Biblio Turismo 9
Friday
Today I was to experience exhilaration, sadness and
fear. Ian was to experience a nail in
his tyre, Richard was to experience dust on his Moto Guzzi, and Alan W
experienced a nice cold beer before the rest of us.
The breakfast was good if you liked poached eggs, I didn’t. Another
planning day for Biblio Turismo, important decisions such as what type of
coffee should I have, do you like white toast or wholemeal?
Gentlemen (and women) start your engines.
It was a Le Mans start. You should have seen Helena pushing the Guzzi to get up enough speed for the clutch start.
The decision was made
that the wild ones would tackle Jamberoo Mountain Pass while the Italians and a
Jap would try Macquarie pass. My plan was to take neither as I hate tight
corners. Still the ride up was to be a challenge for the Biblio Turistas,
though some flew up to the sound of music.
The race was on.
As usual I got left
behind, but Alan Arnold and myself conquered the pass and arrived safely in the
council courtyard.
Met again by a good
looking journo and many pics taken. This was the beginning of a successful day.
Nice library, well laid out and full of nice new books. Ian ingratiating himself with the checkout
chick in the library while I did the same with the female journo. After many
more pics, In a rumble of motors and a
cloud of smoke, from Ian’s clapped out
Honda and we were off as the staff took more pictures of the beautiful Italian
machines, or was it their riders.
They could repair the
cracked window shattered by the Guzzi’s exhaust another time.
Exeter, Bundanoon, Wingello, all a blur against an
incredibly green countryside. Marulan
and then as I entered Goulburn I nearly run over a possum right in the main
street. No one told it that it should be sleeping in the day time.
Now Goulburn had
invited us to visit. Yet again they knew not of our coming.
Lunch was great, good food served by beautiful waitresses. Leon
wondered about taking up a new position at Goulburn, more in the hospitality
industry rather than the library, but the call of the wild was too much and we
were soon off again.
An earlier phone call indicated that Crookwell also did not
know of our visit but we were still greeted with open arms by the historical
study group and librarian.
The ride there was great. Green fields, dams, lakes and blue
skies. I even tested the 280 on the speedo and managed more than 50% on a nice
stretch of straight road. Meanwhile although running fast and straight, Ian
proved his experience as a rider and left me for dead. Sheri dropped
breadcrumbs to show me the way.
Crookwell is part of the Upper Lachlan Shire Library Service. Not too sure if the lower Lachlan has one.
I loved the cow in
the foyer.
Alas Alan W just
wanted to tell stories to the yellow children.
We are always welcome at rural libraries and it seems the
smaller the more welcome the welcome.
Ian found a nail in his tyre and wanted to see the sock
factory. So to the sock factory we went and then he and Sherri went to Goulburn
to fix the tyre and I and Alan A tackled Jamberoo pass. The others headed to
Kiama via Macquarie Pass. It’s great how
we all stick together!!
I am not exaggerating when I say it was hairy. Straight
down, tight curves and hairpin bends. I would have gotten off and walked but
the only way I was getting off was jumping off the cliff. I did not know the
Monster had a first gear. The unburnt
fuel was overbearing to poor Alan A who was my wing man and was just waiting
for me to slide off the mountain. The
forty two cars trying to pass had to wait a little longer.
Dapto was out of the question, we could not make it in
time. I really need to work a bit harder
on my timetable. I should have known
about the sock factory and that I need to stop every twenty kilometres to
refuel.
The Biblio Turismo dinner was in a fine Mexican restaurant
the food was great the wine even better.
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