"FOURTH ANNUAL YUNOGO HARLEY FESTIVAL-FIRST ANNUAL HOG RALLY" - YUNOGO, JAPAN

Tommy, Ako, Okamoto, Jim, Atsuko, Bill & I
Photo taken in front of Okamoto & Ako's home

In 1996 Bill and I were virtually given a trip to Japan, through friends of ours, Jim and Atsuko Hewett. They had been taking in foreign exchange students in Seattle, and one of the students was from Japan. Her father, Okamoto, owned a motorcycle dealership in Japan and had hosted the Yunogo Harley Festival for approximately three years. He was so successful with it, (known as "gaining face" in Japan), that his competitor decided to contact Harley-Davidson's home office in Milwaukee and approach them with the idea of hosting a National HOG Rally in Yunogo at the same time that Okamoto's rally was to take place. After much discussion, it was eventually decided to combine the two rallies into one and call it the "Fourth Annual Yunogo Harley Festival-First Annual HOG rally." To our knowledge that is the only time Harley has taken second billing in an event.

Okamoto contacted Jim and asked him if he could bring two guys from the states over to ride in his parade during the festival.  He said, if so, he would furnish the Harleys for the guys to ride. Jim called Bill and Tommy Pickard, (another friend of ours from Seattle), and the plans were laid. Now, take into consideration that Bill and I were in Florida for the winter at the time we received the call. Everything came together so fast that I wasn't even sure my passport was in order, as it was in a lock box in Seattle. We flew back to Seattle the end of May, and as Memorial Day was on the 27th, I had only one day to get my passport out of the lock box and make sure it was in order if I had any hopes at all of making the trip! Thankfully, everything was up to date, which leads me to believe the trip was meant to be.

We flew out of Seattle on May 29th 1996, after being delayed six hours at the airport. Since we had arrived at the airport two hours early, we actually sat around there approximately eight hours, with nothing much to do but eat, drink and be merry. By the time we were allowed to board the plane we were feeling no pain, and Jim said he thought they were going to have to pour us on board!

After approximately 14 hours in flight, we landed in Osaka. Okamoto met us at the beautiful and very clean Kansai airport in Osaka around 10:00 p.m. After loading our luggage into his van we were on our way to Tsuyama. Looking out the window of the van it was as if I was looking at a beautiful piece of Japanese art. The moon was so beautiful shining down over the mountains making the night so clear that you could see the entire surrounding countryside. Eventually, in what seemed like an eternity after MANY toll stops with very high tolls, and a pit stop for delicacies and green tea, we arrived at Okamoto and Ako's home.

By Japanese standards Oakmoto and Ako would be considered wealthy due to the amount of land they own. Their home was large enough to accommodate not only their family, but Ako's parents lived in an apartment on one end of the house and Okamoto's parents lived in one on the other end of the house. This is pretty amazing considering the fact that space in Japan is at such a premium.  Their garden was absolutely beautiful thanks to Okamoto's loving care and the fact that he is trained in the art of bonsai.

Once we arrived at their home, they immediately served us tea, at which time we presented them with gifts from each of us. It is Japanese custom to give gifts in odd numbers for good luck, so we gave each of them three gifts. Afterwards, we were shown to our sleeping quarters, which were two adjoining rooms with individual tatami mats and rice pillows. Jim and Atsuko, being the honored guests, had use of the private bedroom while Bill and I shared a room with Tommy. To accommodate these sleeping arrangements I was told I could sleep in a kimono, furnished by Ako, who also gave me a lesson on how to wrap and tie it.

Bill and I, not being familiar with Japanese customs, made many blunders throughout the trip, (even with Atsuko there to translate for us); however, Okamoto and Ako were both very kind and forgiving. A good example was, after leaving my shoes at the front door, (with the toes pointing outward meaning I wasn't going to stay forever), and slipping into shoes given to me by Ako, I stepped up onto the tatami mat with the shoes on. Ako grabbed my arm, laughing and shaking her head, telling me (through interpretation by Atsuko), that I had to slip those shoes off too, before stepping up onto the mat!

The bathroom, which was shared by all five guests, consisted of a small room built specifically around the commode. The room was fairly small, very warm and not well ventilated, and the seat of the commode was covered with an electrical warming device. We were told immediately that if we had to do "#2" we were to fold and place a piece of toilet tissue down in the commode prior to using it in order to protect it from getting dirty. Living out in the country, they did not have city sewer service, but were hooked up to a septic tank. Needless to say, the bathroom was not an area that was occupied for long periods of time!

The bathing area was in two adjoining rooms nearby. The first room housed a sink, towels, robes, etc., and the second room had a shower for rinsing off prior to entering into a tub of very warm, sanitized water. It was not bathing as accustomed to in the states, but more a ritual geared toward relaxing. When not in use, the tub was covered to keep the water warm for the next bather. Once we had all "bathed" we headed to our mats for a much needed night of rest.

Tatami mat prior to being rolled out

The next morning Okamoto took us to his motorcycle dealership to meet his staff. One of the men kept grinning and looking at me, then said something in Japanese. I asked Atsuko what he said. She looked a little uncomfortable, then said, "Oh, he say, it hot day!" Bill looked at her and said "Right!" He then told Atsuko she was a diplomat. To this day I still don't know what the man said.

The guys picked out their bikes, with all three choosing lowered ones. After installing a US flag on the rear of the lead bike, ridden by Okamoto with Atsuko in the side car, we were off to ride through the Japanese countryside on our way to Yunogo. Jim and Tommy rode solo while Bill and I rode double, covering about sixty kilometers before reaching Yunogo. Not only were the roads narrow and very curvy, but I constantly felt as if we were on the wrong side of the road as the Japanese drive on the left-hand side!


Bill and I at Okomoto's motorcycle dealership

Once inside Yunogo, in every direction, American flags were hanging from light poles, which was a very welcoming sight, (so much so that it brought tears to my eyes and made me proud to be an American). We were the only Americans there, except for a GI contingent of about six or eight men and women from Yokoto Air Base, who had stopped by for a brief visit, so we felt very special, and as we were the honored guests of the organizer of the event, we were absolutely the center of attention! It was as if the event had been designed specifically for us and the great American Harley!



Here we're posing with some of the GI contingent from Yokoto Air Base

One of the highlights of the day, for me though, was meeting a Buddhist monk, known as the "Gan Fighter." He was traveling around the country rallying support in the fight against cancer and raising funds in that effort.



Visiting with the "Gan Fighter'



We led all the parades that day, were interviewed by all the local TV and radio stations and were photographed by all the local newspapers...then there were requests for our autographs from the locals, who also wanted to pose with us for photos. By the end of the day the five of us were exhausted, but we felt "almost famous!"

When we returned to Okamoto and Ako's home that night, Okamoto's father said that while they were taking a break from tending their rice paddies earlier in the day they had seen us on TV and were impressed. Later our photo appeared in Hog Tails magazine, and Vibes, 1996 8 vol.34, H-D Life Magazine for Bikers, one of Japan's leading biker magazines.

Thus ended the first day of our "biker trip" to Japan.

SKYDIVING!



Excitement builds!



Rolling out!  Free Falling - What a thrill!

 


Trying to catch my breath!

 


Small chute pulled




Settling in for the ride!



What a v iew!



Just had to add one more shot of  "Free falling1"

with my trainer, John Luvera, simply the BEST!

May 18, 2008

Today I fulfilled a dream I've had for years! I went Skydiving with friends!

Bill and I were up and out early. After checking in with our friend, Bud (another jumper), Bill and I drove to Clewiston, FL where the jump site is located.

After MANY pages of signatures, initials, etc., on waivers for the sky dive co., the parachute manufacturer, the county, and "everybody's brother," we were "checked out" and headed over to the hangar.

When we got to the hangar we were assigned to our trainers and videographers. We were given instructions as to what signals would be given during the jump, then we were put into our harnesses. The videographers interviewed each of us and took some still shots along with the video. Bill was also on hand to take pictures while we were preparing for the flight up.

While waiting for the plane we watched some of the sky dive personnel packing the chutes. I was amazed at how large the chutes are and how they manage to get them into such a small space. We learned that the trainer allows enough time so that in the event the first chute doesn't open he can cut it away and open the reserve. We were also told that the chutes are packed under the eyes of the FAA and each reserve chute is taken out and repacked every 120 days whether it has been used or not.

After only a short while, but what seemed like "forever," the plane pulled forward and we were told it was boarding time. I gave Bill a kiss, told him I loved him and was off and running! Jorge, Bud's friend, and I were laughing and holding hands as we ran excitedly toward the plane, with Bud following close behind.

The plane was small, holding only 12 people, (four jumpers, four trainers, and four videographers). So, it was Jorge, Bud, me, and another guy named Sam. There were no seats, other than two boards - one on each side of the plane. We were instructed that the trainer boards first, the diver sits in his lap, and the videographer sits in front of the diver, so there's six people on each side of the plane.

My trainer boarded first, straddling the bench with his back to the cockpit, I followed, then my videographer. In front of him was Jorge's trainer, Jorge and her videographer. On the other side of the plane was Bud and Sam and their trainers and videographers. By the time we were all boarded, it was quite a snug little place! The videographers took some video while we were climbing to our jump altitude of 13,500 feet.

I've had butterflies in my stomach all week, but once we were ascending to our jump altitude they miraculously disappeared, and I had a calmness come over me, as if jumping was what I was destined to do, and I didn't have to think about it any more. My videographer asked me if I was ready and I said, "Yes, I'm ready!" He then told me that when it came our turn to jump he would go first and be hanging over to my left, so that when my trainer and I jumped I should look to the left.

At that point, my trainer tightened up my harness and attached it to his equipment. He had me shift around so that he could check the tightness and had me confirm that it felt tight.

Jorge and her crew were the first to jump as they were nearest the back door. The door opened and in a heart beat they were gone - the last thing I remember seeing of them was Jorge's blonde ponytail flying out of the plane! Next went Sam and his crew, then Bud and his guys...then it was our turn!

Out went my videographer, then John, my trainer, told me to scoot forward, sit down in the door and hang my legs out of the plane and to arch my back and hold my head up once we jumped. When we rolled out we did a flip - it was awesome! I looked to my left and sure enough there was my videographer filming us. We were free falling at the rate of approximately 120 miles per hour. The atmosphere was quite cool and the roar was so loud that I couldn't really hear the trainer when he spoke to me! It was at that point that I understood why they have hand signals! The pressure was so great that it was really hard to breathe. It felt as if all the air was being sucked out of my lungs and I couldn't catch my breath! I remember looking down and realizing we still had a long way to go, it was only at that moment, for the briefest of moments, that I though what have I gotten myself into - this is going to be a wild ride! I don't know if I can do this or not...then reality sank in. I realized I had to do it as I was already out of the plane...freefalling! I could literally feel my skin rolling back on my face and arms from the pressure, but it was the most exhilarating feeling of my life! My adrenaline must have been on full throttle!

John opened the first chute, which was a small one, and it slowed us down to a speed normal for a solo jumper. When the main chute opened we were instantaneously shot back up into the air. It literally felt as if we had been shot out of a cannon, and my videographer disappeared right before my eyes! John twirled us around and we did a flip or two and then everything started calming down. I'm sure we were still falling fairly fast, but it actually felt like we were suspended in mid-air! It was awesome! I took my goggles off and surprisingly enough the wind didn't bother my eyes - (I had my contacts in so the staff had given me very tight fitting goggles for the initial jump). Because of the fires burning around the Lake Okeechobee area there was some smoke in the air and the atmosphere wasn't as clear as it normally is; however, we could still see over a wide range of area.

I could see Bud, Jorge and Sam below, nearing their landings and I could feel John moving or working the equipment as we neared the ground. We had been out of the plane between five and six minutes, which doesn't seem like a long time, until you take into consideration we were falling the entire time! Right before we landed John told me to lift my legs up, which I did. At that point he set his feet on the ground and I simply sat down in front of him. As he helped me up I noticed my videographer was already there shooting footage. John and I posed for a couple of shots and then I was off to the hangar to meet Bill. Afterwards, I ran to the office, elated, and yelled to everyone present that I had just experienced the thrill of a lifetime and that it was awesome!

In retrospect... I feel a sense of accomplishment, as I'm 61 years old, and I broke my arm only seven months ago and have a rod and three pins in it...so to be able to roll out of that plane and truly enjoy the jump was wonderful. I also feel very fortunate that I had John, a great trainer, for my first jump.

REASONS FOR JUMPING...
1. I've always wanted to - it was just a dream for years, as it always seemed to
get shuffled to the bottom of my "bucket list."
2. I wanted to prove to myself that after all the pain I've been through with my
arm over the past few months, that I could still be physically active.

3. And, what the heck...if George Bush SR could do it why couldn't I?

It was an adventure I'll never forget and NEVER regret!

Sometimes you just have to "get outside the box" and enjoy life! As Bill always says, "If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space!"