VIOLA-TING AMERICA - Chasing the dream of music and motos

[viola-tor]

Originally Posted by Chains45

Thank you for your well written and photographed report, you have given an excellent accounting of a musical life I gave thought to as a teenager (percussion) but passed for a more secure livelihood as a petroleum engineer (which is a joke all by itself). No regrets, but interesting to think about where I might be now.

I have the San Antonio Symphony webpage bookmarked now, so next time I am in the area for a meeting (which will probably be years now that I have another reason for going) I will try and catch a concert. Looks like you have a full schedule for Christmas.

Yeah man, come on down! I don't know where this ride will take me (or when), but it'd be great to have you come out for a concert. I can prolly get ya tickets!

Petroleum engineer, eh? Carbon fiber is a petroleum product, do you have any interesting insights on that?

Originally Posted by dlrides

If you ever need any help on the 950, let me know !

It may come to that someday! Thanks for the offer. It's a complicated machine, but not overly so. I like to know my bike inside and out, but I still have MUCH to learn.

Originally Posted by DataDaddy

sorry I missed your performance at West Fest... I was coming back over engineer pass after borrowing a 990 for 70 miles... sweet indeed.

Please keep the story going...

and enjoy the riding.

Will do, the story continues...

Originally Posted by supercub

wow, i wasnt to sure about this report at first, but man, im hooked. good stuff and hope to see more. i'd love to hear you play sometime. good luck and ride safe

oh yeah, my daughter is totaly creeped out by the spider shot.

Thanks a lot! It's great to win a new audience member, maybe even two if you daughter will forgive me for the creepy spider photos.

Originally Posted by BMWLefty

That Viola is very impressive. I thought I was good building an Aluminium (Aluminum) guitar about 20 years ago. It is quite heavy on the back of the bike.
Maybe someday I will post some pictures

You BUILT an aluminum guitar?!?! Damn dude, I just bought this instrument... That's pretty cool, I'd love to see the pics!

Originally Posted by DS_Rider

Great story Violator, what an interesting take on the ride report concept. Having two distinctly different interests and melding them together into an awesome adventure/lifestyle! It is a real inspiration for all of us to live our dreams as it certainly appears you are living yours. Also it has been a real educational opportunity for me to read about your life of music. Thanks for taking the time to share.

You're most welcome! I think it's a pretty original concept, I haven't heard about anyone else doing something like this. I hope it works! So far so good...

Originally Posted by xdbx

What a familiar sight! This brings back memories and a warm fuzzy feeling. Nothing like holding a $6k miraphone and B.S.ing with the timpani player during our christmas concerts!


Thanks for keeping up with this report!

Great! I know many of us have a memory like this somewhere back in our minds. You know what I'm talking about, the on-stage shennanigans!

[viola-tor]

Originally Posted by raider

Having read all ten pages now, including the barrel-racing updates, I've concluded you're an idiot

Not the stupid kind of idiot, no - you're the kind of idiot normal folks wish, from behind the wheel of their Civic on the daily commute to a crap job, that they could be.

It was idiots like you who first looked at a sheet of silk and thought "you know what, I bet I could jump out of an airplane with that...", or saw a guy flying a kite at the beach and thought "you know what, I bet I could hold one of those on a surfboard and not have to paddle so much...", or, looked around the KTM factory, spotted a litre-capacity V-twin in the corner and a pair of knobby tyres, and thought "you know what..."

Keep it up!

Raider, that is one of the best compliments I've ever received!!! I'm gonna somehow work it into my professional bio...

[the darth peach]

[WoodButcher]

Hey, it was nice meeting you last week at Moto Liberty. That was a fun day for me to get out of Austin and just spend some time talking with some other riders. Buying gear and test riding a Ural was a bonus. Plus a free lunch thanks to Hotair.

Don't forget to get out www.twtex.com for some Texas dual sport rides going on.

[supercub]

watch out, i think the peach likes you

[viola-tor]

Originally Posted by supercub

watch out, i think the peach likes you

Excellent!

[the darth peach]

Originally Posted by supercub

watch out, i think the peach likes you

That's it!! I'm not coming over!!!!!

[viola-tor]

Originally Posted by the darth peach

That's it!! I'm not coming over!!!!!

But you'll miss all the fun!

[viola-tor]

I’ve been riding around playing jobs in town just fine, and my summer carbon fiber viola “testing” was a smashing success, so now I just need some out-of-town gigs to help me justify this whole rig. A colleague of mine is the executive director of the Brazos Valley Symphony in College Station Texas and has called me come out and play a number of times, but I seem to always have a conflict. This time I can actually fit it in, so hell yeah! Subsidized motorcycle touring! My dream...

First I need to make some preparations. I’m not totally satisfied with my cumbersome viola pack, it’s awkward to “deploy” my VMD (Viola of Mass Destruction) in a hurry, and I don’t need the giant backpack for my daily thing. My sleek BAM case is black, and seems like a perfect canvas for some conspicuous markings...

Before (which is pretty cool, but not brightly colored. I used automotive decals):



After (natural lighting):



After (at night with headlights/flash):



ADV!!!! Yup, I made the designs myself and cut them from reflective orange material from identi-tape.com. Now my case is almost as loud as the viola inside it! LOL!



These Luis and Clark instruments feature clever machine pegs that allow accurate and subtle adjustments without the need for traditional fine-tuners. I ran into a guy that sells them here locally and he had a sample cut-away peg that shows how they work. I thought you gear heads might be interested.



I LOVE the macro mode on this camera!



The gear ratio lets the grip part of the peg turn a fair amount while the inner “axle” moves in tiny amounts, effectively letting the player make small adjustments to the string tension from the peg box. If you’re familiar with traditional wood “friction” pegs you’ll no doubt see that these are very clever and handy indeed!

Before I’m scheduled to play in College Station I’m still busy working in San Antonio on some interesting projects. Andres Bochelli made his Texas debut which was pretty interesting. I don’t know much about the blind tenor (other than that he’s a blind tenor ) except that this concert is officially a BIG DEAL. Okay...

I get great parking!



Of course I couldn’t take any pictures while the concert was in progress (for a number of reasons!), but Bochelli sang several encores so I took the opportunity to snap a few... The back of his head:



The stage hands put down these little foam “curbs” so that Bochelli could navigate his way on and off stage unassisted. It was pretty neat to see him subtly use his feet to find his marks!



His voice was good, but he’s no Placido Domingo or Pavoratti. The best part was watching him. As he opened his mouth to sing his body language transformed from that of a groping blind man who is expecting to trip and fall any moment to that of a confident artist. His posture became more upright and his mouth formed into his resonating chamber unconsciously. Amazing. The crowd was crazy! More like a rock concert than a classical symphony event. People threw roses. Women swooned, loudly and often. Nearly a hundred people rushed to the edge of the stage and followed his every move with camera phones and point-&-shoots (which is against the rules!). The flash bulbs were popping like at a basketball game (also a no-no at classical music concerts). After the concert a woman approached me and asked if I would take her hand because Bochelli did not. Whaa? She said “Why didn’t he take my hand? I just wanted him to touch me...” I said: “Well, for one he’s BLIND, so he probably didn’t see you, and on top of that he’s WORKING!” Wow. It’s interesting that he’s managed to become such an international sensation singing good ‘ole Italian arias, but I suspect that his life story has a lot to do with it (being blind and all). Whatever the reason I think it’s great, there were obviously people in the audience that normally wouldn’t set foot in a symphony performance or opera production, so I applaud him.

Time to take this show on the road (again)! I didn’t stop for many pictures on my way to College Station, but I DID stop for BBQ!!! Damn... Black’s BBQ this time, the sausage is out of control. Get it.





Yes, I really was there, Texas A&M.



It was an overnighter gig, so I stayed with two friends playing there. Naturally we had hit the grocery store for some libations. Oops, I parked in the Expectant Mother’s space. I’ve never heard of such a thing! Am I showing yet?



Usually I’m mobbed when I show up at rehearsal with new group by people who want to know all about the Black Death, but I found the solution: Wear motocross boots! Somehow no one seemed to notice the viola but I got plenty of comments on my footwear...

I forgot the camera in my moto-jacket for the morning children’s concerts, so no pics. The concert was no big deal, but it was fun to get out of town and do some highway day-dreaming for a while... And get paid for it! I do the gig again, the orchestra was pretty good, I had fun visiting my friends, and the ride was a good time too.

The ride home was no rush, so I took a few detours. I got up to 70 mph on this stretch, a personal record on dirt. I don’t see any reason I couldn’t have gone faster, but it didn’t occur to me to try at the time, I was just enjoying the moment.



I think this place was under development for some fancy ranch houses. I’d better ride before that happens!



Just like all the others, this hill is steeper than it looks.



I went up and down a number of times for practice, specifically descending. I’m starting to get better at avoiding panic when the rear breaks loose momentarily. Learning to descend steep hills is probably my top priority as far as motorcycle skills are concerned.

Moo.

[guaps]

I know i'm very late, but I just discovered this ride report. One of the best I've read!

[mistercindy]

Originally Posted by viola-tor

These Luis and Clark instruments feature clever machine pegs that allow accurate and subtle adjustments without the need for traditional fine-tuners. I ran into a guy that sells them here locally and he had a sample cut-away peg that shows how they work. I thought you gear heads might be interested.



I LOVE the macro mode on this camera!



The gear ratio lets the grip part of the peg turn a fair amount while the inner “axle” moves in tiny amounts, effectively letting the player make small adjustments to the string tension from the peg box. If you’re familiar with traditional wood “friction” pegs you’ll no doubt see that these are a very clever and handy indeed!

Okay... That's cool. All four strings? Do you even have a fine tuner for the A? Do they just sell the pegs? My C is constantly turning into the sharpest B ever, and every open C has to be played with my index finger somewhere between 1/2 position and the end of the fingerboard to actually play C. Those things would be pretty darn convenient.

Originally Posted by viola-tor

His voice was good, but he’s no Placido Domingo or Pavoratti. The best part was watching him. As he opened his mouth to sing his body language transformed from that of a groping blind man who is expecting to trip and fall any moment to that of a confident artist. His posture became more upright and his mouth formed into his resonating chamber unconsciously. Amazing.

I saw that once with Henny Youngman.*** I had the opportunity to meet him in the late 80s in Vancouver. He did a gig at a wedding reception I attended. Before Youngman's gig he milled about and I was lucky enough to be introduced to the man. He was over 80, had a weak voice, bent posture, sunken eyes, pasty skin. An ailing old man. Then came his gig. He walked up the few steps to the stage, violin in hand, and I swear 30 years melted off the man. Strong voice (no microphone), fluid speech, the eyes sparkled, posture straight, and totally in command of his audience. And funny! Classic Henny Youngman. Lke you said, amazing.



***For you youngsters out there, Henny Youngman was the great vaudevillian one-liner comedian known by his famous line, "Take my wife - please."

[viola-tor]

Originally Posted by mistercindy

Okay... That's cool. All four strings? Do you even have a fine tuner for the A? Do they just sell the pegs? My C is constantly turning into the sharpest B ever, and every open C has to be played with my index finger somewhere between 1/2 position and the end of the fingerboard to actually play C. Those things would be pretty darn convenient.

No fine tuners at all! It's kinda weird at first, but eventually addictive... It looks pretty slick having the tailpiece void of fine tuner hardware. There are several varieties out there, but these are the kind that ship with the Luis and Clark insturments: Pegheds.com

I think one has to have the peg holes modified to accept the machine pegs, and they're semi-permanent, but they do work. However, the good 'ole pegs are tried and true over hundreds of years and I'm quite insistant that ALL my students learn to become comfortable using the big pegs and fine tuners. That being said, I'm all for finding a better/easier/faster/lazier solution, and these pegheds work just fine! BUT, I'm not gonna chop up the peg box on my expensive wood viola for them...

[viola-tor]

I think I’ve earned a day off after all this work! I’m gonna go practice my off-road skills. This little place I discovered has a variety of challenging terrain to choose from!



I’m pretty sure this qualifies as “off-road.”





A couple gnarly hill climbs are in there, but I’m not quite ready for this one, especially by myself on Scorpion tires!



I think you’re supposed to jump off this stuff, but I’m not quite ready for that either. I’ve caught small air a couple of times previously, but I really don’t want to ruin my career today. I’m content to learn how to wield this bike in small steps. Already bikers (and others!) call me crazy for I’ve done on/with it, so I keep my macho-ness in check since nobody is here watching anyway!





So help me out here. I’m still unsure about how to ride in deep gravel, the kind of small stones that mush around under the front tire four inches deep. There’s one section that has just about thrown me off every time I cross it. I’m standing, trying to stay loose while the bars start bucking all over the place as I try to stay on the gas and look where I want to go. The tank-slapper eventually becomes too violent for me and I manage to stop un-gracefully without falling, but I’d really like to be confident crossing stuff like this. On one pass I try entering the gravel “pit” slowly and accelerating through, and that only sorta works, I still end up on the seat dabbing both feet wildly by the end. On another pass I try to enter the gravel with more speed thinking that momentum might be the answer, but THAT run puts me in the weeds and almost a small tree, but again I manage to stop and not tip over/crash, but I have to take a breather afterwards... What’s the secret? Mud scares me even more, getting stuck doesn’t sound fun at all. Is the technique for riding in gravel similar to mud? With viola I’m the teacher, but for adventure riding I still consider myself very much a student, and I’m not afraid to admit it!

Well who’s this?



A new friend who wants to show me around! This guy knows the “secret” trails and wants someone to ride with and isn’t afraid to be seen with a “big-pig” operator, so let’s go! Not many pics as I’m busy following this guy on his Kawasaki 350 (?? Not sure) into the woods, but I wish I had more photos of the terrain as “proof” of my exploits. I had no idea this stuff was here! It’s stealth-urban-adventure-riding, and I’m into it. This is single track, or even zero-track at times. He’s being somewhat polite by not tackling obstacles too gnarly on my account, but even so I’m rocking and rolling over stuff that would’ve turned me around last summer. We burn through washes, up embankments, across construction zones, into the trees and grass, and even up the concrete walls of drainage ditches. Woooo!

I’m still on my Scorpion “street” tires, as well as being a n00b, but having a blast! He asks me “have you considered getting something lighter?” Well, yeah, but a little dirt bike wouldn’t do all the things I need it to, however fun it may be. The viola-tor’s mission requires the utmost versatility, and the KTM 990 Adventure is it. What’s that? Is it a sport bike? Is it a dirt bike? Is it a touring machine? Can you pack for two people for a month on it? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Maybe someday when I “settle down” in one place I can get a companion bike to have along side the KTM, something way different like a small dirt bike or super-moto. Time will tell. After I tell my new friend that I rode my bike from California through Utah and Colorado back to Texas he admitted that he would never do that... Different strokes for different folks and all, but I like riding my bike everywhere possible, trailers are frustrating as I constantly look in my review mirror at my bike longingly, wishing I was riding it. The trip just isn’t the same unloading the bike at the “good stuff.”

Kick ass! I’ve got all kinds of local terrain to ride, and I hear there’s more if one knows where to look... Show me more!

I follow Mr. Kawasaki off the trail system and into a wide, grassy drainage area. We agree to check it out, even though I know these Scorpion tires are famously bad on grass. There are tracks here and there, but it’s mostly dead grass covering the ground, so I’m taking it nice and slow trying to choose the path of least resistance. Eventually we find the bridge that marks the end and turn around. My friend drops behind me to follow for a while, which I don’t like so much as it makes me a little nervous for some reason. I step up the speed little by little, not wanting to hold him up...

I think you know where this is going. As I search for the optimal tracks to ride I end up in a slight rut that l can at least see the bottom of, good! WRONG. The bottom of the rut is filled with material I can only describe as loose ceramic tiles stack a top one another. I’m probably moving about 30 MPH and suddenly I’m fish-tailing right, left, WAY right, WAY left, and finally horizontal to the right. I wring the throttle knowing that the only hope of saving it is more gas so the rear tire can grab something and lift the bike up again, but alas, it is not to be... The bike escapes my grasp as I see the horizon tilt vertical and strangely I can smell the dead grass being mowed by my jacket sleeve in that wonderfully terrifying slow-motion moment of truth. My head hits with a thud but I don’t feel the blow on the right side where my helmet contacts the ground, instead I feel it on the upper left, I suppose from my noggin “bouncing” inside the brain-bucket.

I take a moment to be sure I’ve stopped moving and then perform a limb check. All systems go. I’m not seeing stars, but I am aware of my head. I roll over to see what’s up with my friend and HE’S down too! I guess he was following me too close and locked up the front in that loose stuff trying not to hit me! I can’t believe it got us both! Even with his lighter bike with full knobbies he didn’t fare any better...

I crouch on one knee for a little while just to be sure I’m alright; I don’t want to stand up too fast. Mr. Kawasaki is moaning and complaining about his side, but is in a hurry to get his bike back up. He’s having some problems lifting it with his hurting ribs, so I pick it up for him. I want to take a bunch of pictures for my Ride Report, but he’s obviously not in a good mood, so snapping pictures of him in pain doesn’t seem like a good idea...

I only got this one:



The bike slid around facing almost backwards. He’s inspecting the loose stuff that pulled us both down. Here on ADVrider I’ve seen lots of photos of peoples bikes laid over, and sometimes it leaves me wondering how and why one would crash there. The pictures rarely show the situational variables that caused the accident, like this one: It’s just a grassy field... Or so it seems!

I pick up my bike and give it a quick look over (again I used the handle-bar squat method, I like it!). Not a scratch! Luckily I had the foresight to removed the right mirror (which mounts to the brake reservoir, yikes!!!) and the crash bars and brush guards have done their duties. One mounting strap on my saddle bags ripped, but there are plenty more. The carburated Kawasaki sputters for a while but the KTM fires right up, just like I knew it would. We find some shade to sit and chill to let the nerves pass. My new friend has been dirt biking for many years and informs me that his injuries will bench him for a few weeks at least, bummer. He’s kinda having a hard time with it all; he’s mad at himself for following to close, mad about crashing his new bike, in pain, and freaked from the crash itself. I’m fine, physically and mentally, so the least I can do is wait for him to feel up to riding out.

The post-crash interval seems like a natural time for reflection, eh? Of course we risk a lot by riding at all, but the benefits ATGATT are very real. Even for this relatively minor mishap I’d say that every piece of gear was involved with helping me avoid injury. How gnarly do I want to be? I was a little apprehensive about venturing off into the grass, and then I pushed harder than I wanted to “impress.” I should listen to my gut, that sixth sense that offers me insight beyond my cognitive capacity. I also think I’m going to put a temporary rule in place that I’ll only ride on a path, be it a road, a trail, single track, whatever, the point being that I want to be able to see what I’m up against. I’m not a racer, I don’t do motocross, and there’s certainly no prize other than the joy of riding, so I have nothing to prove. I want to challenge myself and improve my skills (especially off-pavement), but I also don’t want to hurt myself. I want to be in this for the long haul! What’s the saying? “There’s old riders and bold riders, rarely both.” I fully accept that crashes are going to happen as an Adventure Rider, but let’s keep them to a minimum!

Next installment: The Emperor’s New Clothes.

[InsuredDisaster]

Originally Posted by viola-tor

I’m not a racer, I don’t do motocross, and there’s certainly no prize other than the joy of riding, so I have nothing to prove. I want to challenge myself and improve my skills (especially off-pavement), but I also don’t want to hurt myself. I want to be in this for the long haul! What’s the saying? “There’s old riders and bold riders, rarely both.”.

Certainly words to live by. I have a question for you, how would the viola have fared do you think if you had been wearing it? (I'm thinking you weren't for this crash.)

[viola-tor]

I have some pretty nice equipment, right? Oooooo, I love it. My new bike is stoopid fast and my cyborg viola is ready for any conditions that the KTM and I can dish out, so I’m set...

Almost. I need a uniform! Besides, the quest for the perfect gear only ends when you’re dead. I want to make a lasting visual impression in when I bust onto the scene with my rig, and I’ve been assimilated into the Orange Collective rapidly, so I think my color intentions should be clear. I hope that my playing will make a significant impact on people, but lacking “proper” performance attire in the field I don’t want to ignore the visual component of the experience. I’m doing something different with my grand viola/motorcycle experiment and I want to have a “professional” appearance that reflects my attitude towards motorcycling AND music performance: Bold, refined, versatile, colorful, effective, and original.

When I lived in Dallas I frequented Moto Liberty (www.motoliberty.com), a fantastic gear-only motorcycle store (no bikes, just protective equipment! Rare...). I learned that a second store recently opened in San Antonio so I went to check it out. After researching extensively here on ADVrider I decided that I couldn’t live without an orange Rev’it Cayenne Pro jacket so I offered a challenge to owner Nathan to come up with one, which would be no small task. I believe in buying local when I can and Moto Liberty bent over backwards to accommodate my specific, demanding requests and came through for me, so I happily purchased head-to-toe protection BRAND NEW which is another first for me. This is almost as exciting as getting a new bike!

He has it hanging in the window when I arrive (with dough-nuts as thanks):



Before my arrival to claim my prize many customers were allegedly beaten away as they asked about the orange “unobtainium” suit that is literally one of the last in the country. Mine!

Here are the details, commence drooling :

Rev’it Cayenne Pro Jacket
Rev’it Dakar Pants
Rev’it H2O gloves
Alpinestars Tech 3 boots
AND the “piece de resistance” (drum roll please!)
Arai XD3 helmet in Aluminum Silver

It’s exactly what I want, brand new AND it all fits! Amazing. I’ve never had gear that both fit correctly AND was high quality (it always seems to be one or the other), and certainly not new, and never all at once. This is an exciting day indeed!



A big BIG thanks to Nathan at Motoliberty for bringing this all together. Consider them when it’s time to upgrade/replace gear, I’m very comfortable recommending Motoliberty.

While I’m in the store playing with my new duds inmates hotair, trashed, and WoodButcher are strolling about not buying anything, so we all decide to get lunch to celebrate a beautiful day of riding and the arrival of my new space suit. Hotair has a sweet Ural side-car rig and he lets us take turns touring the parking lot. Weird but fun! It’s more like riding an ATV than a motorcycle, just keep in mind that I don’t know how to operate a side car properly, that’s just my impression.



These guys are hilarious and we have some good laughs over enchiladas and beans. Some more random motorcycle friendships forged spontaneously! What other “hobby” allows this? Good stuff...


Trashed has this wicked “little” Yamaha WR250R which he’s thrilled with. Hmmmm, maybe that model could be my KTM Adventure side-kick in the future... It looks perfect to me!



Lunch is over, I gotta get to work! ‘Tis the season... for Nutcracker! A big part of the classical musician’s income comes from the Christmas season, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is usually the bulk of the work (affectionately called by musicians: The Nut, Nut Smasher, Nad Smasher, Nut Whacker, Nut Thrasher, ect., ect...) Every city stages Nutcracker, as do most ballet companies and university dance schools. We’re really good at it, which makes sense as we perform it many times every December. I don’t mind, it’s great music (and not easy!) and I get something from the experience each time I perform it, so that tells me that it’s a worthy masterpiece. I’ve probably played it hundreds of times over the years, and some musicians eventually resent it, but I haven’t reached that jaded level, yet... Handel’s Messiah, on the other hand, I can do with out. That job is really boring, long, and tedious from this violist’s standpoint. It’s a great piece and all, but a pain (literally) to perform. Somehow I got out of playing Messiah this year. Cool! I’d rather play Nutcracker any day...

The viola part to the overture. We get the melody! Hu-rah!



I get to the downtown matinee a little early so I’m riffing around the parking lot and practicing low-speed maneuvers. The English Horn player (who’s a bike fan!) gets roped into taking some pics as she eats her lunch in the car:







This is great! It’s seventy degrees in the middle of December and I’m riding a freakin’ KTM Adventure with my viola to work. Sorry guys in the North... This curb hop is for you! However, there IS work to be done. Into the dark dungeon...

My friend Elan warming up on the Riverwalk: I’d think that’s assaulting a police officer, being a bass trombone and all...



Intermission is always kinda funny because all the kids and parents come over to the railing to look at the instruments. It’s like we’re zoo animals! They need signs: “Do not feed or harass the pit musicians.” I’m always a little nervous that a youngster will fall in and get mauled! It sure is hard to get good pictures in the dark without a flash.



Talk about a cog in the machine; the pit musician usually can’t see a thing of what’s happening on stage (depending on the pit) because we’re usually facing the audience and the stage is sometimes seven to ten feet above our heads. I kinda prefer it that way sometimes for ballet because my imagination fills in what should be happening to this incredible music and when I actually see it I think to myself “That’s it?!? That’s not very grand...” The images in my mind inspired by the music far exceed what is possible to stage, so I guess I’m just a musician at heart! I also actually like NOT being able to understand operas in other languages for the same reason. It seems like they should be saying things that are greater and more important than the literal translation to complement the waves of emotion in the music, but often I’m disappointed when I attend an opera as a “civilian.” I’m not poo-pooing the skill of dancers or singer/actors, they themselves are incredible artists in their own right, I’m just saying that after playing in the pit for so long I’ve often come to enjoy the auditory experience more than actually attending a performance as an audience member.

After a full day of Crackin’ Nuts it’s customary to meet up for some unwinding. I try to avoid the beer when on the bike which ends up saving me money, a nice perk! I have just as much fun hanging with my friends either way, so it’s all good. The weather is so mild we can still sit outside even after dark, sweet. The babes like my new helmet too!



I’ve been a violator for a long time. So many violations over the years, it’s bound to catch up with me...

Stay tuned for the next episode: Viola-tor goes to PRISON!!!