Holiday planning

So they ‘found’ (invented?) a pair of teenagers, Mike (just 18) and Mary (17) and showed them and the readers how to prepare for a biking holiday on the new Ariel Arrow Mike had bought from Slocombes (£192).

The Craven carrier and panniers (£12 19s 6d) were apparently Mary’s brainwave, having struggled through previous biking holidays with an old rucksack on her back. Mike also fitted a Motoplas Tripoint windscreen (£5 5s) and Raydet handlebar mirror (£1 5s).

Motor Cycle said Mike “had to put his foot down and insist that Mary stuck to essentials” and she chose to wear a casual leather Matador jacket (£12 7s 6d), leather jeans (£12 3s 6d) and zip-back boots (£6 9s 6d) – all from Pride & Clarke. She chose a Kangol Mk 7 helmet (£2 14s also from Pride & Clarke) with Stadium goggles (£1 1s) and chose Waddingtons’ ski-mitts (£2 7s 11d).

Mike opted for Lewis Leathers’ Western horsehide jeans (£11 7s 6d) together with the jacket of his Belstaff Trialmaster suit (£6 4s 6d), the trousers (£4 18s) they said would “be packed away on all but the wettest days” since the jeans had been treated with Lewis Leathertreat (5s 6d a bottle) and would keep out an hour’s drizzle.

In case of heavy rain, Mike invested in a Peter Storm, bri-nylon anorak (£3 8s) and matching trousers (£2 1s 3d). Under the jacket, Mike wore a Greeland pullover (£2 14s). He also opted for D Lewis Huntmaster boots (£5 12s), Slazenger gloves (£2 17s 6d), Everoak Clubmaster helmet (£3 15s) and Stadium goggles (£1 1s).

Filling the panniers were: pyjamas(!), soap, face flannel, towels, toothbrushes, sample-size toothpaste, swim suit, spare nylon shirts, T-shirts, socks, lightweight non-crinkle trousers and jacket, denim jeans, handkerchiefs, shoes, headscarf, extra nylon blouses, spare jumper, terylene skirt, cotton dress and plastic mac.

They also packed a bed and breakfast guide (3s 6d)  – which Mike apparently found “invaluable” – and an Ilford camera (£11 19s 6d). The holiday planned was a “spot of hub and spoke touring centred on Ambleside in the Lake District”. Wonder how they got on?