A flying start on a Royal Enfield

Paul D'Orleans' excellent The Vintagent blog contains a lovely first-person account by Gwen White, whose career as a trials rider began in 1950 aboard a Royal Enfield Flying Flea.

The Enfield was owned by "Jackie" White, a pre-war member of the Ariel works team, who taught her to ride. They married in 1958.

The item includes wonderful pictures of trials in the 1950s, including the shot below of Jackie competing on his Flying Flea.

Gwen, shown, with a lemonade, writes:

"What I loved most about trials was the fun, camaraderie, and challenge, all in beautiful surroundings to which one would never normally have access on a standard road vehicle, although most of us in those days rode the same bike to work each day!"