Having been there before.....what was it like seeing it again?

[Tony's Dream]

In September I traveled to Fort Lee, VA, my very first permanant duty station. I was stationed there in 1980 and I wanted to see it again, to kindle fond memories of the place. When I arrived I visited the barracks where I lived and found it was no longer a barracks, it was office space for some operation and mostly used for storage. It was closed and I was not able to get in and take a look around. I headed for a place on post where I spent time relaxing and writing letters, only to find it was now a storage lot for RV's and boat trailers. As I drove around the place, nothing was the same.

I know that after 40 years there were going to be some changes, but I didn't expect it to be totally different. It didn't feel like "home" anymore, it felt like any other base. I went to a resturant that I like, only to find out it burnt down in 1990 and was replaced with a new building. The food still tasted great, but again it was not the same. I felt like I lost someone close to me. I had such found memories and now that's all it is.

Have you ever visited a favorite place only to find it totally changed?

 

[maki2]

No

 

[bullfrog]

I used to often but like many places with populations they change often and sometimes radically. Even remote unpopulated places I seem to run into people or signs of people, guess I got spoiled being around areas where people hadn’t been in centuries. Last few years I’ve had to accept the fact there aren’t too many places I care to revisit thinking they might still bear a resemblance of what they were.

 

[Morgana]

I'm thinking of places I used to kayak in Florida that were really peaceful -- and felt remote, even if they maybe weren't very -- until they got mobbed by people looking for entertainment during the Covid lockdown. And of course it's not entertainment unless you screech a lot. It's like somebody turned church into a flea market -- heartbreaking and weirdly disorienting.

Of course, it's partly on me because I never got the fitness, skills or budget to go to the places the mob might not follow. Hope springs eternal but at this moment it looks like old age might be winning the race. I hope that FL rivers mob scene dies down eventually (maybe it already has?). Even if I'm not there to see it, it would be nice to know things were back to [normal <<< hahaha].

 

[hugemoth]

I lived in Sonora California during the late 70s. The town had 1 stoplight and about 3K people back then. When I visited a few years ago it was unrecognizable. I got lost. Stoplights, traffic, malls, sprawl.

I moved to Bend Oregon in 1984 when the population was 18,500. It too is unrecognizable with a population well over 100,000. Even my 2 acres and modest house 6 miles from town has completely changed now that the ponderosa pines have had 35+ years of growth. The nearby lakes where we used to camp without seeing anyone for days now have pay campgrounds.

 

[abnorm]

I lived in my house for 35 years in Orlando..........A young neighbor bought it to Flip........Thank-You BUT

On a quick return visit after the RTR......... He was so proud to show me.......
""We cut all the trees down so now you can see the property""

OMG.....you can't go back !

 

[SLB_SA]

Fern Canyon looked largely the same last year (2021) as it did in the past (i.e. 1960-1972) but now I notice:
NEW in 2022!
If you plan to drive to Fern Canyon from May 1st - Sept 30th, you will need to apply for online - and have been issued - a free Gold Bluffs Beach / Fern Canyon parking permit. Read the official news release about how we are protecting this area with timed-entries. Summer visitors now will have a safer and much less crowded experience at Fern Canyon.

 

[egilbe]

I was stationed at Ft Bliss Texas in '86 to '88. My wife and I were visiting friends in Alamogordo NM. Seeing how much Alamogordo grew and how much US 54 changed should have prepared me, but I was shocked at how much El Paso grew around the fort. Our motor pool was at the very edge of El Paso. Beyond our motor pool was desert heading off through Macgregor Range. Now, El Paso has grown 10 miles beyond it. I kept driving past my former barracks because they tore down the old ones. I recognized the street name and the dining hall, but the barracks was more in the South West style of adobe rather than the three floor cinder block industrial style it was. It was surreal. The only thing that remained the same was the area where the Generals lived. It looked exactly as I remembered it.

You can never go back, because it changes as much as you have in the years.

 

[Malamute]

I have a feeling its going to be somewhat interesting going back to Arizona after being away so long. I moved away in 1989 but went back regularly to visit in the winter time for about 10 years or so, but its been over 20 since I was there.

Now, Im worn out on the N Rockies winters and missing Arizona a lot. Friends there tell me how much its changed, and I see it in many videos I watch of the area, but theres also many places that havent changed too much once you get away from the most popular areas, and are willing to go in the off seasons, middle of the week, and in weather most dont like.

I guess its all relative. It may not be quite like it was, but I know for certain its way better than being in the midwest, which Ive gotten my fill of the the past few years while taking care of elderly family.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Amen! Lol!!! More people but stores are closer in many cases.

 

[Malamute]

^^^Amen! Lol!!! More people but stores are closer in many cases.

Indeed, stores are closer. I have to admit Im a bit tired of driving 35 miles one way to do anything. Being in civilized country a lot the past few years has spoiled me, I sort of enjoy being 5 or 10 minutes from a store or restaurant or hardware store and not having to buy 4 things I may or may not need but its cheaper than driving back to town again if it doesnt fit or work.

From what I understand of the Verde area, there are in fact more stores and restaurants, which cuts down having to drive to Flag or Prescott to do many things.

 

[RoamerRV428]

absolutely everything changes, and alot! unless controlled thru say, parks or historical sites and more that are impervious to 'dramatic' change.

Grew up Freehold NJ. Knew it well. Apple orchards, farms, small town and just what it was back in the 70s. Went back. Farms gone, ALL homes. Roads changed on how to find my 'old neighborhood' which seemed SO MUCH SMALLER and the town, omg, unrecognizable totally.

rare one can ever go back and expect to see the same truly.
but that shows me MOVE forward ya know. find new NOW experiences and forget looking backward to find what we remembered to be 'still there'. If anything it made me more sad to see it again LOL
don't care about being sad all changed in never it seems to us in a good way so forward to new adventures is best for me.

 

[beavergod1]

I was stationed at Ft Bliss Texas in '86 to '88. My wife and I were visiting friends in Alamogordo NM. Seeing how much Alamogordo grew and how much US 54 changed should have prepared me, but I was shocked at how much El Paso grew around the fort. Our motor pool was at the very edge of El Paso. Beyond our motor pool was desert heading off through Macgregor Range. Now, El Paso has grown 10 miles beyond it. I kept driving past my former barracks because they tore down the old ones. I recognized the street name and the dining hall, but the barracks was more in the South West style of adobe rather than the three floor cinder block industrial style it was. It was surreal. The only thing that remained the same was the area where the Generals lived. It looked exactly as I remembered it.

You can never go back, because it changes as much as you have in the years.

I was thinking about revisiting my old digs at Camp LeJeune sometime. Apparently, since 911, they don't issue day passes anymore to former veterans to explore on their own. Now you have to have a chaperone touring with you. Was wondering if it was worth the hassle. Did you have any problems getting into Fort Bliss?

 

[rpmhart333]

Hey Tony...maybe the best thing to do is remember that old chestnut "you can't go home again". Or to go without a 'recapture' mindset.
I was at Fort Eustis VA before and after RVN in 1970--the Old T-school, now relocated--but doubt the pizza place down the road in Newport News that served the thick-crust two-foot-square pizza (the one against which all pizzas have been measured against in my memory) is still around. The rest is just a memory of Great Dismal Swamp.
But then, I don't have any desire to go back to RVN, either. The memory of helicopters kicking up that red dust of the Central Highlands at Pleiku is enough for me.
(it wasn't anywhere near as good as the pizza)
Youth is wasted on the young and age is just wasting...unless you do it right.
I'm not sure I've worked that second one out...

 

[egilbe]

I was thinking about revisiting my old digs at Camp LeJeune sometime. Apparently, since 911, they don't issue day passes anymore to former veterans to explore on their own. Now you have to have a chaperone touring with you. Was wondering if it was worth the hassle. Did you have any problems getting into Fort Bliss?

Not at all, but then again, I have a retired ID card. They probably assumed I was going to the commissary. El Paso has a huge retired military population, or did in the 80's. One of my squad leaders from Maine retired to El Paso.

 

[Tony's Dream]

Hey Tony...maybe the best thing to do is remember that old chestnut "you can't go home again". Or to go without a 'recapture' mindset.
I

I think you are right. It's sad in some ways, but you are still right.

Thanks for your service in RVN! I have a Vietnamese friend who escaped when Siagon fell. His older brother was a doctor and they inserted gold bars into him to hide it from the Viet Cong. They robbed them of everything else when they ran to the embassy.

 

[RoamerRV428]

I was thinking about revisiting my old digs at Camp LeJeune sometime.

Isn't that the one they are plugging now on tv for a massive class action lawsuit cause the water was poisoned for many years? I think they got a mess on their hands?

 

[Tony's Dream]

Isn't that the one they are plugging now on tv for a massive class action lawsuit cause the water was poisoned for many years? I think they got a mess on their hands?

Yes it is.......but of course the fixed the problem now.

 

[beavergod1]

Isn't that the one they are plugging now on tv for a massive class action lawsuit cause the water was poisoned for many years? I think they got a mess on their hands?

Yes, but I think it was only a couple wells on base. I was in 2nd Tanks, and not in the affected area. Then again I think the motor pool was in the area affected and that is where they filled the water buffaloes when we were out doing field exercises. It also cover the rec area where I would work out and did a little camp boxing. The literature states the VA will cover a range of cancers for free, but now on Medicare it's thanks but no thanks. I'm ok so far. And I was overseas for a while so my exposure wasn't as bad as some. I'm not too worried about it...

 

[RoamerRV428]

Yes, but I think it was only a couple wells on base. I'm ok so far. And I was overseas for a while so my exposure wasn't as bad as some. I'm not too worried about it...

that is super lucky to hear that you feel kinda safe at this point. Definitely glad all is fine so far for ya!! Such scary things can pop up way after and effect our lives but seems ya feel good about it all and maybe skirted alot of issues from it!! Cool.