Ah here we are late summer and all around us farmers are busily gathering in the harvest the English countryside and greengrocers displaying the vivid hues of the farmers and workers toil, beautiful if not scary when meeting a combine down a back road.

And so what better time to head off to Kent, the Garden of England, so called because of its abundance of orchards and hop farms. Orchards and Hops only mean one thing to most of the motorcycling fraternity.. Cider and Beer and on arriving at Angel Farm on the Isle of Grain I found evidence of many folk who have similar thoughts and may have imbibed of said beverages a tad too well, this did not stop the outside bar being a hive of activity in the rather pleasant sunshine.

Now it struck me as I travelled along to Kent why the area is called "The Isle of Grain" when I had no water to transverse, well it seems that the area was once cut off from the mainland by a river estuary until the gap was filled in, then in the ways that business happens and folk wanted barges to use the estuary again, it became an island again as it was opened and closed in the 1800's. so that's your useful fact of a sort for the day.

The Hells Angels Kent Family Yard Party is now in its 4th year and is steadily attracting more and more folks and a diverse range of machinery. From a trike created from a 1964 Morris Minor and a V8 engine (and painted with a house brush so it seemed) to some of NCC Kent's finest  to scooters including a seriously chopped lambretta, who made the term "lowrider all its own and won best scooter.

The event as per the title really is a family day, with ice-cream, bouncy castle, sweets for big and little kids, face painting, balloon modelling for again kids young and old. with an almost secret and shady garden tucked away behind the club and motorcycle enthusiasts rubbed shoulders with Joe Public.

A young band produced some pleasant tunes, and during the day four bands were lined up  including the Brothers Grimm and an Ian Dury tribute band.

Voting was nice and simple with public voting slips, for a nice simple set of prizes, Best trike, scooter, Paint, Bike and HA Bike. the trophies were nice too and almost taller than the winning scooter.

Sitting on the side watching the world go by it was great to sit and chat with folk going by, and chats ranged from reminiscing over old rock and roll days, reverse head triumphs, beer, obsessive cleaning and the usual sort of badinage that makes such days just special .   

A great relaxed day and plans are already underway for next years Party.

Thanks to all involved

Bosun

As seen In BSH 356 December 2013

Carpark and field

Bike show