Editor’s note: Steve Wilson is a longtime Tucson cyclist and former Greater Arizona Bicycling Association president. He recently retired from IBM where he commuted by bicycle the last 966 days he went to work. Wilson is employed as a Pima County Bicycle Ambassador.
The Pima County Library’s new Book Bike made its first official appearance on Saturday with a visit to the Keeling neighborhood’s street party on Fontana south of Blacklidge.
After an early morning rendezvous at the main library downtown, volunteers Annie Wicks, Josh Dotolo, and Steve Zupcic and myself loaded up the bike with about 500 books as well as assorted bike and library-related giveaways. We were accompanied by Pima County’s bike and pedestrian coordinator Matt Zoll, who followed along with a bike trailer loaded with additional books from the library.
The Book Bike was an immediate hit. It was well stocked with children’s books and there was a steady stream of youngsters and their parents poring through the pile for new favorites. There was a little something for everyone, including one classic from Tolstoy.
Other activities at the street party included a bike rodeo put on by the county’s bike ambassadors, free bike maintenance from BICAS (they were busy all day), a band, jumping castle and good local Mexican food.
By 1:30 p.m. things had slowed a bit. Less than 20 books were left from the original 500 or so. The volunteers packed things back up and headed south to the library. The Book Bike is ready to go on its next adventure.
The Keeling on the Move event was organized by Pima Association of Governments and the Keeling neighborhood. Check out more photos from the event here.
