On the evening of 6 August a select group of people gathered at the Homebase store on Sevenoaks Way: Bob Colvin on his new CCM R30 bike that he had collected from the dealer only an hour or two earlier, Andy, Lee, Ian, Julie & myself (at least I hope I have not forgotten anyone). The mission: to represent Bexley at the Mighty South London branch's annual barbecue which was taking place at their HQ that very evening.
Considering I am usually only travelling through the points on the route in a car during busy rush-hour or shopping times the ride was pretty low on other traffic and we bowled through Locksbottom, West Wickham, Croydon, Mitcham and on to the King's Head at Merton.
Bob was leading which was just as well as his tail light and brake lights had temporarily packed up as we left the Homebase and the nights are drawing in already. Plus the colour scheme is an all-over black. Despite the CCMs being put together in Britain and one of them featuring in the Golden Jubilee parade (if I recall the eye-witness testimony of Bob and Tom the Viking), when we got there it took him a moment or two to convince the guys manning the entrance that he was on a British bike.
Mind you some of them might have had their doubts about a Hinckley as well. The majority of bikes in the large courtyard out the back (well, yard anyway) were very clearly classics - many of them in concourse condition - and Hinckleys were politely asked to park at the end away from the pub so as not to block the view of the Triumphs, BSAs and the odd Vincent. Non-British bikes (including Harleys, hee hee) were required to squeeze into the limited space in front of the pub! Anyway we parked up, got some refreshment in and surveyed the scene.
The event was certainly well attended this year with the usual attractions of a Rock'n'Roll DJ, a barbeque that was going the whole evening, a very extensive (read lengthy) raffle and lots of people and bikes. There was a striking pair of Jubilee Bonnevilles, which left together after the prizes had been give out - one a 25th from 1977 and one a 50th from this year; the special colour scene looked good on both of them. Sadly I can't remember which bikes won which awards but Bexley was not honoured this time.