Northern California - Who here grew up in NorCal?

Born and raised in the Bay Area. Old enough to remember Gemco and a lot of empty space in the bay area. Think the area's declined since 70-80's of my childhood/teens. But what generation doesn't think the new one is mucking the area up?

Gemco! My older brother's first real job was at Gemco!! I think at the intersection of Camden and Hillsdale?

Arrived in San Jose around 1963 or 64. I remember the year we moved there from Norwalk it rained and rained and rained and rained. There was so much water in Lake Vasona that the arched bridge was almost covered. We have photos of that.

It rained so much that I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I love rain.

It turned out that the rain was one of those 'hundred year events'. Bah, humbug :mad: .

Graduated from Leigh High School...attended University of Santa Clara. Could not stand the heat, and moved to Santa Rosa. Could not stand the heat, and moved to Ballard...then on to the East Hill. Not nearly as hot, but could still use a bit more rain.

East Hill

Gemco........I think there was one by Serramonte but on the other side of the freeway.....right?

Gemco........I think there was one by Serramonte but on the other side of the freeway.....right?

I don't remember there being a Gemco there, but when I finally did get a driver's license, I headed straight for Rod McClellan's.

I miss not being able to go there when I visit :( . One of the other loves of my life, orchids.

East Hill

I'm pretty sure you can by horse, but not sure if it's open all the way to bikes.

That's what I thought. I couldn't find anything in the little exploring I did.

I'd be up for a off-road excursion. I heard that Arastradero in Palo Alto and Water Dog Lake Park in San Mateo are mild off-road trails. Anyone game?

Video at Arastradero. (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4234211143566225795&q=ari+volcoff&total=8&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2) Or we could do Skeggs one day. It's pretty advanced (if you want to go fast) in some parts.

That's the one I went to, I believe they even carried firearms back then, ahhh the good old days. I still have three commodore 64'sand accessories in my garage somewhere. Archon one of the best games ever. I wonder how much they'd fetch on ebay?

What about camping at yosemite when it didn't have the same crowds as Disneyland:p?



Gemco........I think there was one by Serramonte but on the other side of the freeway.....right?

We used to go to water dog frequently a few years ago. I've heard local groups have really improved the trail system since I last went. http://passiontrailbikes.com/pages/waterdog Water Dog Lake Park in San Mateo are mild off-road trails. Anyone game?

Gemco........I think there was one by Serramonte but on the other side of the freeway.....right?

Where there's a Target there now? I wonder if Gemco did become Target.

Yeah that spot. But I don't remember if it was an instant transition or if the space wa empty for a little while.

Where there's a Target there now? I wonder if Gemco did become Target.

Where there's a Target there now? I wonder if Gemco did become Target.

That was a montgomery ward before target. Gemco, must have been 20 years ago.

Says something about ya age don't it. :p

There's two targets about .5 miles away from each other. One's at serramonte where MW used to be the others across the freeway. The one across the freeway used to be gemco.

That was a montgomery ward before target. Gemco, must have been 20 years ago.

Says something about ya age don't it. :p

That's been a target since I can remember. I'm 20 now, I remember it as a little kid.

Still... :p

Hey ladies say the grey in my hair makes me look distinguished and gentlemanly:p

Still... :p

Water Dog Lake Park in Belmont? That course is extremely short and goes in a circle from what I remember. I'm not that advanced but I don't mind the difficult stuff if people don't mind waiting :P

Commodore 64?? I still have the complete set with printer, (big) floppy drive and huge keyboard and monitor sitting in my garage in it's boxes. My aunt bought it for me when I was really young. Is it worth some money by any chance?

Class of '89. Only took ALL FOUR YEARS to win that stupid Screaming Eagles rally.

Siu, WPOD = White Punks on Dope and SDI = Sunset District Incorporated. I used to ride my skateboard all the time at the bunkers of Ft. Miley and the Military Hospital there. Most of the WPOD's there were several years older than me but since I could ride the big bunker on my board and not wipe out and fall 30' to the ground I wasn't picked on.

Wow! Ft. Miley... I haven't thought about that place in years. Yeah! The big bunker wasn't the best place to eat (expletive). Ahhhhhhhhh! Keersplatt! I was a skate rat in the city during that time too. Probably crossed paths with you more than once since I was the only skater not doing smack that I knew of. :rolleyes: I used to roll the Embarcadero, china banks, basically everywhere in the city. Good times. I can't believe I'm 36 tomorrow. Sheesh!

:bday:

There's two targets about .5 miles away from each other. One's at serramonte where MW used to be the others across the freeway. The one across the freeway used to be gemco.

BINGO! :D



Is that orchid place East Hill was talking about still there on El Camino?

I was just in the area yesterday and saw the new Colma Police Department. That they built a few years ago...:o

Commodore 64?? I still have the complete set with printer, (big) floppy drive and huge keyboard and monitor sitting in my garage in it's boxes. My aunt bought it for me when I was really young. Is it worth some money by any chance?

Some, not much but some. http://cgi.ebay.com/Commodore-64-system-w-monitor-disk-cassette-books_W0QQitemZ120153824459QQihZ002QQcategoryZ74945QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

huh, I'm surprised I didn't reply to this thread...

I was born at Santa Clara Kaiser (the one they just shut down), lived in Los Altos until I was 7, moved to Corning for 4 years, back to San Jose all through the rest of school, went to SJSU and SFSU (for 1 year), moved to San Antonio for 1 year and then back here ever since.

Rod Mcellan Acres of orchids, nope whole bunch of new houses :( across from costco.
about Rod Mcellan http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2006-11-4-matters-historical
If only they could've held out until that nic cage movie Adaptation came out:p





Is that orchid place East Hill was talking about still there on El Camino?

Is that orchid place East Hill was talking about still there on El Camino?



No...:cry: It closed in 1997 if I remember correctly...:cry: .

Perhaps that's why my visits have become so infrequent...I loved Rod McClellan's :cry: .

East Hill

Aww that sucks....