article in issue 216 of 100% Biker

 

Postponed from May due to the English weather, this was billed as a free event to celebrate motorcycles, music, the lifestyle and gin. No surprises then that the week before the rescheduled event in June the summer rain was also typical of England but warmer, however cometh the day cometh the sun and so after a quick trip up the A3 following my brother on his new bike I would normally pootle, we joined the milling throng. The car park already full we were instructed to park by the entrance on the pretty double yellow lines even though they clash with my bikes colour scheme right beside the attraction of a cement plant, you will understand the significance of this later.

A very friendly welcome and drink in hand we soon had found an observation point and tuned into the relaxed atmosphere. A great venue next to the river with loads of seating and outside bar etc but sadly a very small carpark.

Predominately Harley there were some great new builds and a definite leaning towards the older style in the bike show.

A different way of judging meant visitors were given a custom chrome lanyard to hang on bike of their choice and soon some were heavily laden there may have been skulduggery afoot but who cared.

There were some great sponsors for a first event too and as this was also billed as a musical extravaganza we were treated to the delights of “Mean  n my lady” a 3 piece blues and rock band who make a great sound for three people and are making regular appearances at biker events in the south.

Sadly one of the neighbours in a nearby swanky flat does not appreciate outdoor music on a Saturday afternoon and so the sound had to be turned down, I mean it wasn’t even cranked up to 11 and if worried about noise why did he live near a cement plant? Hopefully I will get to hear the band at proper volume soon.

In typical fashion we were then treated to a downpour and some folk abandoned the outdoor bar and bbq, but the die hards stayed out until it passed it really didn’t spoil anything and the band played on.

Sadly I never got to see who won the show as a shout by the organisers that a traffic warden was about to ticket bikes on the pretty lines made the decision to leave, especially finding out I had stupidly hung my helmet wrong way up and was full of water ewww.

There are plans already for volume 2 which sounds good, can we make sure the guy in the flats has left then