John Fogerty and Chuck Ragan are two musicians who I think the world of. I feel a strong connection when I listen to their voices, and the great words that they write. One particular connection I feel with these guys is in their songs about the rain. Fogerty grew up El Cerrito, CA, a town outside of San Francisco. Ragan grew up in Florida, but now resides in Gold Country, CA. It’s evident that these two have both been inspired by the heavy rain storms in Northern California to write songs like Who’ll Stop The Rain, and Have You Ever Seen The Rain? (CCR), plus Don’t Cry, and Let It Rain (Ragan). I feel a connection with these songs, because I’ve felt the same rain once.

When I was seven, I took a trip to San Francisco and Santa Cruz. It was a magical two weeks, and has definitely had a major impact on my development as a person. We stayed at a place called The Brookdale Lodge, located in the San Lorenzo Valley. The lodge had a calm, vintage energy to it. The walls of the lobby were covered with black and white photos signed by past celebrity guests such as: Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple and Louis Armstrong. The dining room had a real creek running through it, with candle lit dinners. There was a pool with a large window at the bottom of it, which was once used for men to pick out ladies who were wearing numbers on their swim suits. There are many rumors of this place being haunted. It was a good place to stay. I felt like I figured out the song Hotel California at a very young age, and knew right away that I always wanted to be there. 

The memory that stands out the most from this trip was the big rain storm. My dad was recently in a car accident, becoming a paraplegic, and was starting to adjust to his new life. He met a girl at rehab in Toronto who was recently injured at the same time. She went to UC Santa Cruz and had many friends in Santa Cruz, which is why we went to California with her in the first place. I remember my dad and I went for a stroll around the lodge. Rain started to pour down very hard, very quickly. The smell of the redwood forest surrounding us started to fill the already fresh air. My dad had me run and push his wheelchair so we could get back to the lodge. That was probably the best experience I’ve ever shared with my dad, and I wish it could have lasted longer. John Fogerty and Chuck Ragan, thanks for your good songs!