Fort Ord

Fort Ord was an Army training base that closed in 1994. Today several communities are developing some of the land while other sections are still being used by the military for training or being scoured for old munitions. Finally, some of it has become a National Monument. This is the portion I want to talk about. For more information about Fort Ord in general, check out Fort Ord.

Ft Ord was one of my main bicycle destinations for several years. It offers great road rides and especially great mountain bike rides. There are many miles of interconnected trails to discover in Ft. Ord and even after several years of riding there I haven’t discovered all of them. I had thought about describing the route of one of my favorite rides but then I asked myself if that would really convey my love for the area and I’m not sure it would. What I ended up doing is what follows, some pictures and descriptions of several of my favorite sections along the trails.

The first my favorites is a point that is midway through my typical ride. The very first time I saw it, it took my breath away. The slightly sandy single track trail wanders slowly uphill through an Oak forest. The trees, 40 to 50 feet high, are spread far apart. Some of the tree branches are long enough and low enough to offer great climbing opportunities for those so inclined. The leaves of the trees, during the summer and fall, are large and offer great shade between stabs of sunlight that touch the wild grass that surrounds the trees. A “manicured” park done by nature.

In the spring, there are a few wildflowers here and there. Purple, white, yellow. A slight breeze may be rusting the leaves and making me wonder if I should continue up the trail or just stop and lay in the grass under one of those trees and take a long afternoon nap.

Another section of trail, in this case double track (an old road), follows a ridge line for a mile or so offering views on one side down a steep slope into a valley that has a trail wandering through it and more oak forest and meadows. On the other side is that typical rolling grassy California hillside that is green in the spring and gold in the summer. It is dotted by a few trees and can have large quantities of wild flowers in the early spring. There are glimpses of Monterey Bay to be had, shimmering off in the distance.

The one thing this ridge offers, that is a bit unique, are the sounds. At times you will only hear the breeze blowing through the grass and the leaves rustling in the nearby trees. At other times one can hear the sounds of race car engines running full out as they circle Laguna Seca, scratching for that last ounce of speed. This is a distant sound that gets softer and louder as the cars get closer and then fade off. The sound is never overpowering as the track is several ridges away. For some this could be annoying but for others, like myself, it can add to the music of a late afternoon ride.

I’ve asked myself many times what makes a favorite area on a ride. Is it the scenery, the trail, interesting things nearby, what? All of the above really.

The place that pulls all this together for me in Fort Ord is a beautiful little meadow with interesting structures, a wonderful view and lots of trails to choose from for the next part of a ride. At times the meadow is green, at other times, gold. It sits in a wide valley with oak trees all around.

This meadow, I’m guessing, was used for training when the area was an Army base. It has several wood structures and a number of picnic tables. One of the structures looks a lot like a stage as it has a roof, a back and a “raised stage”. The other structure is a roof with a number of high wood benches under it. The perfect height for standing and working on weapons. I don’t know really what it was for but it fits with my experience in basic training.

To get here takes several miles of single track that climbs over several ridges and descends into beautiful valleys. Nothing especially difficult, just an enjoyable ride over interesting terrain and trails with great views along the way.

What makes this particular area so special to me? The beauty and the structures and the ride to get there. It is a nice place to stop and take in the quiet and have a snack or drink. A place where you could take a long rest and just soak in nature and mull over lots of good memories from past military and riding experiences. A place to choose the next part of your journey for that afternoon or the rest of your life.

There are so many more areas I could talk about, the climb up to the water tank above Laguna Seca, the climb to Laguna Seca via the paved road. The crazy road climbs that make up Jacks Road. Climbs that are so steep one has to zig-zag up the road vs. going straight up it.

I hope one day to ride these roads and trails again. I hope they are still there in all their glory, preserved for myself and others to discover their best bicycle rides. These trails, these roads have been a wonderful part of my life’s journey.