I Love Books - do you?

I love books, the feel, the smell of new and/or musty pages as you turn each one. Books become friends, point of interest, and they bring back memories.

Lot's of bed-time reading in this book.

Not just bicycles but all forms of memorabilia are displayed at this private warehouse museum.

Many of you may not be surprised that I have a passion for the human powered two wheeled transport. The bicycle has given me much enjoyment from years before my early memories - Jack my father tells me stories of me riding my little tricycle converted to a two wheeler in the house and bouncing from wall to wall.
From the age of two, cycling has been the one constant in my life. I'm not surprised that I'm not alone in this world with this passion (Sue describes it as an obsession).
Only last week I met a couple that dwarf my passion as a mere insignificant whim.

Paul's workshop

Much of the collection is to do with bicycle engineering evolution.
There are some elements of the racing history as well.

It's not possible for me to explain the engineering of this drive chain within this post.
Let me say that 

Paul collects rare lamps as well.

Paul and Charlie Farren combined their passion for bikes and books into one with their recently published book. Titled "Bicycling through Time" it echo's their collection of bikes in their inner city warehouse.
Along with some fellow members from the History and Heritage Committee of Cycling Victoria, we were invited to a private showing of the Farren Museum. I can't describe the collection within this post other than to say that the collection has to be the most comprehensive collection of bicycle engineering evolution in Australia if not the world I'm told.

Paul has many projects ahead of him.

Naturally I couldn't help myself and I bought the book illustrating this wonderful collection - I think I may just have to return to absorb more of the collection after having a greater understanding through the book.

PS: I mentioned to Paul that I was drawing to an end of a restoration of a rare pre-war Stayer bike which was used to pace behind motorbikes on huge saucer velodromes. I mentioned that I was still looking for a few missing parts and quick as a flask, Paul said. "Bring it around and I'll see what I might have to help finish it for you".

Above is my restoration of a pre-war stayer bicycle and below is the great Australian cyclist of the same period, Hubert Opperman.