DAILY DIRT: The newest wonder of the modern world might be in Tennessee 

For those who might be interested after reading the following, from Quincy to Sevierville, Tenn., is 649 miles … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 894 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Looks like the Eighingers may be taking a road trip at some point to Tennessee.

That’s where the world’s largest gas station/convenience store is located.

There’s a Buc-ee’s travel stop in Sevierville, Tenn., which is just outside of Pigeon Forge, that is drawing national attention. This amazing site is 75,000 square feet, or roughly 1.7 acres. Among the attractions are:

• 120 gas pumps.
• a 25-foot long car wash.
• Thousands upon thousands of snacks and drinks.
• Home goods and clothing.
• A special area where you can buy jerky by the pound, including cherry maple.
• A bakery so big it boggles the mind to just look at the shelves and shelves of fresh pastries.
• A fresh smoked-meat station where you can buy by the pound or sandwich. The sliced brisket is apparently to die for. So are the sausages on a stick.
• Giant coffee station with dozens of flavorings, styles and sizes.
• Fudge and other candies.
• Both traditional and Buc-ee’s brands of most food and clothing items.
• 16 different flavors of icees.
• Massive restrooms.

I haven’t been to Tennessee since the 1980s. That may all be changing at some point this summer.

2. Did you know that:

Will Ferrell is the son of Roy Lee Ferrell, who was a saxophone player for the Righteous Brothers?

• Drummer Stewart Copeland, who with Sting and Henry Padovani formed The Police, is the son of Miles Copeland, who was one of the first CIA operatives?
• Musician John Sebastian (who gained much of his fame as the front man for the Lovin’ Spoonful) is the godson of Vivian Vance, Lucy’s longtime best friend “Ethel” on the old “I Love Lucy” series.
• Singer Jerry Lee Lewis was the cousin of televangelist Jimmy Swaggart?
• Denise Crosby, who starred in “Star Trek: Next Generation” and “Pet Semetary,” is the granddaughter of Bing Crosby?
• We thank podcaster Cody Tucker for the aforementioned information.

3. Before former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant died in a plane crash in 2020 at age 41, he had offered his all-time NBA starting five. Any surprises among the following?

• Magic Johnson at point guard
• Michael Jordan as the shooting guard
• Bill Russell at power forward
• Larry Bird at small forward
• Wilt Chamberlain in the middle

Kobe said the toughest decision for him was selecting Wilt or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the center.

It’s hard to complain with any of those picks, although I might lean — ever so slightly — toward Oscar Robertson over Magic at point guard.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — And we haven’t even discussed Jerry West for one of the spots on that team.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. If he ever entered a Buc-ee’s, he might never come out.