The forecast called for rain all the way up. And indeed, the rain was so heavy by the time I got to Chico, California I found myself in a slow line of cars driving through a flooded roadway. But the snow got worse closer to the border. Just passed Ashland they made the truckers put on chains. It was dark before we started moving again. My California street tires started swerving even at 4  miles an hour. I inched up… almost walking the Honda up the hill, hoping I could stop it going down. (No blanket nor sleeping bag… not even a place to pull over.) The snow was really coming down. Where was the snow plows? A couple of cars ran into the ditch.

Finally a plow flew past… what would happen if I pulled off an exit into heavier snow? The sign ahead said, “Lodging,” and the police car followed the plow down the exit road… and I followed them…

Despite snow still on the street, it was eerie the way my little Civic suddenly drove straight and smooth once I got off to the end of the ramp. Lights behind a group of trees up ahead…”WOLF CREEK INN” the sign said. The place looked lovely… very old… turned out to be an historic hotel. It was the finest stage coach stop between Sacramento and Portland back in 1883 when it was built. Jack London and Clark Gable stayed here.

I noticed later that a sign on the door read the hotel won’t open until May and this was only the end of March. Two…. extremely kind people checked us in and helped carry each guests bags to our rooms. They say the place is haunted. Glorious night here in the Twilight Zone.