Some weekends aren’t simply memorable – they etch themselves into your story.
Late final yr, I took a whirlwind 36-hour journey from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, USA with my buddy Paul, pushed by a single mission: to deliver our buddy Sid’s RWB Porsche 997 on a journey via a few of LA’s most iconic roads and spots. It was a type of uncommon, fast-paced adventures that someway leaves you feeling each energized and reflective.
We landed at LAX within the early hours of Saturday morning, simply previous midnight. Our buddy Colton was ready for us, able to whisk us away. As an alternative of checking right into a resort, we made an unconventional (however low-cost!) alternative – parking at Huntington Seashore and tenting out in Colton’s Audi SUV. The sound of the waves, the cool ocean breeze, and the quiet hum of anticipation made it a surprisingly peaceable begin to what we knew could be a busy weekend.
By dawn, we have been on our strategy to Donut Derelicts, a legendary Saturday morning automobile meet that’s as a lot in regards to the folks as it’s in regards to the automobiles. It’s a spot the place gearheads and dreamers converge, swapping tales over espresso whereas marveling at the whole lot from classic sizzling rods to new automobiles. The vitality was infectious, a reminder of why automobile tradition looks like a world language.
Subsequent, we headed to Ok’s Pace, the place Akira Nakai, the mastermind behind RAUH-Welt Begriff, was busy making use of the wide-body RWB therapy to a fleet of Porsches.
Watching Nakai-san work is a privilege. His consideration to element and creative circulate are hypnotic, every automobile reworked by his arms into one thing that feels alive. It’s not simply customization; it’s a craft, honed and elevated.
However the spotlight of the weekend got here because the solar started to set. Sid handed us the keys to his RWB, a placing pink creation named Rashomon (羅生門) by Nakai-san. We set off for Azusa Canyon, chasing the sundown up the winding roads. The engine’s exhaust observe harmonized with the rustle of leaves and the fading cries of town under. The air was crisp, the sky painted in hues of gold and crimson, and for a second, time appeared to face nonetheless.
Because the evening deepened, we headed into Downtown LA, the place the automobile’s vibrant pink stood out towards town’s city glow. We spent hours capturing its magnificence via photographs and movies, the streets offering a cinematic backdrop. Driving via DTLA in an RWB Porsche felt surreal – the sound of the exhaust reverberating via the empty corridors, the reflections of neon lights dancing throughout the automobile’s curves.
Behind the wheel, I discovered myself serious about how far this journey has taken me. I believed again to after I was only a child at college, hiding away in a pc lab, pretending to deal with assignments whereas scrolling via photographs and tales of individuals residing an automotive life that impressed me. Now, I used to be right here – driving one among my favourite automobiles, constructed by one among my favourite folks, via one among my favourite cities. I couldn’t assist however surprise if there’s a child on the market proper now doing the identical factor, wanting on the content material like this and daring to dream. If they’re, I hope they chase it and sooner or later discover themselves surrounded by the form of friendships and experiences that redefine what’s attainable.
RWB has at all times been deep on the coronary heart of my love for automobiles, and this journey solely deepened that connection. Rashomon isn’t only a automobile – it’s an emblem of ardour, creativity, and the concept that some desires are price chasing.
By Sunday afternoon, we have been again at LAX, boarding our flight house to Vancouver. The weekend was a blur, over nearly as shortly because it started, but it surely left us with the form of recollections you carry with you without end. Typically, it’s not about how lengthy a visit lasts however how deeply it resonates. This one? Heavy in one of the best ways attainable.
Alexander Turnbull
Instagram: alexanderturnbull_
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