Day 1

I arrived at Gosford Library to discover my travelling companions in the staff room having breakfast.

After photos were taken by the local press we were off on our adventure to discover New South Wales and it public libraries.



So who knows where we are going........?





Santa feeling generous gave a motorcycle to all the good librarians



The stands had failed so we had to hold up the bikes

On the count of three everybody do a big burnout....

It was not long before we entered the outskirts of Cessnock and found the library. There was a huge bike in the foyer near a sign that told customers to park their bikes outside. Cathy completed ignored this and was having a cuppa and a bite to eat with the library staff as we entered. It did not take too long before I managed to get my Duke into the library and cut the cake that celebrated our arrival. Graeme said some nice words and we were soon off again to Muswellbrook.

Cake Coffee, a huge bike in the foyer, just another day for the Biblio Gang

Watch out Cathy, Alan's ditching the Duke for the laid back lifestyle

Again we got the duke inside the foyer and waited for Cathy who decided to go the long way round. Cathy was the hi- tech one of the group, constantly twittering our actions.

Did I mentione cake!!!



The welcome reception at Cessnock library was superb. 





 

 

 

No matter how stern Alan was his faithful Ducati
 always followed him into the library

More food, more pictures then on to Scone.  Steps precluded the Duke from getting inside. 

Unfortunately Ross’s wife insisted he cook dinner that night so he had to go home.

The long run to Gunnedah with long straight roads encouraged us to stretch the legs of our beasts.

Gunnedah was waiting for us. Yours truly took the duke in and sat down in front of many children to read a story. After which all the children got to have their picture taken on the Duke.

A meal and a few ales at the nearby hotel finished off the evening.

Day Two

(PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED SHORTLY)

We looked like a motley crew outside the Gunnedah Library but after leon arrived we headed through some floodwaters to Manilla. The thirty knot wind had us riding at thirty degrees to the road in this big sky country.

More food, more pictures and the Duke inside again. It is so easy with the motorcycle ramps fitted to most libraries these days.

Through Tamworth and on to Walcha. The local journo came to take the picture and was thrilled to get a free t shirt. I talked with an old man researching local history in their back room. He was an electrician who had lived in town his whole life.  He considered himself so lucky that he lived in the town he wanted to retire to.

Down the Oxley Highway a stopping halfway at a diner to get fuel from a petrol pump that was from the seventies. Then down the winding road to Wauchope. We were late but they stayed open and we talked and ate and took photos and the Duke went inside and there were more photos and eventually we left for the big smoke of Port Macquarie. Cathy had an appointment with “A good Friend”. So we did not ask questions and she rode her Suzuki Boulevard down the Boulevard.

To the pub, bad music cold beer, Alan brought a friend along, we talked about the bikes we owned and the ones we still needed to buy. There was much agreement that you need at least seven bikes at the onetime to really enjoy life.

Dinner at a Chinese restaurant, much discussion about the size of the Duke's fuel tank and another day over.  

Day Three

(PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED SHORTLY)

Filling up with fuel, I met a man and his wife on matching Harleys bedecked with tinsel that were on their way to Kempsey for the Toy Run. I thought they were dressed for the part until I realised that that was how they always dressed.

Port Macquarie library is huge and big enough to ride the bike round. I was asked to just keep it in the foyer.

We lost Leon in the sorting room with a librarian of the female persuasion. Discussing IT he said, I just smiled and told him to saddle up.

Ian and Sherry rode on a nostalgic tour of the port and the rest of us hit the highway for Nabiac.

Nabiac Library is in the showgrounds and staffed by three wonderful ladies who wined and dined us. Well it was actually, tea. It was not easy getting the Duke in but the manager, Chris insisted.  Once we had all the photos and ate all the cake we were ready to leave when Ian rang to tell me that the VFR was without spark. In my thoughtful way I replied, “Tell someone who cares” we left for Raymond Terrace.

At the Terrace, although the library was closed we managed to get inside and eat more food and talked with the librarian and took photos.

And off to Tomaree our last port of call. More photos outside the library as the manager who was to open for us decided to go to Bali instead. A good indication of how important we were. Not very, it seems. Thanks Chris. To our surprise  Ina turned up not in a rented car but on his red stead It was so nice to be together again, I gave him heaps as to the reliability of his Jap sportster and then the last member arrived . It was a huge bus. We were going nowhere until it left. Seems we stopped at the local bus station which also happens to be at the front of the library.

Biblio Turismo 2011 Trip Maps

Day 1 Map:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?msid=214401595705494451249.0004aad16270dbe46ed7a&msa=0

Day 2 Map:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214401595705494451249.0004aad185c41ec356f35&msa=0&ll=-31.099982,151.495972&spn=3.367481,4.916382

Day 3 Map:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214401595705494451249.0004aad1b1474159554f4&msa=0           

Biblio Turismo 2011: December 1st -4th

Yes, it's that time of year, so dust of your motorbikes, scooters or cars, there are libraries to be visited and roads to be ridden......

For more information refer to Biblio Turismo 2011 invitation

THE BIKERS FROM BIBLIO

THE BIKERS FROM BIBLIO By ALAN FLORES WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM A.B. "Banjo" Paterson

Thursday

From across the state they gathered...



Excuse me sir, can you please return the motorcycle via the chute......



There was movement at Campbelltown Library, for the word had passed around
That the librarians from Biblio where on their way,
And were to join the wild librarians – whose bikes were worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the libraries near and far
Had mustered at the central library overnight,
For the bikers love hard riding where the wild bikers are,
And the sports bikes seem to snuff the battle with delight.


There was Ross Balharrie, who made his pile when he got promoted to the State,

The three young Alans (Flores, Arnold and Walker ) with their hair as black as coal






But few except Roger Clark could ride beside them when their bikes were fairly fast

They would go wherever bike and man could go.
And Leon of Blacktown way came down to lend a hand

No better rider ever held the bars
For never bike could throw him while the saddle girths would stand
He learnt to ride while racing in the burbs.

Mittagong Library

And so we left Campbelltown for Mittagong, bypassing the Hume and hugging the old rail line past cute villages and old trains. The spring weather with a cooling breeze made for a perfect ride. At Mittagong we criss-crossed the main road until we found a beautiful lake with moms pushing prams. Up the road and to the right they said and there was Mittagong library, well hidden in an 1860 sandstone building that has been renovated with exacting perfection from a school. The children’s room was alive with story time and the staff offered us tea and cake on the lawns out front. This is what Biblio was all about.




There I was going a hundred miles an hour and then...



See a friendly biker librarian at your local library..



Tea and biscuits the way to a Biblio Turistas heart




Ok Alan, I think ten Monte Carlos and five cups are tea is enough

Goulburn Library

We then moved further south, getting closer to the Alps. Again following the rail line through Bowral, Moss Vale and Bundanoon. The Irish green landscape a blur as we enjoyed the windy road through the small railroad towns. At Marulan a quick fang downs the Freeway to Goulburn and we arrive at their Taj Mahal. “We’re the Biblio gang on our way to Kosciuszko’s side I said” the blank stare convinced me that our intricate and detailed plans had not penetrated as far as Goulburn and it was only day one.

Some read Mills and Boons, others ride a Ducati..


So why are you here again?


Ok, turn the key, a bit of throttle and a mono.....

Braidwood Library

A long discussion with the staff, a photo shoot followed by a sumptuous lunch and then the back road to Braidwood.

The breeze was cool but not strong and we fought back the urge to spend the rest of the day in the pub. The old gold mining town had a pleasant little library and we took photos of some children on our bikes, had tea and cake, sat on the toilets in the foyer and did a quick tour of the attached one hundred year old building. The toilets were a council initiative to encourage efficient water usage; they were tastefully placed at the front of the library’s entrance for a month or so. The gang wondered what attracted such beautiful women to work in rural libraries; we decided it must be the great pubs over the road.


Wow, look behold our quest is over....we have found the ancient audio book of chamelot


Can we help, no wait, dont run away, librarians, honest, that's right, all of us....really.....


Oh wow, a book on bush pubs, one of these at the bar would come in handy.......


Alan inspects the Braidwood library


Braidwood library staff member, a possible Biblio Turismo convert?



Hey mum can I borrow one of these from the library?

A lazy but fast tour back through the hills to Queanbeyan via a little bit of the ACT saw us finish the days ride, contented that we had brought joy to the people we met and satisfaction that we had a good day’s ride. Then to the pub and the club.



Hi ho Hi Ho it's off to Queanbeyan we go..

Queanbeyan Library

FRIDAY

Friday saw us gather for breakfast and then on the Queanbeyan City library for more coffee and croissants.


No words can adequately explain this photo..

I was busily talking with Peter Conlon our host when I was asked to speak to the press. It is a marketing tour so this is the price we pay. The press was a camera man from WIN TV and Peter had organised for me to be interviewed by the most gorgeous female journo they had. As the boy revved their bikes for the camera, walked into the library and out again and in again and out again and in again and out again and in again and out again until he had sufficient film to leave on the cutting room floor and pretended to read and then donned their leathers for the day’s ride I muttered words about how great libraries were and enjoying the company of the interviewer who I did not take my eyes off until she said “Aren’t you going with them”. By this time they were in Canberra.


This photo sheds no more light....



Wonderful hospitality from the Queanbeyan staff, a great breakfast to kick start the day...


They also let us inside..


Lights, Camera, Action.....

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library

We were on the news that night and again I got my two minutes of fame. I did not see the interview but Alan Walker did and he said the journo looked fabulous.

A quick rush to our next appointment. No red traffic lights, for which I took the credit. We arrived at Civic library at 10am. On time for once. We parked in the ACT Chief Minister’s parking spot. A functionary whose job it was to look out the window all day rushed out on our arrival and we were warned that unless we moved immediately we would be heavily fined for illegal parking. I told him we were the Biblio gang and to bugger off. Alan No 3 saw that the pub across the road was now open and suggested we leave the bikes and quench our thirst. But we were true professionals so we sent Alan over for some cold ones. Our 10am appointment was closed so we moved on to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s library which was not in Belconnen where I took the guys but by the lake back in the city. It was a nice ride and we did get to see more of the ACT. Unfortunately we lost Leon. Here we met the Library Director and were immediately ejected from the library as they had a fire evacuation drill which was organised to coincide with our visit, to give them more time to talk with us outside.


Great hospitality by the team at ATSIS




Great talk, but the delivery was a bit muffled..


Amazing research space


Fantastic building but alas little funds for resources. I tried to give a short talk in the theatre, but the gang were not in the mood to listen. We had a call from Leon to say that Civic opened at 11am and were expecting us. Knowing how much he hates to share female company with other males we told him to entertain them and we would go on to the National. The library ladies had their pictures taken on the bikes and then were off.

National Library

On leaving this library and racing to the National Library for another meeting with the press we saw two bikes race by us. It turned out to be the Griffith mob.

Brian in deep thought, I love my Aprilla.....



Pam, wow from Griffith to Canberra in only 2 hours, wonder how fast we were going?

We accelerated, but they caught up to us anyway at the steps of the big library. It was good to see them again. A child’s wedding interrupted last year’s attendance. Poor excuse I thought.


And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy bike,
Her bike was something like a racehorse undersized,
With a touch of Timor pony - three parts thoroughbred at least -
And such as are by mountain bikers prized.
Pam was hard and tough and wiry - just the sorts that won't say die -
There was courage in her quick impatient tread;
And she bore the badge of gameness in her bright and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of her head.
But still so slight and beautiful, one would doubt her power to stay,
And the old man said, "That bike will never do
For a long a tiring ride - girl, you'd better stop away,
Those hills are far too rough for such as you."
So Pam waited sad and wistful - only Brian stood her friend -
"I think we ought to let her come," he said;
"I warrant she'll be with us when she's wanted at the end,
For both her bike and she are Dolomite mountains bred.

I got a phone call from Leon, his stead had thrown a hoof and he was waiting for a tow, he wanted to know if we could help. Being the considerate bikers and understanding and compassionate colleagues I discussed his predicament with the other six. The sun was shining, we had an appointment to meet, and Leon was left to fend for himself.


The National Library was amazing and after lots of photos and an interview by another gorgeous journo a local lady librarian on a fast bike led us out of town to out of space.


The National Library rolled out the reserved parking for us......


Ok guys, now please listen, whatever you do don't go anywhere near the green tubes...

Ohh Alan.....


The national library and a capital bike...


Another interview, another opportunity to promote public libraries....all in a days work for the Biblio crew