Ride Planning - A one hundred year old list.

Stephen!

Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#2
#2
WAAAAY too many fashion and personal care items on that list...

Necktie? Loofah? Razor? Sperm Oil? Hahaha...

Really interesting is the note at the bottom. "...display your Union Flag." The flag is not on either the "Necessities" nor "Luxuries" list. I guess it is just assumed that one never leaves home without their Union Flag and putting it on a list is entirely unnecessary.
 
EricV

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#3
#3
Sperm oil doesn't go bad or freeze. It's a waxy substance, not the oil that is rendered by burning the fat. It was the wonder lube of it's day.

Back then shirts didn't have attached collars. You could swap the flannel collar for the starched white collar and be fit for dinner attire.

The chocolate was probably to barter with.

The following items you all carry now, you just don't consider it as exclusively for those purposes:
Notebook
Compass
Pocket Lens
Prayer book
Maps
Lamp
Watch
Pocket Dictionary
Conversation Book
Guide Book...

We call it a cell phone.

@Stephen! "Small silk flag" at the bottom of the third column before the luxuries refers to the Union Flag.

1.
{worn on person}
Helmet
Riding Boots
Riding pants
Riding jacket
LDComfort top/bottom
Socks
---------------------------
Extra socks
comb or brush
toothbrush & paste
Money
Credit cards
Matches (windproof preferred)
Drinking cup
Flask
Razor
Soap
micro towel/magic towel
first aid kit
Cell Phone
Neckerchief
Paper Maps
Tool kit
Flashlight (x2 or 3)
Sunglasses
Cleaning cloth (visor/windscreen)
Plexus or other cleaning agent
Padlock and cable (for gear or bike or both)
Wire/zip ties
Duct Tape
Swim suit
Extra oil
Spare spokes
Corkscrew
Rok Straps
Sewing kit
Nail clippers
Spare fuses/misc hardware
Tire Iron (x2)
Hat or cap
Cell Phone/Sena USB charger
Pen (x2)
Suspenders
Belt
Neosporin (A.K.A. permanganate of potash)
Riding gloves
Spare Tube (if riding a bike with tube tires)
Spares specific to your machine
Advil/Tylenol/Etc
Electrical Tape
Spare headlight bulb
Spare Visor w/PinLock insert
Spare glasses (prescription)
Quarters for laundry (x16)
USB cables (x3)
USB/Cig port insert
Thread
Space blanket
A bunch of other crap I can probably do w/o.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Luxuries
Extra Gloves for hot/wet
Gold Bond/Anti Monkey Butt/Talcum powder (A.K.A. French Chalk)
Heated jacket liner
Street shoes
Sandals or flip flops
Tow strap
Water Filtration Straw
street clothes
Paper & Envelopes
Fuel filtration funnel
Tea/coffee/cocoa
Stamps
Backpacker pot
Backpacker stove w/fuel
Postcards
Emergency food
5 Hr Energy (X?)
Heat-Troller

Is the list so different?
 
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Stephen!

Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#4
#4
EricV said:
Sperm oil doesn't go bad or freeze. It's a waxy substance, not the oil that is rendered by burning the fat. It was the wonder lube of it's day.

Back then shirts didn't have attached collars. You could swap the flannel collar for the starched white collar and be fit for dinner attire.

The chocolate was probably to barter with.

The following items you all carry now, you just don't consider it as exclusively for those purposes:
Notebook
Compass
Pocket Lens
Prayer book
Maps
Lamp
Watch
Pocket Dictionary
Conversation Book
Guide Book...

We call it a cell phone.

@Stephen! "Small silk flag" at the bottom of the third column before the luxuries refers to the Union Flag.

1.
{worn on person}
Helmet
Riding Boots
Riding pants
Riding jacket
LDComfort top/bottom
Socks
---------------------------
Extra socks
comb or brush
toothbrush & paste
Money
Credit cards
Matches (windproof preferred)
Drinking cup
Flask
(Electric)Razor
Soap
micro towel/magic towel
first aid kit
Cell Phone
Neckerchief
Paper Maps
Tool kit
Flashlight (x2 or 3 OR 6)
Sunglasses
Cleaning cloth (visor/windscreen)
Plexus or other cleaning agent
Padlock and cable (for gear or bike or both)
Wire/zip ties
Duct (Gorilla) Tape
Swim suit
Extra oil
Spare spokes
Corkscrew
Rok Straps
Sewing kit
Nail clippers
Spare fuses/misc hardware
Tire Iron (x2)
Hat or cap
Cell Phone/Sena USB charger
Pen (x2 or 6)
Suspenders
Belt
Neosporin (A.K.A. permanganate of potash)
Riding gloves
Spare Tube (if riding a bike with tube tires)
Spares specific to your machine
Advil/Tylenol/Etc
Electrical Tape
Spare headlight bulb
Spare Visor w/PinLock insert
Spare glasses (prescription)
Quarters for laundry (x16)
USB cables (x3)
USB/Cig port insert
Thread
Space blanket
A bunch of other crap I can probably do w/o.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Luxuries
Extra Gloves for hot/wet
Gold Bond/Anti Monkey Butt/Talcum powder (A.K.A. French Chalk)
Heated jacket liner
Street shoes
Sandals or flip flops
Tow strap
Water Filtration Straw
street clothes
Paper & Envelopes
Fuel filtration funnel
Tea/coffee/cocoa
Stamps
Backpacker pot
Backpacker stove w/fuel
Postcards
Emergency food
5 Hr Energy (X?)
Heat-Troller

Is the list so different?
Click to expand...
Seems our lists differ a bit... I edited yours to more closely reflect mine. Also, I don't often travel in the more civilised areas of Europe, so there is that... :D
 
EricV

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#5
#5
That's not really my list, just a modern version of the original list. I do not carry envelopes, and usually only a couple of stamps in my wallet. Postcards get bought and mailed on site. I don't carry a fuel funnel, or stove/fuel unless camping. No need for gold bond or other powders since I wear LDComfort. No spare tube, since I don't ride a bike with tubes. I do carry some spare spokes, since I do ride a bike with spokes. My tire irons are combo wrench items in the tool kit. Thread is in the sewing kit. I do carry matches and a lighter for my smoking friends and other occasional needs. I do carry spare prescription glasses, since I wear bi-focals. I do carry Teva sandles because it's nice to change out of riding boots at the end of a day. Ditto for some street clothes. Flask and cup optional, but handy. I only carry food on multi-day rides or camping trips. Quarters come in handy a lot more often than laundry. And I didn't even get into the rest of the tools like flat repair stuff.

You wear one pair of gloves the entire time for all your rides?

Last ride I used the electrical tape to tape together my wife's Spot tracker.
 
EricV

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
#7
This is a closer approximation of my list. I have the luxury of riding solo, as my wife rides her own bike.

1.{worn on person}
Helmet
Riding Boots
Riding pants
Riding jacket
LDComfort top/bottom
Socks
Money
Credit cards
Cell Phone
Neckerchief (jacket pocket)
Stamps (in wallet)
Park Pass (in sleeve pocket)

2.{Tank Bag}
Matches (windproof preferred)
Paper Maps
Flashlight (x2 or 3)
Cleaning cloth (visor/windscreen)
Plexus or other cleaning agent
Spare fuses/misc hardware
Pen (x2)
Advil
Electrical Tape
Spare glasses (prescription)
Quarters for laundry (x16)
USB cables (x3)
USB/Cig port insert
Space blanket
5 Hr Energy (X?)

3.{right pannier}
(toiletries bag)
comb
toothbrush & paste
Razor
Soap
Sewing kit
Thread (in sewing kit)
Nail clippers
Neosporin
stuff

4.{clothing bag}
Swim suit
Flask
micro towel/magic towel
Cell Phone/Sena USB charger
Extra socks
Belt
Teva sandals
Long sleeve hiking shirt
street clothes

Duct Tape (on pannier frame)

5.{Left pannier}
first aid kit
Tool kit
Padlock and cable (for gear)
Wire/zip ties
Extra oil
Spare spokes
Rok Straps
Tire Iron (x2)
Hat
Spare headlight bulb
Spare Visor w/PinLock insert
Heat-Troller
Extra Gloves for hot/wet
A bunch of other crap I can probably do w/o.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Luxuries
Heated jacket liner
Street shoes (depends on weather or event I'm going to)
 
Ahamay

Ahamay

The Joker
IBA Member
#8
#8
Worn on person
Riding kit
money
cards
note book/pen
chewing gum
phone

Tank bag

2 ltr water bladder
camera
usb/12v power supply
head torch
maps
spare satnav
first aid kit
tyre pressure gauge
tyre valve extension
maps
glasses
visor cleaning kit
spare neck tube
gloves


panniers

tools
foot pump
clothes
wash kit
towel
shoes
stove, tea, coffee, ect
water, 2 ltr fuel can
clip board for saddle sore paper work
spare merino wool shirts/shorts
 
kwthom

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#9
#9
There is quite a bit of equivalency between then and now, which really isn't that surprising.

Hauling all of that on a motorcycle that might only have one or two horsepower is the astounding part of the list.
 
Baxter

Baxter

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
Very interesting list.

The cultural differences are huge. It seems as if the motorcyclist of yore was expected to be able to dress for a formal dinner. I'm curious that the prayerbook would be mentioned in the necessities--a modern listwriter most likely would not mention a specific religious practice item or might think to mention to leave room for anything considered a necessity for one's religious practices but would be unlikely to be so specific. And visiting cards are mentioned as a necessity--the prequel to today's business cards that everyone was expected to present upon introduction (judging from literature of that era).

What's unsaid is interesting too. A passport is mentioned but nothing about drivers licenses or permits--perhaps that concept didn't exist yet. And pipe and tobacco are specifically mentioned but food (aside from chocolate) is not? Maybe camping food would be something everyone just knew and so a writer wouldn't mention that? But if so, why mention pipe and tobacco because I'd expect smokers to just figure that out on their own. Perhaps to answer my own question, food is universal wherever there are humans of any nationality but maybe a British person of that time might need to be advised that tobacco (and tea for that matter) is not universally available throughout Europe. I was also hoping to learn what preserved or dried foods were thought to be nutritious and sustaining for a long trip back then.

Leaving aside the cultural differences, it looks to be a list for a long time of traveling judging from the personal care items (nail scissors imply a couple of weeks or a month of travel to me). I was at first thinking it was a camping list, yet nothing looks like a tent to me and little looks suitable for cooking (mentions matches, a drinking cup or flask, and a corkscrew in necessities and a spirit kettle under luxuries; army mess kits must have existed back then?). Maybe the waterproof cape and waterproof sheet were for protection overnight, sounds more like protection for a rain shower? And if not, and the traveler was expected to stay at inns overnight, would all of this stuff be needed for that purpose? Lamp and spare wick? Or was the assumption that there would be some inns and some camping? Maybe camping back then was more akin to sleeping rough like today's homeless? Yet soldiers of prior eras had tents (unless the waterproof sheet was to be used as a tent but wasn't called a tent).

I didn't know what a pugaree was, it's a light scarf for sun protection adopted by Europeans from people in India. I thought that loofas were something that New Agers invented in the 1990's.

If the advice upon being accosted by a footpad or brigand is to tell them that you are British, perhaps the prayer book now truly would be a necessity. I could imagine a town or locality under British colonial rule being punished as a group by military forces if a British citizen was accosted or found dead, and thus Britishness would have a powerful deterrent effect. But not so in a European nation. If a French or German criminal was willing to mug a fellow citizen, why would they stop upon finding their intended victim is British?
 
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