Three Days and Already a Cynic?
This is my first attempt at covering the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction. On Day One I was running around like the proverbial kid in a candy store, overwhelmed by the sheer size of it all, equally fascinated with the automobilia on sale and at auction. Awed — as I always am when I visit Arizona — by the wonderful residential and commercial contemporary architecture and desert scenery.
On Day Two I'd begun to relax, now more familiar with the surroundings and auctioneering techniques (how can those guys talk so fast?), eager to grab some photos for your enjoyment. Normally rather shy, I even managed a few conversations with strangers. People keep asking if I'm here to buy. Must be the white hair, apparently a sign of uh, wealth at these events. An automobile journalist wealthy? Ha!
Today is my third visit to the site. I'm now on stage where the action is, one of the perks of this job. You may even see me on the Speed Channel if you squint hard enough. But reality is setting in. Not being a baby boomer — instead the father of two boomers who share my enthusiasm for elegant autos and F1 racing — I've had my fill of muscle cars with matching numbers and yearn to see some genuine classics. I leave early and look forward to the RM Auction, which previews on Thursday with a semi-formal reception at the Arizona Biltmore hotel (an architectural monument by Frank Lloyd Wright). RM is where the more exclusive classics are featured.
Three days and I've become a cynic? Not really. It's just that the circus atmosphere at Barrett-Jackson soon becomes tiring. On the other hand, I'm one lucky guy to be here. Stay tuned.
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