Gear Up for a Vintage Picnic

As the days get a little more crisp, the mild exertion of an afternoon bike ride is extra welcome when you plan for a little R & R along the way (and if the week has left you too pooped to pedal, this idea is easily adaptable to four-wheeled transportation). First on the prep list is gathering some vintage goods to pack, haul and sit on. From there, it’s up to you to set a menu that’s a good balance of satisfying and lightweight—and then to find the picture-perfect spot to while away a few hours in the great outdoors.

BACK PACKED. On one of the bikes, French saddlebags found on Etsy and used for mail delivery in the 1950s provide extra transport storage. They can hold all kinds of picnic gear, including soft-sided coolers.

FRONT LOADED. Layer up! Tea towels and a wooden basket help keep things in place when carrying items in the wire basket of a vintage bike. If the picnic is a simple snack for one or two people, a front basket may be all the toting space you need.

SPREAD OUT. Pieces of 1940s bark cloth stitched together create a big blanket for stretching out (and also to welcome any friends you invited). The surprise: They were curtains in their previous life. Folded up, the lightweight fabric serves as a protective liner in a bike basket.

IN THE POCKET. Give plates and flatware a grab-and-go home in easy-to-sew storage cases made from scraps of 1950s fabric. Cut fabric to fit the plate (durable enamelware is a good choice for a picnic) or flatware, and machine-sew to form pockets to contain the items. Add leather or ribbon straps to the flatware holder so it can be rolled up and tied. Bonus: The plate holder can be used as a place mat.

MATERIAL MATTERS. Old tins are perfect for packing cookies or other foods for two-wheel transporting. Even if the tins get a little dinged up, the contents inside won't turn into crumbs. Vintage bicycles will help set the mood for an old-fashioned picnic.

THE ESSENTIALS: Vintage items bring extra flavor to any picnic. Here are a few old-timey staples.
*Picnic basket. Woven styles are classic, and have been used since early times, including at elaborate Victorian picnics. Smaller picnic tins with woven or wood-grain designs are handy when you don't have as much food to pack. (Many basket-like tins were designed as packaging for biscuits and intended for storage.)
*Blanket. Instead of hunting down a traditional red plaid blanket, cobble together a substitute from scraps of vintage fabrics (or repurpose vintage curtains into a blanket like we did). A heavy cotton camp blanket works, too. Use a shower curtain liner underneath to buffer any dampness on the ground.
*Cooler or thermos. Portable metal coolers, popularized in the 1950s, can be heavy (so not a good choice if you're pedaling to the picnic), but have a retro-cool look. Vintage thermos bottles are portable, and can be found for $10 and up. Coolers and thermoses with a plaid design will add camp-inspired flair.

PHOTOS Bob Coscarelli
PRODUCER Tereasa Surratt