It is almost 3:00 in the morning when we arrive in Ontario, California, for a few hours of sleep at the California Inn on our way to Santa Barbara. We’ve stayed here more than a couple of dozen times during other visits and, over the years, have seen the price go from $45 a night to the current $65. Right next to the 10 freeway, this is a convenient stop for us after 340 miles (550km) of driving from Phoenix, Arizona. Our late departure is due to a family emergency; my Great Uncle Woody is having triple bypass heart surgery in four hours.