Next thing we know, the Impala's tearing up backwoods highway on the way to River Pass, but Dean's forced first to slow down and then to pull to a halt when the bridge they've found themselves on unexpectedly drops away into the river below. As the boys disembark, the camera pulls back to reveal a twisted, tangled wreck of ruined rebar and concrete beneath their feet, and I don't know if the production staff somehow managed to find themselves an actual washed-out bridge in British Columbia for this shot or if it's all CGI, but if it's the latter, it's quite excellently and seamlessly done, so bravo to everyone involved, because this is a terrific image. "This is the only road in or out," Dean grumbles, kicking some stray debris over the edge as Sam tries and fails to get a signal on his cell phone. "Looks like we're walking in," Sam sighs, to which Dean irritatedly eyebrows, "And the hits just keep on comin'!" And he's not wrong there, because as the camera leaps away for a long shot of the ruined span, Norman Greenbaum's version of "Spirit In The Sky" kicks in on the soundtrack, and continues as the shot cross-fades to Our Intrepid Heroes finally hitting the town's main drag on foot. Silently, Dean notes the presence of a large sporting-goods store before he and Sam warily crouch down to examine the interior of a flipped and smoking two-door that's taking up the majority of the middle of the road. "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE?!" shrieks Raoul, ever the hopeful sort, and sorry, friend of friends, but there's no gore to be had here. "Rats!" Yet. "Hooray!" In any event, whatever hit this town hit it fast, as the adjoining lawns, while entirely devoid of people, are nevertheless littered with children's toys and dotted with still-chattering sprinklers. Sam and Dean make quiet note of all this before next approaching a hastily abandoned sedan further down the road, and "Spirit In The Sky" quite cleverly flips diegetic on the sedan's radio until Sam keys off the car's engine. The boys glance up at a banner advertising River Pass's 75th annual "Pioneer Days" festival and pause long enough for Dean to admire a cherry-red Mustang parked at the side of the road before continuing on to yet another hastily abandoned vehicle, this a Lincoln four-door that comes complete with caved-in windshield, a mangled baby stroller beneath its right front wheel, and a lurid spray of blood and brain matter staining the asphalt beside the gaping driver's-side door. "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!" See? I told you that you wouldn't have to wait long. "Oh, it's simply beautiful!" enthuses Raoul, and while I'd like nothing more than to take the time to agree with you, my faithful lizardly companion, I'm afraid the sudden appearance of a loaded revolver aimed right at Dean's head precludes any sort of amiable chit-chat between us at the moment. "Eeeep!"












