Traveling Through Ten States
The Overstory, Ten-State Trek, The Doors, George McGinnis, Discarded Door
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week’s issue includes five pop/rock songs featuring non-guitar solos, the best novel ever written about trees, meals on our annual road trip to California, a radical rock band, a former ABA MVP, and a rock ‘n door. I hope you like the picks and pics.
Barb and I drove through ten states this week to spend the winter on the west coast close to our daughters, two of our grandsons, and my brother. We were greeted with intense rain for the first two days in Santa Barbara, but the sun just came out and we look forward to lots of warm weather and good times with our family.
Fave Five 64: Traveling Through Ten States. Tall Tree Tale (The Overstory), Dining While Driving, Morrison’s Music (The Doors), Powerful Pacer (George McGinnis), and a Discarded Door.
Fave Five List: Special Solos
These pop/rock tunes all prominently featured instruments other than guitars leading the song, playing the melody, and soloing.
Accordion: Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon
Banjo: Dueling Banjos - Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell
Drums: Wipe Out - The Surfaris
Harmonica: Rollin’ and Tumblin’ - Cream
Steel Drum: Carrie-Anne - The Hollies
Honorable Mention - Whistling: I Was Kaiser Bill’s Batman - Whistling Jack Smith
Book Best Bet
The Overstory by Richard Powers
I was absorbed by the plot, the characters, and the details about trees in this Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
A monumental novel about reimagining our place in the living world, by one of our most “prodigiously talented” (New York Times Book Review) novelists.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction
Winner of the William Dean Howells Medal
Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize
Over one year on the New York Times Bestseller List
A New York Times Notable Book and a Washington Post, Time, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
The best novel ever written about trees, and really just one of the best novels, period. — Ann Patchett
The Overstory unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fable that range from antebellum New York to the late 20th-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
An air force loadmaster in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan. An artist inherits 100 years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hard-partying undergraduate in the late 1980s electrocutes herself, dies, and is sent back into life by creatures of air and light. A hearing- and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another.
These and five other strangers, each summoned in different ways by trees, are brought together in a last and violent stand to save the continent's few remaining acres of virgin forest. There is a world alongside ours — vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.
Richard Powers
From Wikipedia: Richard Powers (born June 18, 1957 in Evanston, Illinois) is an American novelist whose works explore the effects of modern science and technology. His novel The Echo Maker won the 2006 National Book Award for Fiction. He has also won many other awards over the course of his career, including a MacArthur Fellowship. As of 2023, Powers has published thirteen novels and has taught at the University of Illinois and Stanford University. He won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory.
Restaurant Recommendations
Ten-State Trek: Dining While Driving
I wrote last year about memorable meals along our way westward. Here are details on this year’s trek traversing Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Billy G’s Finer Diner 1772 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017
We met our friends Steve and Kathy Israel and Jerry Sachar here for lunch on our first day of the journey.
Gianino’s House Salad: Romaine-iceberg mix, St. Louis-style cheese (Provel), mushrooms, green onions, pimentos, Parmesan, Gianino house dressing
I love St. Louis Italian salads, and this one did not disappoint.
Chicken & Waffles: Hot honey glazed waffle with 4 trashed wings dusted with ranch seasoning
This version presented two firsts: syrup that was more spicy than sweet, and appetizer-style wings rather than full chicken wings. I prefer to put maple syrup on the waffle and hot sauce on the chicken, with some mixing but not totally blended as this was.
Buckingham Smokehouse Bar B Q 2002 S Campbell Avenue, Springfield, MO 65807
Their motto is “World’s Greatest BBQ!” It was good, but not great. But the sandwich portions were very generous, enough for two sandwiches each.
Smoked Turkey and Beef Brisket Sandwiches
Billy Sims BBQ 7602 US Highway 277, Units B&C, Elgin, OK 73538
This is a large regional chain, so I was surprised at how good the food was. My sandwich was the highlight of the trip, and Barb loved her pulled pork sandwich as well.
The Heisman: Our most celebrated sandwich piled high with bologna, hot links & topped with chopped brisket. Served with Billy Baked Beans.
Billy Sims, a great running back (from the University of Oklahoma) wore number 20 for the Detroit Lions before Barry Sanders (from Oklahoma State) wore it. Both won the Heisman Trophy (Sims in 1978, Sanders in 1988) and were outstanding Lions.
Big John’s Feed Lot by Brenda 802 West 3rd Street, Big Spring, TX 79720
BBQ Plate with 2 meats (Smoked Turkey and Smoked Chicken) and 3 sides (Potato Salad, Coleslaw and Mac Salad)
The portions were large and nicely prepared. The people working here were very friendly and they provided free dessert. We each chose banana pudding, which was excellent.
Las Trancas Restaurant 1008 S Solano Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Combination Plate #5: Enchilada, chile relleno, carne adovada, and flauta Christmas-style (red and green chile sauces) with rice, beans, and albondigas (Mexican soup)
El Guero Canelo 5201 S. 12th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85706
Last year we tried BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs so this year we tried the other place recommended by Michael Stern for their Sonoran hot dogs, located nearby. The hot dog here was almost as good, but the salsa bar did not offer as much.
Estilo Sonora: Bacon wrapped frank, beans, grilled & fresh onion, tomato, mayo, mustard & jalapeno sauce
Quesadilla Chica: flour tortilla with cheese
Sherman’s Deli & Bakery 73161 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92262
Grilled Reuben: Mouthwatering Pastrami, piled high with Swiss Cheese and zesty Sauerkraut. Grilled on Rye. Served with potato salad.
Marvelous Musicians
I included The Doors in my list of favorite American Bands from the Summer of Love. Jim Morrison would have turned 80 two weeks ago today.
My sister Joan bought the first Doors album in 1967 and I was immediately hooked. The edited single version of "Light My Fire" for AM radio was only 2:54, but the full 7:10 album version with the organ solo is one of the greatest songs I ever heard.
From Wikipedia: The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts of the 1960s, mostly because of Morrison's lyrics and voice along with his erratic stage persona, and the group was widely regarded as an important part of the era's counterculture.
The band took its name from the title of Aldous Huxley's book The Doors of Perception, itself a reference to a quote by William Blake. After signing with Elektra Records, the Doors with Morrison released six albums in five years, some of which are considered among the greatest of all time, including The Doors (1967), Strange Days (1967), and L.A. Woman (1971). They were one of the most successful bands during that time and by 1972 the Doors had sold over 4 million albums domestically and nearly 8 million singles.
The Doors were the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold LPs. According to the RIAA, they have sold 34 million albums in the United States and over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. The Doors have been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by magazines including Rolling Stone, which ranked them 41st on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". In 1993, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
James Douglas Morrison (born December 8, 1943 in Melbourne, Florida; died July 3, 1971 in Paris, France) was an American singer, songwriter and poet, who served as the lead vocalist of the rock band The Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, widely recognized voice, unpredictable and erratic performances, and the dramatic circumstances surrounding his life and early death, Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock history. Since his death, his fame has endured as one of popular culture's most rebellious and oft-displayed icons, representing the generation gap and youth counterculture.
Morrison died at age 27, It has been reported, by several individuals who say they were eyewitnesses, that his death was due to an accidental heroin overdose. His death came two years to the day after the death of Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and approximately nine months after the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin — all of whom died at the age of 27.
Light My Fire
Break On Through (To the Other Side)
Touch Me
My Playlist
Sports Star
George passed away one week ago today. I first saw him play when I worked for the Spirits of St. Louis in 1974-75, the season in which he was the ABA’s MVP. I remember how powerful he was, how small the ball seemed when he was palming it, and how he could shoot one-handed on the way down from jumping.
His career averages in the ABA and NBA were 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.9 steals, and .5 blocks per game. He and Julius Erving were the top stars of the ABA, and they were united on the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975 through 1978, along with former Spirit Caldwell Jones. George was traded for another ABA veteran, Bobby Jones, who teamed with Dr. J. and another former Spirit, Moses Malone, to win the NBA championship for the Sixers in 1982-83. Unfortunately, George missed out on that.
From Wikipedia: George F. McGinnis (born August 12, 1950 in Harpersville, Alabama; died December 14, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana) was an American professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning third-team All-American honors in 1971, before starting his pro career in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers. A three-time ABA All-Star with the Pacers, McGinnis was named the ABA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975 and won two ABA championships with the team. He was a three-time NBA All-Star with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was named to the ABA All-Time Team and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1971, McGinnis immediately became one of the marquee players of the ABA, playing a key role on the Indiana Pacers' championship teams in each of his first two seasons with his hometown franchise. He was named the ABA Playoffs MVP in 1973, averaging 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds in 18 playoff games to help the Pacers repeat as champs. His best season came in 1974–75, when McGinnis scored a career-high 29.8 points per game en route to ABA MVP honors. In the 1975 ABA Playoffs, he nearly averaged a triple-double (32.3 points, 15.9 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 18 games), but the Pacers fell short of the title, losing to Kentucky in the ABA Finals. However, in these playoffs, McGinnis established multiple statistical feats. Against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the 1975 ABA Western Division Semifinals on April 12th, 1975, McGinnis recorded the first 50+ point triple-double in NBA/ABA Playoff history with 51 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists, a feat later matched by Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. McGinnis also became the first player in NBA/ABA history to record 200+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 50+ assists in a single playoff series, which he accomplished twice, in back-to-back series. In six games against the San Antonio Spurs in the 1975 ABA Western Division Semifinals, registered totals of 230 points (38.3 per game), 113 rebounds (18.8 per game), and 55 assists (9.2 per game).
In seven games against the Denver Nuggets in the 1975 ABA Western Division Finals, McGinnis registered totals of 214 points (30.6 per game), 103 rebounds (14.7 per game), and 61 assists (8.7 per game). Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is the only other player to replicate this, doing so in the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the Boston Celtics with totals of 237 points (33.9 per game), 103 rebounds (14.7 per game), and 50 assists (7.1 per game) in the seven-game series. McGinnis became the first player in NBA/ABA history to lead the playoffs in total points (581), total rebounds (286), and total assists (148) — a feat matched only by Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Career Retrospective
Picture Pun
The lead Door, Jim Morrison, would have turned 80 this month. He was one of the most legendary singers in the history of rock.
Watching the Sixers' playoff games in 1977, it looked like McGinnis could not shoot well at all. I remember being very disappointed.