"He felt very old, as if while he slept he had put down the dreams of a strong man -- snow-covered mountains and beautiful women -- in exchange for the anxieties of some decrepit octogenarian who had lost his false teeth."
 

  Nailles (Bullet Park - John Cheever)


Faded Motel Mojo
Motels, diving neon dames, Tiki Lei Suite, odd signs of everlasting love, giant Eucalyptus tree.
The 5 Spot Coffee Shop
One of the San Jose Drive-Ins & then a coffee shop. Odd all around. 		 
Metal on Monterey
SimsMetal - protected by the Devil's Hatband (barbed wire). Barbed and beautiful.		  
Monterey Road Stylin
Dealin Dollar Dan, Faber's Cyclery, splendid soul-gutted trailer parks, Sun Garden packing plant.		  
Tranny Man Transmission
Concertina held hell hounds, minimalist transmission shop. Howl of traffic, barking of dog, scratching of soul.		  
Burger Bar
Since 1953 serving your burger needs. Some claim it serves up the best Mexican food in town.		  


Market St. and 2nd St. dovetail into 1st St. 1st St. then "becomes" Monterey Road (Highway). This glut of blocks is similar in spirit and will be lumped into my definition of Monterey Road.

Car selling hucksters, good deal burgers, fields of crap protected by concertina barbed wire. Bleeding souls pushing grocery carts down the boulevard. Grey men drinking coffee at the 5 Spot Coffee shop. Petty criminals holed up in faded motels. The Tike Lei Suite is no more, no more.

An excerpt from Dave Hickey, prominent San Jose gadfly and historian:
"...the great confluence of the four streets: Willow, Keyes, First, and Goodyear (I don't think these streets conflue - ug). Truly and spiritually, if not cartographically, the gateway to Monerey Road and a San Jose holy site. The focal point of the view is the Burger Bar, since 1953 on the southwest corner. One can stand in the softdrink-pooled parking lot, where dining is both table and tailgate alfresco, and see it all: the beautiful, old Parkview Motel (the southwing heartbreakingly burned as a charred ruin) on the east, The Place on the northeast, which is the finest 'hard boozin' saloon in town, and 'the many flags encircled' First Street Motors on the southwest."
Dave Hickey

I can attest to The Place being 'hard boozin.' On the Saturday morning I drove to Monterey Road, The Place was bustling with activity.

Email Soft Underbelly at [email protected]