The ride to Oxford on the bicycle was amazing across the Chilterns, only blighted a little by the slightly scary half hour on the A420 into Oxford. I had such a lovely stay with Richard and Alex. Richard having made an excellent pie and lemon and almond cake for my visit. Their house full of wonderful letterpress ephemera and prints. I cycle over to the Weston and had a sight of the amazing print shop that Richard helps run at the Bodleian before heading over to Radio Oxford to talk about this little adventure. I love talking about cycling and letterpress so it feels pretty easy to do and I suppose I feel quite proud to be in a small way an ambassador for both.
The printing at the Bodleian went well and I estimate around 130 people printed their own Alan Bennett bookmark which must be a record for my travels with the Printing Bike. A bonus was being set up in the Weston Library next to the café. One bookmark printer offered to buy a coffee for me and Alex brought me a tray of tea and cake. It was a dream morning really.
Then a 55km ride to Wendover, which was lovely really through the little village of Oxfordshire and then Buckinghamshire.
I know Nina and Will through our friends at Caught by the River and many happy years printing with Jeff and many great people including the brilliant Pete Fowler We were saying how much we miss those days. And I loved visiting Will’s folks pub the King and Queen and also staying in their fantastic book and print filled house (and wonderful garden). Also in Wendover I got to visit and catch up with another Caught by the River friend, Carl who now runs the amazing Real Magic bookshop just up from the community library where I printed all morning. The bookmark was one of Will’s poems, the Mid Country about this little corner of the world. And I was able to use one of Jeb Loy Nichols linos that we made a few years ago. Anyhow the printing was over in no time and I was able to talk to a few folk involved in running the community library about keeping it going (and thriving). And then on the road to Stevenage, via Luton and a huge busy hill out of Hatters country.
Thanks to all those who supported this project through crowdfunder.
A full set of the bookmarks printed on the journey are available to buy in the shop and will be shipped in the autumn. All profits will go to helping Nick visit more public libraries on the printing bike this summer