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He was definitely a maverick.

On our way to Morro Bay, Dusty, Sharon, me and Alice stopped at a restaurant for lunch that was 100 feet from where a farmer pulled out in front of James Dean who crashed into the farm truck. This was on Highway 58 between Bakersfield and Morro Bay. The restaurant was loaded with James Dean pictures and news paper and magazine coverage of the crash. Pictures of Dean's wrecked car were terrible--you couldn't recognize his car at all.

The farmer was blinded by the sun and admitted that he couldn't see a thing---but pulled onto Hwy 58 anyway, right in front of James Dean's car which t-boned the truck, smashing Dean and his car.

Dean's last line in this clip were prophetic.

An interesting side note to our trip.
Vince--I don't believe we were ever on hwy 46 but I'll ask Dusty to chime in here. Also, the picture you posted of a memorial location looks like a desert area---no trees or grass. Seems we were in a treed, grassy area.

Might have been the altitude tghat confused me?

Alice and I still talk about the wonderful time we had at Morro Bay
and the chance to meet the great West Coast contingent. And that was SOME scotch, my friend!
a bit of correction, it was not a farm truck that hit Dean, and it was not on SR 58. just FYI

"Dean was driving west on U.S. Route 466 (later State Route 46) near Cholame, California when a black-and-white 1950 Ford Custom Tudor coupe, driven from the opposite direction by 23-year-old Cal Poly student Donald Turnupseed, attempted to take the fork onto State Route 41 and crossed into Dean's lane without seeing him."
Jack, perhaps you weren't where it actually took place, but at some wanna be location...on hiway 58, wherever that is...
What Jim D said is basically the true story....
On the 50th anniversary they actually re-enacted the whole thing, with the exception of the actual crash of course...
As it turns out the sun IS in fact a blinding spot on the road...
Deans spyder was silver and the road is almost the same color, especially with the sun in your eyes...
Jack,
Sorry to say we actually were on Hwy 46 at the Jack Ranch Cafe. You are right about their take on the whole accident. I looked it up and it seems there is much conflicting info in the "legend". Oh, well, it was a reasonably good burger and people enjoyed looking at our cars. Besides, it was a good break to get out of the cold.


Happy Trails,
Dusty and LMS

PS
After 70's and 80's weather we are due for a big snow tonight!!!! anybody guess why I want to move back to Arizona???
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