December 9, 2020:
James Dean died in a Porsche racing car at the intersection of what are today California highways 46 and 41, outside Cholame. A truck turned across the intersection before Dean could react, flipping his little racer tail over nose, breaking his neck on impact.
I've passed the spot many times. When I5 is foggy I take 46 to 101 rather than the somewhat shorter cutover on 152 farther north. Besides, the truckers drive me nuts, passing long convoys one driver at a time at three miles under the speed limit.
The intersection where Dean died has always bothered me, for the specific reason that killed him. Someone turns across the road and you have nowhere to go but right into them. Instinctively I've slowed down there every time, despite having the right of way.
I've only just learned of Dean's death at that spot. The junction has been somewhat macabrely named for him. I saw the sign and did the research.
Although it's not a happy place, it's still better than I5 in the fog.