Earlier this week I was doing some door service for a client in a SoCal beach town. Out of my normal area, so the commute was pretty lengthy, and other contractors are already on the job doing "tenant improvement" or TI, so it's not my normal project either. Coulda been a big, tall glass of stress on tap.

But the job went okay -- I managed to fix the doors AND stay out of the way of half-a-dozen other subs in a VERY crowded dental office. And then...

I pulled outta town on Hwy 1 - Pacific Coast Highway, the road they somehow stuck on the edge of the continent, an asphalt snake slithering along land's end between gaping canyons and roaring surf. Braking around one curve I hit a thick bank of clouds that were too fat and heavy to clear the hills. Down a hill there were thunderous waves battling an entire army of surfers, up another hill the sun burst through the clouds to blaze on the whole scene. All the while Tom Petty's blaring on the speakers, and there's little traffic without a cop in sight.

FWIW,
Leland

What Petty song was playing?

My favorite experience on the Pacific Coast Highway was stopping at a rest place near Santa Barbara and the worker came to empty the trash. It was great. You see the worker was about 19 years old and in a string bikini and wore it well. I asked her about the bikini and empying the trash and she told me she gets paid for eight hours and it takes about two to get the trash picked up so the rest of the day she hangs out at the beach....nice eh?

Gotta love California


"Refugee." "Don't Do Me Like That (Wah!)." "I Won't Back Down." And of course, "Don't Come Around Here No More."

The west is the best-jim morrison

I saw Tom Petty at Winterland (only the true rockers know Winterland) in '77 or '78 for the first time. At the end of the show, after a great encore, he says "That's it, I don't know anymore songs" and jumps into the audience! The securty guys run to the end of the stage and look down and jump in and pull him out and his shirt is almost ripped off and he has scratches and all that.

On any interview and on the documentary about him that runs on VH1 where he is asked about the best show he ever did he specifically bring up that show. He also has changed the story about how he ended up in the audience a few times but he jumped in and wasn't pulled in or tripped and fell in like he claims. Great show, absolutely great. The next night the Dead played and that was that, Winterland no longer existed as a concert venue. Oh, I do recall leaving the concert and that the ground was soft as I went down the aisle and this girl was screaming at me, right in my face, "He's my ride! I have to get to Santa Cruz!". I was puzzled and kind of stomping in place thinking "dang, this cement is sure soft", I was standing on her rides chest! I wonder if they survived getting home.....

That's great Leland!

Some days we are trees and some days we are the dog... Enjoy your dog days!


Lyndel

S.F....Gino and Carlo's, 1967 (or 68?)...small joint with an upstairs and railings...the [pitcher is pased around for the band to throw in dimes or what ever you had...the band was beyond rockin'...it was an epiphany...I threw in my dime and listen to CCR (Credence Clearwater Revival) slaughter the crowd.

The Filmore Aud (late 60's): Good gracious! Quick Silver Messinger Service (my favorie at the time) but also many great R&R acts. woo hoo!

Winterland (early 70's): never got to go.

Golden Gate Park 1967...funeral for Cohcolate George (Hell's Angel)...on stage Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother (and many others) detonating the sound system.

How did I get to that Funeral?? I was working escapes at a North beach joint and had shown the Angels a bit about S&W cuff keys and gave them a handfull. As a thankyou I was picked up and brought to the Park on a chopper for the bash. And it was a bash to end 'em all. MILES of bikes from all directions and the biggst bands of the day. San Fran WAS Rock and Roll.