Bike Show results: BEST HARLEY DAVIDSON CLASS WINNERS: Best Sportster Jane Jones,Essex Best Dyna G eoff Brown, Gt Yarmouth Best Softail Tony Buckingham, Cambridgshire Best V Rod Ted Whelan, Marple Best Dressed Rob Hilary & Oliver the dog Best Classic HD Paul Wilkins, Essex BEST ALL MAKES: Best custom Martin Dickinson, Lincoln Best Trike Susan Allan, Chesterfield
Best Custom Cruiser Louise Bradley, Oldham Best British Classic Ray Whale, Tamworth BEST IN SHOW: Winner Runner-Up
Simon Hodgson, Sheffield, 07796 851073 Rob, Hilary & Oliver the dog
PEOPLES CHOICE: Winner Darren Fawthrop Runner Up Russ Allan 2nd Runner Up Rob, Hilary & Oliver the dog
and play like a natural genius, he is a really nice bloke too. An honourable mention too for a food stand that wasn’t in the C&W quarter: the Funnel Cake stand, where you will be surprised to hear they made and sold Funnel Cakes. A cross between a dough nut, a waffle and a pastry, it get its name from being poured from a funnel into hot oil, and when cooked can be topped with caster sugar or all manner of other goodies. It was my birthday and Andy had forgotten to get me the obligatory cake … so, I treated myself. Twice. Big mistake, I didn’t get beyond the caster sugar version on either occasion but they were delicious! You can visit them at Funnelcakes.co.uk. Philosophically speaking, Americana is a great demonstration of the broad tolerance that communities of people can have for each other, and over the few days we were there, many of the faces in the crowds of thousands became familiar to us. The most remarkable observation for a fi rst time visitor, and an extremely positive one, was that even at 2.30am after a long day on their feet and a night of fun and partying, drunk revellers apologised to each other if they lost their balance and bumped into each other.
Family groups and couples alike are catered for, and it’s a rally where it is safe for people of all ages to be – which is a must in this day and age, though seldom realised in so large and so diverse a group. And having only been there for three days this time, we missed so much of what was going on that I’m angling for the whole four days next year, and going on the bikes. The show offers so much by way of free entertainment that you can afford to make it into a mini holiday. Oh, by the way, the weather turned out to be beautiful sunny days, much as summer should be. Cheers, Americana for such a blast of a weekend! Best Birthday present I could’ve had. Words: Amanda Wright Pics: Andy Hornsby
American-V.co.uk
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