A ROAD TO CALIFORNIA STORY

In June 1994 I moved back to California engaged to Rod.  We drove my 1990 Honda CRX from Virginia and left at O-Dark-30 in the morning, 4:30AM to be exact.  It was a hot, dark, and rainy-misty day going west and it stayed that way all day as we made our way to Interstate 80 and beyond.  Just outside of Peoria, Illinois we ran into a big bank of low dark clouds with little fingers twirling down.  It started to rain hard, then hail and thunder with lightning and Rod said get under an overpass.  I said I couldn't because there were already cars there and I would block a lane on a big interstate highway so I pulled off on the side.  We proceeded to be PELTED WITH HAIL and the wind was moving sideways.  Rod pulled pillows from the back and held them up to the windshield and passenger side window as he was afraid the windows would blow in on us.  All kinds of debris was blowing  in front of us like tree branches and swirling dirt.  After the storm subsided we found out we'd been at the wall of a tornado that had touched down.  My car had pock marks on the roof, the hood, and the passenger side and it looked like it had cellulite!  I should have pulled under the overpass because others did and the interstate was completely blocked.  As everyone started moving on we saw some antique autos that had been caught on the road with us that were equally damaged.  Pity.  Now whenever Peoria is mentioned we throw up our hands and make the sign of an X with our fingers!!