Roadside memorial are everywhere - monuments to people in places from times past. Many are informal, like those who have died in accidents; others, marked by state sanctioned plaques. This past year, I was introduced to a new, and stopped to see a second one that I had been aware of for decades, but had never viewed other than when driving past at a speed of at least 55 miles per hour.
When driving through the countryside in Tucuman Provence in northern Argentina, my hosts pointed out roadside shrines to the legendary Gaucho Gil - a folk saint who lived in Argentina during the 19th century. The shrines are marked by bright red flags and followers of Gaucho Gil leave bottles of wine, plates of food, and other tokens. While evading capture for desertion from the army, Gil robbed from the rich and shared with the poor. Eventually he was captured and pleaded with his executioner to be spared, warning him that that when the executioner returned home he would find his son gravely ill and that Gaucho Gil had been pardoned. When the executioner went home he found both of Gil's predictions were true, so he returned and properly buried Gaucho Gil. Soon the executioner's son recovered, and a legend was born.
When driving through the countryside in Tucuman Provence in northern Argentina, my hosts pointed out roadside shrines to the legendary Gaucho Gil - a folk saint who lived in Argentina during the 19th century. The shrines are marked by bright red flags and followers of Gaucho Gil leave bottles of wine, plates of food, and other tokens. While evading capture for desertion from the army, Gil robbed from the rich and shared with the poor. Eventually he was captured and pleaded with his executioner to be spared, warning him that that when the executioner returned home he would find his son gravely ill and that Gaucho Gil had been pardoned. When the executioner went home he found both of Gil's predictions were true, so he returned and properly buried Gaucho Gil. Soon the executioner's son recovered, and a legend was born.
We have driven from the San Joaquin Valley to Cambria on the Central California coast many times, and passed by the Jack Ranch Cafe in Cholame on Route 41. In the parking lot of the restaurant is a stainless steel monument to actor James Dean. Dean was killed from an accident near the site in 1955. My folks always stop at the cafe for a piece of pie on their way to Cambria - usually at least once a month. James Dean is a legend to some - particularly the business man from Japan who financed the memorial. I don't know how many folks who drive by on the busy highway are even aware of the memorial, or how many remember the actor.There are those who follow James Dean religiously, maybe with the same devotion as those in Argentina who revere the folk saint Gaucho Gil. Both died young, but their notoriety continues on - whether more than 50 or 150 years ago. As for me, the lore about James Dean and
other period actors of his time is interesting, but like Gaucho Gill - more a novelty than anything else. I would rather walk around, look at, or read about the official monuments in the San Luis Obispo County area. I am familiar with No. 640 Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument and No. 726 the Sebastian Store at San Simeon Bay where the treasures that filled the mansion landed when brought over from Europe. A listing of State of California Historic Sites can be found by clicking the link. 
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