Re: Retro MTB Touring.
Superb stuff this.
I've done (and continue to) some 2-3 day touring/camping.
Never try to do more than about 40 miles per day, meaning you can get plenty of time to take in scenery, take photos etc. Some times I only get 10-20 miles done. Favourite trip is round the isle of wight, loads of campsites, and plenty of on & off road routes.
I carry a pretty comprehensive set of gear but again generally cheap & light. I pack 2 medium size panniers on an alloy rack (again, cheap and cheerful but with good altura rain covers which have proven their worth!)
tent is a sub 2kg Vango I got for £35, and splits into a top sheet and inner - so taken out of its bag, and packed in the panniers separately. Poles strap on the top of the rack.
sleeping bag is a £30 coleman superthin - only really good when it's above 6-7 degrees. Sleep mat is a cheap inflatable - packs really small and goes in the panniers :
http://www.simplyhike.co.uk/products/Mu ... eBlue.aspx
Cooking duties are down to my 25 year old Trangia, but I make most of the space in the trangia pack to put little things like lighter, paracord, small vials of shower gel & shampoo, folding toothbrush etc.
Microfibre towel in large size fits in too, and dries in minutes in the sun.
Just underwear and a spare top usually does the job.
Will try and dig out some pics of my last trip, on a budget build Kona Hahanna with rigid forks....