6th day, Monday August 15th
With yesterdays rain end of road had patches of water all over places. "I got an idea!" I headed back to the end of road again on bike. As going through the paddles, I was getting messed up with salt and water. While all cars are going to words pit, I was slowly going to different direction. I need to find biggest paddle, I saw scene like this on some picture.

I went back to take breakfast after going around for a hour and found him riding bicycle. Finally he came, it was Mr. Zap. I had chance to work with him on MOON Illustrated vol.7 in March and April. Mail was used for communicating for work between Japan and US. It was formal in the beginning but It soon became real talk, "Hey use your head" "Shoot! No wait, I have to try again" It was throwing true opinion to each other.

On the day of dead line until just before the dead line, "just 15minutes left" "I am out" "don’t sleep" it was like white knuckle ride, Communicating and learning many things from photographer from USA. "How is it, are you taking many pictures?" "I am, but I have so many things that I don’t understand" "Like what?" from there I talked about many problems I had about taking pictures. "this is how you can do it" "no one knows how to do that" from zaps word I learned little by little. Like yesterdays after rain, slowly things were getting clear inside me. "by the way are you really going to move around on bicycle? That’s crazy" "Right, that's why I give you my bicycle to swap with your bike" "No way"

Chico and MOONEYES Crew challenged each run and tried out many things, Changed Jet, changed tires. 185.859 mph, 208.766 mph, 210.912mph it was surely getting faster. Mr. Zap was taking pictures with his knees covered with salt. I tried to keep on moving, On knees, jump up, lay down, roll over. I had blister on my feet many times but was first time to have blister on back of my feet. I wondered how I made it.

7th day, Tuesday August 16th
Two days left for photo shoot in Bonneville. First couple days were trying to find great place to take pictures and I was told many times by official starter "don’t take pictures from there" and I was again called by official starter. "what did I do?" I went up to him. He grabbed my shoulder "Are you alright? Your face?" He was nice enough to worry about my face. Skin on my face was cracked like an alligator, skin peeled off in pieces and lips sunburned to black and bleeding "No problem!" that’s how I replied.

Chico and crew were ready to roll out for run when Funny Car Team, Jim Dunn Racing Big Jim Dunn came to MOONEYES pit and meeting started With mechanical techs. Everybody had their serious face on. Pit was busy after he left. Crew started to work on Quick change, to change gear ration to 3.3 to 1. They will try on any possibility for quest of speed, that is the Land Speed Race. I had strongly felt that when I saw this. This raced doesn’t start by lining up like other motor sports, nor it doesn’t have people watching goal and reaching record alone. It may look less exciting but that’s not true. Everyone has even chances, Mo money or power can change the result. It's all up to what you try. One record needs return run on next day, no record can be made by miracle.

I was taking picture of car club for MOON ILLUSTRATED Vol.8 That team had class record don that day and was in impound area. But the engine broke while they made record run. Impound area has restriction on max time you can work on. Crews are taking motor apart in front of me. I stepped away and was on my knees to take pictured of this tension in the air from distanced. "SUMI" one of crew called me. He was covered with oil and salt, spanner in his hand. He said "This is Hot Rodding." He showed little smile and paused to put spanner like comb "Not Hot Rodding, understand? " he has right to say that. I couldn’t say anything and just nodded.

Chico made 210.610mph. 10 more mile to world record, not bad we should d Make it and next day 3 more crew from MOON CAFE Italy joined but spin on 2nd run. We still have tomorrow. Hope on tomorrow.

There are many pictures I have to take. Race is top priority So things doesn’t go as planned. There are many things I haven’t taken picture of. I even had things I could take as planned. For me it was like worst day tomorrow. It is 6pm and race is about to end even though Sun is still shining. I saw Mr. Zap in start line. He knew what I was trying to take pictures so I Was asked "How is it?" "I have to take this and that. May be I can't make it" I was about to give up. "think over and find what you really need" what can I do.

At night I was packing clothing to my suitcase and a piece of paper came out. That was MOON SPACE AGENCY crew, my co workers had picture of them and wrote "Hope you try even in tough situation" at back in red. They were messing around with my bag before I was leaving office. I was able to feel free from things that I had on my mind. I was ready to go for the last day.

8th day, Wednesday August 17th
Last day. Without having breakfast, with no sunburn medicine, I got salt off the bike and I left the MOONEYES pit. With sun behind my back i was on 4 speed full throttle bend forward to Head to start point for return run. Sun and temperature are still low. I follow race cars running towards the morning sun light. Return run started. Now I am riding full throttle towards the sun. The crew car pass by they are shouting “Heee Haaaa” looks like they made good return run and made official record. I pass the pit areas and MOONEYES Pit had no race car. they must be heading to the start line. “Chico Go for it!!”I was riding to where they are with parachute open. Found them. Now I am following them from behind as they are pushing race car to the officials. As time went by I was able to take photo while riding the bike. Bend down forward with full throttle, once catch up with race car then I get up to take picture. Full throttle and take pictured and again, that must have been a funny sight, I had couple people Come and talk to me about it.
Things went very smooth that day, the bad timing I had experienced on other days are like a joke Compared to this day. Yoshi called “Chico made to impound. He made 220.898 mph, took over 219 mph world record.” Great ! Chico made it!. Chico and crew were cheering up in Impound area with #533 race car. I was so glad to see the same site Just like I saw on three years ago. There were many people Coming to visit by while crew were busy getting ready for tomorrows return run with limited time Of four hours at pit. Tomorrow if he makes 220 mph, his record will be new world record and His dream of 200miles club member will become true. This day I finish taking all picture I had to take for MOON ILLUSTDRATED Vol.8. I wasn’t expecting it to become so tight as I thought I had enough time when I planned first. So tomorrow is return run for #533.

9th day, Thursday August 18th
Little after 5am, Boss send me a message” Bid Day! Wake up!”. I was so nervous and couldn’t sleep from 3am. I was in impound area at 5 am. Impound area before the done has different tension in the air compared to the pit area. 7am the officials lead race cars to the start line. Slowly all race cars which made record yesterday were pushed or towed to the starting point. One by one, race car started for record run. Chico is getting close to the start line. Now He is next. I didn’t get on the push truck and decide to watch the raced car take off. #533 Race car started, shifting gear from first to second, then he went left, out of course. I and Tim were Looking up in sky. It was end to the MOONEYES 2011 Bonneville Speed Week.
10th day Friday August 19th. Last night we were back in MOONEYEDS USA and we were getting things cleaned up. Washing Salts was like endless, more and more salt comes out. Honda my partner in Bonneville was cleaned up too. I got sentimental when I think about running around in Bonneville. Tim told me that I rode 250 miles on this bike. Thank you very much. Chico and raced crew are taking race car #533 apart. They are already working for the Bonneville World final on October. This will go on and on for years. Chico and crew seem to know what they want to do now. I hope they can make world record in next race. I was heading back to Japan on red eye flight.

11th day, Sunday August 21st
5am, landed in rained on Haneda. There were no more clothes to change. Vans and Dickies were all filthy with salt, my skin is peeled I was lucky enough to make it back on plane with looks like this… Boss came to pick me up at airport. “ How was it? did you enjoy?” “!!!!!” I just managed to get each day by And didn’t really look back until now. I was finally looking back at this trip.
I think every time that I have been helped by many people to experienced this kind of trip. This time I used many word alone, but really I couldn’t make it without all support from MOONEYES Race Crew, MOONEYES USA All Staff, MOONEYES JAPAN All staff, Everyone I met during the trip and support from my family made it possible. I couldn’t do anything alone.

Taking picture and photos, I think I won against me three years ago. Ride 250 miles and saw many things. What I felt in Bonneville was unreal and crazy days In good ways. There is a dream in that place. That’s why I don’t have any regrets.
I am happy to be able to say “ I really enjoyed it”
But this is not the end of my trip. I have report to make for Bonneville that I have not Showed on MOON ILLUSTRATED Vol.8. So I will be making trip report in this 2 month with My brain tripping to Bonneville. Please look forward to it.

Thank you for reading till the end. PAN