Children‘s books arrived safely, in good used condition.

The runners, on the other hand, were a bit frayed and stained with sweat after a 3.5-mile hike from Pine Hills south of the city in summer heat in the 90s.

“Man, that was a workout,” said Killings, the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Albany, where I also work as coach of New York State. Writers Institute.

I nodded at my friend, a good sportsman whom I enlisted in this inaugural trip of Book Bikes.

“I felt like an old-school ice cream parlor walking down the road,” Killings said.

For me, it was like riding a bike with a fridge attached to the front. Book Bikes have two wheels in the front to distribute the weight and one in the back. They are quite heavy, stubborn in tight turns, but with a sturdy frame and a sleekly designed library of cabinets. They are not cheap. Custom-built by Haley Tricycles in Philadelphia, they cost up to $7,500 each with special options added.

Also known as Books on Bikes, Bibliocycles, BookCycles and Library on Wheels, they are criss-crossing dozens of cities from Los Angeles to Boston this summer. Most are operated by public library staff.

The Albany Book Bikes, which are small mobile libraries, were purchased by the CDPHP. They are operated by Grassroot Givers, a non-profit organization that distributes free household items, clothing and books to low-income families. They encourage literacy by distributing children’s books in underserved neighborhoods.

“We are thrilled to support an initiative that will promote summer reading in a whimsical and engaging way,” said Kathy Leyden, Vice President of Community Engagement for CDPHP. This is part of promoting healthy habits in children and the Book Bikes contain toothbrushes, toothpaste and educational oral health information provided by Delta Dental.

“We are very grateful to the CDPHP and are excited to launch our new Book Bikes,” said Mary Partridge-Brown, co-director of Grassroot Givers.

“We want to encourage kids to keep reading over the summer,” said co-director Roberta Sandler. They help stem the so-called “reading crisis” of summer when young people fail to pick up a book during school holidays. Grassroots Givers has distributed approximately half a million donated books since 2009.

Partridge-Brown and Sandler cycled around the block and warned there was a learning curve as they didn’t handle like a typical bike.

Hey, how hard could that be? We learned quickly.

We were an unlikely couple. Killings, 41, is 6-foot-3, slim and fit, a former college basketball player. I’m 63 years old and 5ft 8in, with a beer gut and 20lbs past my peak. My glory days came in recreational league hoops in the mid-1980s. He’s black and I’m white.

Some pedestrians did double takes. A few drivers honked or pulled the engine as they slowed our slow pace.

Fortunately, most of the route to our destination – a day camp run by the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital Region at Ezra Prentice Homes on South Pearl Street near the Port of Albany – was either flat or bumpy. descent.

We practically had to stand on the pedals to move forward.

“What did I bring us to DK? I shouted at Killings, who uses his initials.

“Everything will be fine,” he said reassuringly.

He has long legs and we couldn’t lift the seat high enough, so his knees were over his hips as he pedaled.

We headed down Madison Avenue and walked along Washington Park. A few people smiled or pointed. The Book Bikes library is painted purple with the words: “Books on Board”.

As we crossed Lark Street, the skunky smell of weed wafted past my nose. Along the way, I smelled the ganja smoke. O Albany!

It took a while to figure out that the bike’s five gears ranged from 1 as the hardest to 5 as the easiest to pedal. It confused us. As we headed down the steep Madison Avenue descent, I yelled at DK, “Don’t expect the brakes to stop you right away.” The extra weight slowed disc brake response.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got my feet!” he shouted back. He was so tall he just put his trainers on the tarmac like the Flintstone mobile for added stopping power.

Yabba dabba doo!

On the long, flat stretch of South Pearl Street, we passed a makeshift memorial of votive candles and brandy bottles marking another victim of gun violence. “It reminds me of North Philly,” Killings said.

We arrived at the pocket park across from Ezra Prentice Homes. The children immediately invaded Killings and his Book Bike. Father of two children, he has a relaxed attitude with children.

Damari Birmingham, 10, beamed as she helped Killings and Partridge-Brown put books away on the shelves of the fold-out bookcase.

With a grant, Grasroot Givers purchased many Book House hardcover children’s books featuring main characters who are black and brown, and illustrated and written by authors of color.

It was clear that representation was important when children, mostly people of color, stepped up and demanded copies of books with children who looked like them on the cover.

A young girl, who was black, chose “Nina: A Story of Nina Simone”, illustrated by Christian Robinson and written by Traci Todd. She didn’t know who Simone was, but loved the stately, bejeweled black woman on the cover.

I asked 10-year-old Ivan Cruz why he chose “The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale” by Lydia Dabcovich. “I love snow and the polar bear looked cute,” he said.

“Book Bikes are awesome. The kids loved choosing a book,” said Jimmy Bulmer, director of Boys & Girls Clubs, which oversees the free day camp at Ezra Prentice with support from the Albany Housing Authority. “Our kids couldn’t enjoy a camp experience any other way.”

As the kids flipped through their new books and enjoyed an ice cold drink and a cookie, Killings hopped into a van to catch a flight. They put away his Book Bike, while I prepared to go solo.

There was talk of a pedal assist feature, but I thought we didn’t need it. At the foot of Madison Avenue, the long, steep incline was daunting. I fiddled with the controls. To light up. I started pedaling and felt like Mark Ruffalo was transforming into The Hulk. I drove up Madison, past Washington Park, and arrived at the Grassroot Givers office. I barely sweat.

“Wow. You got here quick,” said Partridge-Brown, who got into a minivan with Sandler.

Partridge-Brown and Sandler talked about the city parks and festivals they plan to visit with the Book Bikes over the summer. They need volunteer cyclists and asked me if I would do it again.

“Absolutely,” I said. “Now that I know how pedal assist works.”

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University of Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at [email protected]