DPC is back on the road and covering the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. Part one of his odyssey from Phoenix to Westworld of Scottsdale is available here
I mentioned in Part One of my funky adventure that I have covered the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction seven times as a reporter, but strangely enough I have never attended the event as a customer. I’ve always wanted to check it out whilst off the clock but as we know, life can get in the way. This is a lame excuse when you consider I love cars and live in Phoenix, but I have my lazy moments when I don’t want to drive across town. On Sunday I defied my sluggish spirit, skipped the NFL Playoffs, and headed to WestWorld of Scottsdale, but not as a reporter.
I will readily admit that we reporters are spoiled when we cover events. Closer parking, separate entrances to avoid lines, and free food in the press box. It’s first-class treatment and I do my best to avoid taking it for granted. I know I am incredibly fortunate to be coddled when I’m on assignment, and I’m eternally grateful.
To have a better understanding on why I haven’t been to Barrett-Jackson as a paying customer please consider my schedule. When auction week starts, I work 12-hours a day, in at 8 a.m. and I’m heading back home after 8 p.m. This schedule changes as the days of the event gather and by Thursday, I’m in at 7:00 a.m. and heading home is best defined as “TBD.” With long hours you must stay properly fueled and I have discovered over the years that one cannot live on Red Bull alone. I could in college but that was decades ago and I’m far removed from early 20s when I needed minimal sleep, could subsist on cigarettes and caffeine, and never got hangovers. I often miss those days of poor lifestyle choices with minimal repercussions but that’s another story for another time. I love my job and I am not complaining, but I miss my family and dogs during auction week.
Sunday afternoon my wife and I head to Westworld, and I got lost. This was embarrassing but I have no idea where public parking is located, despite spending 10-days a year at Westworld and having a good idea of the general layout. We eventually parked, waited for my mother in law and I went to the box office to buy a ticket. It’s strange but it was a good experience to be a paying customer. Buying a ticket validated my Sunday experience.
Once inside I saw the main pavilion from a different angle. It wasn’t my temporary office for 10-days where I needed to stay sharp and analytical to cover the auction properly, while also being in a perpetual hurry. Quite the opposite on my day off. I relaxed, just took it all in and by taking a simple pause I developed a better understanding of the event and how it is a great opportunity to bring people together.
I ordered a Greyhound and we just strolled with no destination or schedule. We checked out whatever cars caught our eye, chatted it up, and simply had a relaxing day as a family. Easy like Sunday morning at 1:00 p.m.
If you have the opportunity take a moment and smell the flowers because you might have a chance to see something in front of you with a different perspective.
