In the 1940s summer months my parents would finish work on Friday evening, jump on the bike and bimble all the way down to Devon or Cornwall from Windsor for the weekend.
It must have taken hours and hours considering the road network, especially on a 350AJS, two-up and loaded with a canvas tent.
I expect they got there a bit quicker on the 650 Gold Flash.
They told me that if they didn’t get there before it got too late they would just park at the side of the road, pitch the tent overnight, and carry on in the morning.
How things have changed, you’d get moved on these days, or robbed.
I seem to remember stories of a pair of sheets sewn together which got stuffed with straw or whatever they could find to use as a bed.
I’m sure they’d laugh at the guys headed away for the weekend on their Multistrada or GS loaded up with tons of gear.
I tried to do similar and did a few local overnight trips into the woods with friends on the DT175 shown above, but with a tarp and short tentpole.
Nasher.