>I went out yesterday and replaced the wipers
>and bought some Rain-X. I'm a Rain-X convert now for sure! That stuff is great. You do still need good wiper blades, though. Rain-X really only works best when you're moving at 35mph or more. The faster, the better.
>Stay dry, but have fun!!! I wish I was going with you to the
>Gold Country.
Gold Country is just plain bizarre right now. I've literally driven Highway 49 at LEAST 100 times. Probably more. Every month of the year, every kind of weather you could imagine. I've seen it. Well... I thought so, anyway.
It doesn't snow here. Really, it just doesn't. Well, maybe once every couple dozen years there will be a light dusting in the higher elevation towns, but it'll be gone by noon.
There was snow in Coarsegold! That's, what... 2,500'? And I was still on Highway 41! I made it to Oakhurst, turned left onto Highway 49, and after about five miles I thought I was arriving at a ski resort in Colorado. Two feet or more lined both sides of the highway. Then it started actually snowing... Hard! For maybe 30 or 40 miles the white stuff was attacking my windshield, but Rain-X fought back valiantly.
Several hours later I finally made it to Jackson, checked in, then ran Ashley out back for a potty break. THERE WAS SNOW THERE TOO! It doesn't snow here! Wow...
Now I'm wondering if I'll even be able to make it to Tahoe and Yosemite... I did notice the roads to Yosemite are open, but chains are required. I have chains, but I really, really, really hate dealing with those. I'll put them on if I absolutely have to, but if I know in advance they're required, I'll avoid the area.
One other item of note from today's long drive... I took Highway 41 all the way from Morro Bay to Oakhurst. About halfway to Fresno it merges for a while with Highway 46. When I got to the intersection where they merge I damn near shouted "Holy crap! This is where James Dean died! I recognize this intersection!!!" As I pulled into the left turn lane to merge into the 41/46 stretch, I saw a sign that read "James Dean Memorial Intersection".
I'd never been there before, but a few months ago I found a web site that had a bunch o' pictures from then and now. I'm not sure what exactly it was about that intersection that fired the neuron in my brain that brought it all back, but I knew *immediately* what I was looking at and where I was... 
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http://www.ldphotography.net/
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