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

Tidbinbilla

The ride to Tidbinbilla was fast and furious.

"He hails from Snowy River, up by Kosciuzko's side,
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
Where a bike’s tyres strike firelight from the flint stones every mile,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their home,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many bikers since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such bikers have I seen?"


Wow, they must have foxtel...



Great tour by an incredibly knowledgeable host. In one hour he took us to Mars to travel overland on a rover; to the outermost limits of space and to the planets in between.


Ok, it's agreed, in 2011 Biblio Turismo will go to Mars...


Our road map...


Alan's new Ducati


It was then on to Parliament House.

Parliament library

Reserved parking! Being met by the Parliamentary Librarian! Security staff briefed! Talking with a MP and dining with a senator! Your full of bullshit said Pam. Well she was partly right.” You’re organised, but not that organised,” she said.

The man in shorts on a mountain bike looked at me when we stopped and I looked back. The Glock on his hip indicated that the Australian Federal Police standards were slipping. Where was the car? He cycled over, looked me up and down put his hand to his revolver and told me to” Piss off; we’re waiting for real terrorists”.


A likely story Mr Flores, now get on your bike, but officer I'm on my bike?

I thought I should outrun him; it wasn’t going to be easy as my bike only had 130 horsepower and his had none. Just then Roxanne Missingham, the Parliamentary Librarian came running down the grassy knoll like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music. She begged the cop to holster his gun and let us go. He was not convinced and called for backup.

It's ok Alan, it's only a small bullet wound....

Only the presence of Dr Andrew Leigh, member for Fraser and his photographer saved the day.

Dr Andrew Leigh dropped by for a chat and to verify if a motorcycle librarian gang really did exist...We were classified mostly harmless...recomendation provide 500 million dollars funding to Australian public libraries....I'm sure that's what he said...


After the 500 million annual funding bill for Australian Public Libraries was passed we all posed for a photo...

A first for Biblio as we passed through the metal detector to enter the big house. “Bloody big, I heard Brian say, “nothing like this in Griffith”. “10,000 workers a day?” he went on, “more than the population of the Riverina.”

Afternoon tea in the staff room with Library staff and Senator Gary Humphries was a highlight. If Bibliog. keeps rubbing shoulders with any more dignitaries we might get a bad name. We talked and talked and forgot about the time.





“Where are you” the lady from the ABC radio asked. “Its 5.35 and you said you would be here in Dickson for an interview at 5.50. It’s Friday and peak hour. “She went on. “Who was that my fellow bikers asked?” “Oh nothing important”, I said, and then I turned to Pam and said “We need to ride, ride fast!”

The rest were sent to Civic Library to show the flag since I screwed up in the morning and Leon saved the day.


The monster eats traffic like toast, the car with its hood engulfed in smoke was not going to slow me down, lane splitting, red lights, speed limits, meant nothing. I entered the studio at 5.50, on time. Pam rode fast, real fast, however took a wrong turn and was last seen heading for Goulburn.