Can I get a yee-haw?

Posted by lushlife

Posted: November 7, 2008 - 9:05 am

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Ride 'em, cowboy

Many partygoers dream of finding something new in that same old weekend humdrum of smaller cities. One of my unattained goals was the fact that I had never ridden a mechanical bull in a bar.

In fact, I had never been to a bar that even had one (and no, the Alaska State Fair does not count). That all changed when John Pattee, owner of the Gaslight Lounge, let my editor know that this would be my lucky year.

Pattee, an Anchorage nightlife fixture who's owned The Avenue bar for 25 years and the Gaslight for 18, says the reasoning behind the bull was copious travels in the Lower 48, where he consistently saw mechanical bulls. "In mainstream bars too," Pattee said. "Not just country bars. It's doing the full circle."

"I've been reading about it," Pattee said. "And I went to some clubs and realized it wasn't about being 'country,' it was about giving the customer something to do." And that something is a whole lot of whooping, hollering fun.

The setup consists of bar tables circling a corral-esque ring of bouncy, moon-walk padding with a spotted, eerily realistic bull in the center. I swore its eyes turned red when someone got on, but it may have been my nervous imagination.

I wanted to ride it, but it was a desire I never imagined I'd see come to fruition. It was like saying you want to bungee-jump or sky-dive but never really imagining you'll get to jump from a plane.

I had no reason to be nervous. Pattee assured me it wasn't about hurting customers, it was about having fun. And, it's free -- with a signed waiver.

"A lot of times people don't fall off at all," Pattee said. "We're not giving them hard rides. We show them what to do."

What kind of intrepid, get-my-hands-dirty, sample-cocktails-of-every- color-of-the-rainbow-in-the-name-of-duty columnist would I be if I merely reported on the thing and not how it felt to actually ride it? A very cowardly columnist, that's what kind.

So I gathered friends and headed to the Gaslight. Truth time: I don't often frequent the Gaslight, and in all honestly, the bar has, in the past, carried a reputation that tended to limit clientele. But this time, things seemed different. Bargoers of every kind were clustered around the shiny arena, waiting for the main event.

I didn't embarrass myself half as much as I imagined I would. In fact, I rode pretty dang well. (Can I get a yee-haw?) But that may have been because the handlers (the bar staff at the electronic controller) were being easy on me. The trick, I learned, is to just do the opposite of what the bull does. And it's a very lifelike (down to the faux cowhide and realistic, moving head). I was kind of expecting a bare saddle on metal bars, to be honest.

But I did it, and the crowd went wild. Hint to future bull riders: Go after 10 p.m. to ensure that, in fact, there is a crowd. The bull riding starts at 8 p.m., but if you want witnesses, arrive later (early hours are a good choice if you just want to practice, however).

It really wasn't that bad once I got into the rhythm. But, as a side note, my legs were killing me the next day, and I would suggest going with a high-waisted pant if you're thinking about bending over in front of onlookers. But don't let nerves stand in the way of fun. "If you just come in," Pattee assured me, "we're not going to embarrass you too much. It'll be fun."

In the end, it was a great night and a great experience, and I got to tick one more "must-have bar experience" off my list. Next up: chocolate pudding wrestling with the old guy from "Old School."

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