The official Cycling for libraries cook Pasi Niemi got thumbs up 🙂
Last saturday, on 7th of May we did a bicycle tour from Helsinki to Porvoo and back. Total distance was about 110 kilometers. We were a team of 9 cyclists, plus a 3 -person filmteam and cook. The weather was really sunny, fortunately. I got almost nothing about the event on camera but luckily we had Jonas Tana with us, who is awesome with photographs and we had Kirjastokaista.fi -filmteam working with us. So keep your eyes open for some nice video+photos. I’m sure then you’ll be convinced it wasn’t just eating (like my photos), but sweaty cycling too. A lot of it.
This was kind of a training, prepping and marketing event for the actual Cycling for libraries -event from Copenhagen to Berlin, in the end of this month (*gasp* not far in the future). And in our debriefing with Jukka, we were happy to sum up that everything went quite perfectly 🙂 This day was 110 km, and the longest day of the main event is only about ten kilometers more, on 5th of June when we arrive in Berlin. I’m sure we can do it.
This pre-event was announced via Facebook mostly, and through the word of mouth. We departed from Itäkeskus at about 10 o’clock, and were back there a little after 18, so we spent almost 9 hours overall.
Enjoying and XQ at Söderkulla library
On our way we had a very nice stop at Söderkulla library, and Camilla was kind enough to come and show us the places, even when the library was closed. They’ve had a new library there since 2009, and i really like the way local comic artists, including bicycle-loving Kaisa Leka (see her comicblog too) are contributing to their library in large-size illustrations. We got some refreshments and chats at the library terrace, which i’m sure is a great place to enjoy the library collections on a nice day. The Söderkulla library also has an artotheque, and that’s something i always really appreciate.
Next up, the whole event with 10 times more people and 10 times more days on the road! Less than 3 weeks until the start.
By the way, big thanks to everyone who is giving their support for Cycling for libraries, i’m sure all the participants will find this unique library conference to be memorable experience, which will have long-lasting effects. Librarians, stay on the move.
Riippumaton asiantuntija 
How do you feel after this ride? 🙂
Well, what can i say… i wonder why they built Porvoo so far away from Helsinki, there’s plenty of empty field in between! They could have build that town closer. But 110km can be done, it’s not too bad really. Of course the next day my thighs felt they are made of wood.
Toughest bit for me was that people who ride bicycles with gears ride uphill very slowly, and because i stayed in the rear, i couldn’t go at my own speed (fast uphill). We tested and practised our radio-communication too with PMR-446 radios, they are worth their weight in gold!
Check out Jonas’ awesome photos on Flickr.
Oh, yes! I noticed those radio-communication devices. So you are going to take them with you? 🙂 Amazing! I can’t imagine how it is to cycle in such a large group as ours! 😀
At first we thought we would get a PMR-radio for everybody and we could broadcast lectures over the air. They have distance of 3-5km, and are license free. But we dropped that idea, this time. So we only have radios for organizers, who will be ”shepherding” the group. The radios are invaluable tools!!!