Trying new things

As moist people know, I tend to drink Budweiser. It's cheap, tasty, and after four or five I can feel a good buzz but can drink less and still enjoy the taste. I've also never been really big on heavier English and Irish beers that many of my friends swear by. Just too bitter and heavy for me.

But at Costco last weekend I spotted Gordon Biersch's Spring Variety 24 pack. Maibock (a seasonal beer), Blonde Bock, Czech Style Pilsner, and Märzen. I've had all but the Maibock, and enjoyed them all. A little on the bitter side, so I may keep buying some Budweiser as a "beer on a hot day" type of drink, but very happy with this experiment.

And suddenly I was eight years old again

Way back when I was a kid, we'd always spend a week or two at a beach house borrowed from one of my dad's business acquaintances. Most years this was at Pajaro Dunes but a couple of times we stayed at Monterey Dunes, a bit further down the coast.

Getting to Monterey Dunes involved driving down Highway 1, passing through Moss Landing. In Moss Landing, not far from the prominent power plant, I saw what appeared to be an awesome surplus store at the side of the road. Remember that as a kid i was an absolute nut for anything military. Offer me a hundred dollars at Toy'R'Us or ten bucks at a surplus store and I'd take the surplus store in a heartbeat.

So using calm, logical arguments (pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasePLEASE!!!!!!) I got my parents to stop on the way home. We entered.

Aladdin's cave. Smaug's treasure. Insert your own metaphor for unbelievable treasure here. This place just rocked my world.

Being a big fan of General Douglas MacArthur (one guess why, and I was eight and hadn't read American Caeser yet) I mustered up the courage to ask if they had the insignia of the 42nd Infantry Division. Alas no. As i recall, I purchased something small and we left. The other times we went to Monterey Dunes demanded a stop at "the surplus store."

Today, I was doing the Santa Cruz route and was driving up 1. As I approached Moss Landing, I began thinking about the place, and then saw it. Still in the same place, still awesome. I apologized to anyone who witnessed my sudden left turn into the parking lot. Went in, and was eight again. Chatted with the owner for a bit, and told him of my quest of oh so many years ago. He checked, and still no Rainbow Division patch. "Check back in thirty years."

I think I'll be dropping in much sooner than that.