Rickshaw Stop

It was a random outing on a Thursday night which brought me to the Rickshaw Stop. The mass of bikes outside told me I was in a good place. We had come for an acapella group, but stayed for the rockin country music. Many beers were drank, and only a few actually made it onto my tab (in lieu of correcting the bartenders and making them feel stupid, I just tipped heavily and thanked them graciously for their hospitality).

For once I found myself in a spacious place to do my bizz. After 4 beers I appreciated the ability to spread out, and not feel so claustrophobic. I found myself wondering what the large pipes were for, they are my favorite part of this bathroom. I like to think that they are only cosmetic and serve no purpose. Or perhaps they are actually vacuum tubes like they have at the bank, and secret documents are flying past as I wizz. Yeah, that is a good one...


We stayed for all three bands. The first being the acapella group which we had paid the 8 bucks to see. The night was young so we stayed for the next band, Pete Bernhard. He was awesome, it was a folky rock show, and I love it when melding like this happens.

Pete Bernhard

There was even a bit of crowd surfing going on. Which is fun to see, until you get a boot in your eye...

Wyoming Style

Recently I returned to my homeland. That homeland being Wyoming. It is that place where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day. That is actually a crock of shit, cause gossip is the word and when I was there, it was windy as hell and as gray as a Gerhard Richter painting (obscure reference, I know).

Talking about painters, I have to mention that my great grandmother painted the photo above, the original bar bathroom. I have to say it looks so inviting, who wouldn't want to trudge through snow and cold just to relieve themselves? For those who have not had the pleasure of using an outhouse, it is a glorified hole in the ground and smells like a port-o-pottie in the middle of summer just after a thousand fat construction workers finished the annual baked bean cook off. And I'm not exaggerating.

This was the only bar bathroom photo I could snap while on my trip. The bars there are actually quite depressing. It is full of old men whom have not left their hometown. Old men who got married and had kids right out of high school, and resent the fact that they are stuck in the same place. They also don't like outsiders, and even though I grew up in this town, I have been gone long enough that I am a stranger from the outside and treated as such. Like shit in an outhouse. Don't worry, I am not bitter at all. I accept this, and then hop on a plane headed back to California, where everyone is an outsider.

The thing I love about California is that everyone is just too busy chasing their own dreams to care about what I am up to. Which inspires me to chase my own...

Elbo Room Round 2: Upstairs.

Boy that guy sure could dub.

Partying on a Sunday evening is not usually a good idea. Unless of course you don't work on Monday. Which I don't, so I had a good time going into the city to see a show on a Sunday night. Every Sunday the Elbo room hosts "Dub Mission. The best in dub, dubstep, roots & dancehall." If I knew what any of that means I would say so, but I don't so I won't. The music was alright, and I thought it was cool that the venue became a large humidor of pot smoke. Which is always fun.

Unfortunately I forgot to bring my real camera, so the cell phone had to suffice. The upstairs differed from its downstairs brother in one big department, it had a door. Though it was tight, as they usually are, and lit by a single red light. Which I have come to find out makes anyone look awesome, even myself! (Had unfortunate time once while hitting on hot chick in ruby room only to find out under the moonlight she was neither hot or a chick. But I'll save that story for another time)

Sink, don't swim.

Ash Tray.

Another key part about the dive bar bathroom is the fact that it becomes an ash tray many times. Now this is becoming less and less prevalent but once in a while you will find a bar that still allows people to smoke even though the law forbids it. Most of these bars just turn a cheek and go under the premise of "out of sight out of mind." This one had that goin on, though it is hard to see in this picture, ash was all over the floor and in the urinal. I think it really adds to the experience.

Red light makes everything better.

Unlike last time, I was able to use the photo booth. That booth session now hangs on my fridge, next to the drawing of a puppy I did for art class last week. I was pretty drunk by the end of this night, and spent most my Monday nursing a headache, but it was awesome to party like that on a Sunday, I'll probably do it again sometime! Next up I take you outa the state to a good ol' hometown bar...but that's next time.