosecran's Ave. and all the old gates were closed and I could see that many of the old buildings were being torn down or soon will be. The old Navy Exchange building, movie theater were still their (but not for long). Many parts of the old base were closed off so I was only able to look at a small portion.
What was once the Naval Training Center, San Diego (including tenant commands such as Recruit Training Command) is now called Liberty Station. Liberty Station is a cooperative redevelopment between the city of San Diego and The Corky McMillin Companies. If you would like to read more about the fate of Naval Training Center, San Diego go here.
Below are some pictures that I took that will give you some general idea.
This is the Main Gate to what was formerly the Naval Training Center, San Diego. It is now called Liberty Station.
Here is another view of the old Naval Training Center, San Diego Main gate with a sign promoting the new development as Liberty Station.
This is a view just inside of the main gate where there still is a Navy theme.
Though I was past basic Navy technical training by the time this building, the Technical Training Building, was built it was the largest most advanced (sound proofed) building the Navy built on the Naval Training Center. There is no clue as to the fate of the Technical Training Building. I could not tell if it was going to be torn down or converted to some commercial use.
Well here is the last great symbol of the old Recruit Training Command. The USS Recruit. I remember receiving sound powered phone classes in one of the class rooms in side. Also receiving some seamanship training on her decks. I hope she is not cut up for scrap but left as some sort of memorial in a park or something.
Of what was once the Naval Training Center, San Diego the only active Navy use of the old facilities was the NEX gas station, a small Navy Exchange Mini Mart with a uniform shop and the Medical Clinic. Every thing else is no longer under the Navy's control.
Next I went on down to Tijuana, Mexico for the rest of the day. Last time I was there was in 1994. When I came down to San Diego for my son Ray's graduation from Boot Camp, some of my old friends also attended his graduation. One was my shipmate Wally Latall, and good friend Brian Dunn (Who was a friend from Submarine Base New London, Conneticut and MWR employee) who was now the Club Manager of the Consolidated Club at Point Loma, Submarine Base. On saturday the three of us went down to Tijuana for the day.
Below are a few shots of Tijuana, Mexico. The one thing I noted was there were not nearly as many people in Tijuana as I had ever seen before. It was a very pleasant day in the low 70's with a gentle breeze.
Here I am in Tijuana, Mexico. Checking out an old friend.
Tijuana, Mexico is also modernizing. I saw several Internet Cafe's while walking about.
No major tourist destination would be complete without a Hard Rock Cafe. Why should Tijuana, Mexico be the exception.
The last time Wally, Brian and I came down to Tijuana, Mexico we had dinner here at the El Torito Pub and a few brewskies. If you buy a bucket of Coronas you get them for a buck a piece. Also last time we (well Wally) got the stream of Tequila. That is where the waiter has you tip your head back and he pores Tequila down your mouth until you say Uncle. I noticed this trip that they were still offering this service.
This trip I also ate lunch here. It has a great balcony view of the strip. I enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the cool breeze. Again I noticed how much less crowded it was than any time I had been to Tijuana, Mexico before.
A few street dancers putting on a show.
See how empty this shopping bazar is? The whole down town looked like this. On a saturday at that.
I had sent an email message off to Pat Rios (an old shipmate of mine from Naval Submarine Base, New London, Conneticut), that I was going to be in town over the weekend. But I never got a reply. After I got to the border where I parked my truck I checked my email and it was Pat who had been out of town for a few days. So he asked me over for the evening where he was going to have a BBQ. I of course accepted as I new that 4 or 5 hours walking around Tijuana, Mexico would be all I needed.
Pat is still on active Duty. He is a CEC (Civil Engineer Corps) Commander. Monica (Pat's wife) is a physician work at one of the clinics near the border. Both Pat and Monica speak fluent Spanish. This is especially helpful for Monica because the large majority of the patients in her clinic speak only Spanish.
Below you will see a couple of pictures I took or had taken while at their home in Chula Vista.
Here I am with the Rios Family.
My old shipmate Pat Rios and me.
Next week will be spent getting ready for my next move into the Fresno, California area. I plan on stopping at the Calico Ghost Town for a few days. They have an RV Park. Calico is a place we went to several times as I was growing up. I even have some 8MM movies that the family took. I look forward to seeing how it looks today.
Calico is located in Barstow, California along the historic Route 66 and will be a nice halfway point on my way to the Fresno, California area. Once in Fresno I am planning to have my actual location be Kingsburg, California.
Ray Plumlee
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