Overview
The James Dean Memorial is an interesting stopover for any van or RV lifer searching for a little history. On September 30th, 1955, James Dean died in a terrible car crash on Highway 46 (then numbered 466). The memorial is located a short distance away from the crash site is a sculpture made of concrete and stainless steel surrounding a tree outside the Cholame “post office” and Jack Ranch Cafe.
Background
The James Dean memorial was made by Seita Ohnishi in Japan in 1977 and dedicated in September 2005. The memorial has several plaques, and visitors have sprinkled several coins upon it. The Jack Ranch Cafe is located at the memorial and has pictures of Dean hanging all over the restaurant’s walls.
Links and Other Adventures:
Paso Robles
Paso Robles is a great destination for any van lifer who loves wine, olive oil, and the beauty of vineyards. Driving around the area is breathtaking and well worth an entire day of scenic beauty. Downtown Paso Robles is a charming and quaint area that offers shopping, great restaurants, wine bars and is worth checking out
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area is a good stopover for any van lifer traveling down/up the I-5 FWY. It’s located approximately 25 miles southwest of Bakersfield and 5 miles from the I-5 freeway. The recreational area is comprised of two lakes; Lake Evans and the much larger Lake Webb. The main activity is fishing and camping. There’s also a shooting range right next to the recreational area too.
