Chasing the blue moon to the 2012 Ventura Nationals.
Photos/Story: T-Bone
Here I am again in the early morning watching the moon set as the guys in my club are gathering to hit another significant show. Last December we were gathering under a lunar eclipse to hit the Mooneyes X-mas Show and Drags. This morning the lunacy begins with the falling Blue Moon.
The Ventura Nationals is a custom car and motorcycle show at the seaside Ventura County Fairgrounds. This year they celebrate their 10th annual event like always on Labor Day Weekend. The show features a swap meet, live music, artists, and a pinup contest.
We rolled in early Saturday morning. This time, I rolled in with Gordon in his lavendar1958 Cadillac Coupe deVille. We followed Gary Morin in his ’56 Mercury and Jack Petitt with his wife Debi followed in their ’57 Pontiac Star Chief. De Hall and Jeff Allen left earlier in De’s Kustom ’58 Thunderbird. Gary Hardin followed up in his ’56 Chevy then Jared and his wife Teri rolled in their custom ’51 Olds.
We watched as the fairgrounds filled throughout the morning with kustom rides featuring eye-poppin’ flakes and kandys, fine details and historic examples of hot rodding and choppers. I rolled around the show most of the day and while talking to Leo and Willie from the Crusaders CC a rent-a-cop busted me for riding around in the Cruisin’ Cooler. I asked if his finger still stunk from inspecting our trunk for alcohol when we entered the grounds. Shortly after that I was checking out a nice hot rod truck in the back parking lot. This guy came up and asked if I was a promoter for the show. A quick negative reply and he reached in his pick-up bed and refilled his red party cup with some Sailor Jerry he had in an aluminum reservoir tank mounted to the bedfront. Dig it. I met up with Hairball and his ’56 Ford Wagon. He is decking it out with vintage surfboards and suitcases. He drove up the day before and was the first in line when the drink police made him open each of his suitcases. This after he explained he can’t drink ‘cause of his “medication”. Note: Don’t bring drinks into the fairgrounds. Instead, you get to buy their bland flat beers for $12/cup.
Then came the ladies.
Early in the morning the “ladies” took shape as paneled fenders, wide whites and gleaming chrome. In the afternoon the ladies took shape with smooth fenders, shiney whites, and gleaming skin. Yep the pinup contest was on stage hosted by Heidi Van Horne, Judged and Color Commentary by George Barris. Between sets the ladies walked around posing at different cars and having fun with the fans. I went back to see Hairball. He was talking with his good friend (and now mine) Red Dodge. You may know Red as the fashion and art director of Garage Magazine. Currently she is the owner and makeup artist at Red Dodge Artistry. We did some fun shoots with her in the wagon. I said: “Let’s get one where you’re yelling at the kids in back to ‘shut-up!’”.
I also ran into my friends at Vintage Klass. Mary and Joel are such great people. They are at all the shows with unique and authentic vintage jackets, helmets, and accessories. I got a set of vintage gas cans from them at the Chopperfest (also at the Ventura Fairgrounds). Inside one of the halls was BOMONSTER. You’ve most likely heard me mention him before. He does some really unique scratchboard style designs on shirts, panels and stickers.
Then it was time to roll south on the 101 and headed home after a great day at the show. My retina’s are still burnt from all the metalflake and the bright pacific sun as it washed away the blue moon for a couple more years.