Art O’Connor

Back to the world of TPS reports and Hawaiian shirt days.  But first I am heading to Tucson to get out of this nasty air and ride while I still can.  Gonna hook up with Snake and spend a lot of time in the pain cave I am sure.  Spencer says he is going too but I bet he chickens out, yaa fear The Train. Tonight though it is off to bang my head at SLAYER.  Oh yeah.  I am bringing a friend who has never been to a metal show before.  Muah ha ha she has no idea….

Hopefully I will be getting my new MTB soon so I can join DRX, Sly ( unless he is too busy playing with dolls) for some snow riding when I get back.  Either that or I will get a whoopin from DRX on the skate ski’s.  My ski’s got waxed for the first time in 10 years so watch out.

Under advice from my legal council it has been pointed out that some of the comments I made about a bike shop here in town that fired a faithfull long time employee and good friend of mine. Could be seen as libel.  In the interest of saving myself a possible (actually quite likely given the rat like qualities of the parties involved) legal hassle (even though everything I said is true) I have severely edited the words below.

Loyalty.  It is something that is hard to find especially in the business world.  In the chase for the mighty dollar some people, people of questionable morals and values will throw anyone under the bus if the price is right. 

Phonies man, the whole world is full of phonies.  Going to church every Sunday does not make you a good person and having money does not make you rich.  Seek out the people in life that are genuine and really are good, don’t waste your time on the phony self serving soul suckers.  Give because you can, not because you want something in return.  Support your friends without question.  Why is that so hard?

Oh man, I hope I don’t do something stupid…. (besides this post)

I just realized this probably sounds a lot worse than it is.  Just me doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result.  Insanity?

A lot of people I know are involved in all kinds of self inflicted drama. A lot of he said, she said BS.  Get it sorted out. It is ok to trust some people and let them be nice to you. 

For some good drama.  My Mom had her CT scans last week and is now cancer free.  Thanks to everyone who sent their good energy her way it really helped and we are very gratefull.

So I have all this fitness in Jan.  which is pretty unusual for me.  The weird thing is I have about zero motivation to race right now.  I am stoked to ride and had an awesome time this weekend, but for whatever reason the thought of racing inspires a complete non-response on my part.  Maybe it will change by the time the real racing rolls around?  So no, there is not much of a chance of seeing me at Valley of the Sun or any of those other early season crash fests.  Not a knock against anyone doing them, just not for me.  Hell of the North?  Who knows and really who cares?  I am just gonna ride until the answer is clear.

Just got back from 3 days of riding in St. George where it was warmer than here but still pretty cold.  Winter sucks.  Skiing used to be my obsession and I loved winter, but now that you pretty much have to work at a resort or be stinking rich to ski I have less enthusiasm for winter.  Well maybe not stinking rich, but with a disproportionate part of my income going to all things bike related something has to give.  Anyway lots of miles in the wind with a good crew.  3-4 hours in the saddle and gourmet meals each night (thanks Ken).  A little Chimay, vino and good people to share it with.  Yup a good weekend for sure.  My gutless car and a 40mph headwind made for a long drive home today, luckily I had good company along for the ride.

Sly says the Train got derailled today.  I guess thats what he calls getting worked on the Gunlock climb.  YAAA!

I have alluded to it in previous posts but now I am dropping all subtlety.  My business dead, my current employer has cut my hours in half, and I need a real job.  If any of you have any leads let me know.

So in a vain attempt to recapture my youth I logged onto Ebay to look for my favorite toy of all time, The Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle.

With visions of jaw dropping wheelies and death defying jumps I tracked my new prize on its journey from Tennessee. My timing what it is I had to wait an additional day due to MLK Day, no worries though it would be waiting for me today after a long day of retail hell. At lunch today I got online to see that DHL had left the package on my front porch. YESS! I get home and run to the front door to tear into my plastic likeness of a true American hero to see the porch empty. No prob my tenant always picks up my packages so I knock on her door. Nope she got home at 1pm (according to the DHL website the package was left at 11:43am) and there was nothing there. My knees got weak. Some no talent, mouth breathing, crack smoking, mother did a bad job raising, no friend having, ass clown was walking by my house probably on his way to sell plasma or steal his mothers welfare check, sees MY Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle on MY porch and thinks. “Hey today is a good day to commit mail fraud” and walks off with my package. Douche Bag. So now in addition to worrying when the next living example of what happens when people who are not capable of raising a decent human being dont have mandatory abortions decides he needs to steal the tools I make my living with, I now have to worry about receiving fucking mail.

As mentioned below The Dixie Dregs was really a great show too bad it was at the crappy crappy Depot.  The Depot is run by the same douche bags that own Smith Tix, USANA Amphitheatre(we all know how bad that place sucks),and United Concerts.  You know the greedy assholes that charge $12 as a “convenience” fee when you buy a ticket from them?  I realy try to avoid giving my hard earned green to them whenever possible and until recently it was not that hard.  I mean really who wants to pay $150 to see Elton John geezer around the Delta Center?  Now though it is a little harder since they have decided to jump in and try to ruin the local music scene.  The Depot never has local bands play so they contribute nothing to the local scene.  Mostly they book marginal regional and national touring acts.  Every once in a while they do book something worth seeing.  Hank III, Rollins, and The Dixie Dregs being prime examples.  As a venue it is great.  Killer sound, lighting, smoke free and not a bad seat in the house.  It really is a great place to see and hear a good band.  The problem lies in their “we have a captive audience so lets hose them for as much as we can attitude” (like that “convenience” fee).  Bud Light (an alleged beer) served in a plastic cup is $7.  They do have some very nice beers in a bottle for $9 (they make The Bayou seem like a bargain) but since this is the place where adulthood is regulated they serve that in a plastic cup.  One nice thing is there is never a wait to get a drink at The Depot since no one wants to shell out that kind of jack for a watered down beer in a plastic cup.  There is also never a line to the bathroom, funny how that works?  Everyone I talk to at these shows says the same thing.  That is is a great place to see a band but too bad the greedy bastards that run the place have missed the boat with the drink prices.  For years SLC was blessed with The Zephyr Club.  The booked great local and national acts and saw the value in having a bar open and affordable during these shows.  It is unreal that no one has stepped up to fill the huge void left by The Zephyr.  I had high hopes for The Depot but as long as they have the “lets soak them once and hope they never come back” management and pricing I really hope they go down in flames loose their ass.

Bored, under employed, who wants to hear about that? Oh yeah, I did see The Dixie Dregs last night. Steve Morse is the man for sure.

I just wrote a long Vegas wrap up and also a rant about the douche bags who ripped off my work trailer again and I deleted it accidentally. Anyway back in SLC looking for new job and cheap flights to anywhere warm.  Flahute, give me a call I have a package for you.