How's that old saying go? Something along the lines of, "Third time's a charm." Well, if it has anything to do with my recent trip to Japan, it rings so true! This is one situation where it might look like I'm spoiled by the perks of my job--I will admit that without hesitation--but this kind of occurrence is rare indeed. Getting the opportunity to visit Japan the first time was a once-in-a-lifetime deal, so you can bet that I was more than honored to get asked back for a third consecutive year by Shige and the folks at Mooneyes for their 11th Annual Hot Rod & Custom Show in Yokohama.

As in years past, Mooneyes has always had a foreign guest, or guests, of honor, so to say. My first trip there it was Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (a huge favorite in Japan, but sadly, it was his last year there) and The Shifters' Anthony Castaneda and his "Brown Neck Bandito." The following year, Mooneyes celebrated the 10th anniversary of the event and dedicated it to the memory of Big Daddy with a host of pinstripers from around the globe, as well as by having Gene Olson's SO-CAL-built '51 Merc convertible on site. This year, Moon invited SO-CAL Speed Shop back, but with one stipulation: that Jimmy Shine and Billy F. Gibbons accompany...with their wheels! Now, when I say wheels, I don't mean just one car; Jimmy's '34 pickup and Shovelhead chopper and Billy's "Kopperhead" '50 Ford and "ZZ Funk One" chopper were all guests of honor, as well.

Due to the lingering dockworker strikes, the task of getting the "wheels" to Japan wasn't as easy as planned. The usual overseas container shipping method would have taken too long, so everything had to be loaded onto a plane in order to arrive in Yokohama in time. Before all this went down, I was able to see firsthand how vehicles are "secured" in containers, and after seeing that movie "The Perfect Storm," I was a bit leery of saying bon voyage to my Harley-Davidson (it was squeezed in along with Jimmy's bike and pickup). When news came that the shipping schedules were pushed back and that everything was going via air, I was relieved, but also bummed that I wouldn't have the opportunity to actually ride my bike in Japan. (Couldn't afford the airfare for the bike, but at least I was still going!) Nevertheless, all motorized passengers made it to Yokohama unscathed and with plenty of time to spare. Our trip fared just as well; a group of 12--which included Pete Chapouris, Chico Kodama, Gibbons, Shine, and employees from the Santa Fe Springs Moon--departed L.A. on Thursday and arrived the following afternoon. The 11 hours it takes to get there are well worth spending even a single day in Japan (but a couple stiff ones after the flight didn't hurt). By the time we got settled in Yokohama, everyone was pretty beat, so we grabbed a quick bite and called it a night. The following day, we all wandered over to the Pacifico to check out the show's layout. From there, Jimmy and I headed over to Moon Towers to grab the cars--and this is where the absence of my motorcycle was totally made up for; I was asked to drive Kopperhead from there over to the Pacifico for set up. Driving that shoebox in the states would be one thing, but through the tight, winding streets of downtown Yokohama is an experience all its own--what a fine machine that '50 Ford is.

Sunday was the big day, and I had to scoot over to the convention center early in order to get some pre-crowd shots. Shine, on the other hand, got the luxury of sleeping in, as a grand entrance was planned for him and Billy in his pickup at 10 a.m.! Regardless of who got more sleep, I always enjoy checking out a show without hoards of people jamming the aisles; that way, you can get a good look at the cars, bikes, etc., plus it's a lot easier to photograph! By 9 a.m. sharp, the doors flung open and the joint filled up fast. When it was time for the "celebs" to make their entrance, the path leading in from the rear was roped off with police tape, and as you might be able to tell from the photos, it was pretty much like parting the Red Sea when the bay door opened and Shine's truck came a rumblin' in. Afterward, the two spent most of the day signing autographs (payback for extra sleep maybe?), while I got to really enjoy the entire show, which included a ton of choppers and custom motorcycles for the first time ever. While the language barrier presented a slight problem for me to communicate with a majority of the car owners, spectators, and the like, the general consensus was that everyone was stoked to be there, period! Sunday finally wound down, and another successful Mooneyes show was in the history books--but our journey was not yet complete! Monday was "drive hot rods in Yokohama" day, which translated into Jimmy behind the wheel of his '34 while I piloted Kid Rocker's heavily channeled Model A roadster pickup. We took the two out toward the bay for a photo shoot with Daytona magazine, and ended up getting plenty of shots for ourselves. On the way back, we had to drop Shine's truck off at the port so it could get loaded into a container and head back home. I took this opportunity to see if I could break any of the gears in his '39 trans--since I knew it wasn't going to get driven anywhere for the next few weeks--so Shine rode shotgun in the '29, watching closely from behind! Later that night, Shige and his staff hosted a farewell party for us Yanks before we departed the following afternoon. As usual, the food, the drink, the atmosphere...were all amazing. It was a great way to end our stay in Yokohama.

While our stay was short, it was nevertheless memorable. Due to a must-have final sushi meal and some last-minute gift shopping, Jimmy and I nearly missed our flight, but fortunately, the rest of the group informed the flight crew that we would eventually make it to the gate. And here I am today, with thoughts of the trip still fresh in my memory banks, wishing I were still there (for the most part!). Suffice it to say, if a similar opportunity ever arises for you, jump on it! Even in these travel-leery days, Japan is a wonderful place to visit--especially the first weekend in December for the annual Hot Rod & Custom Show! For more information, visit www.mooneyes.com.