I'm lucky. My co-workers pretty much accept the fact that I ride my bike, in much the same way that they accept that so-and-do drives that white car. No drama there.

My family just doesn't understand, but do accept. Mother, for example, called me a Ding Dong for planning to ride RAGBRAI this year, but there was love in her voice. My brothers want me to pack a gun along at all times. I just smile and tell them that I love them, too.

As I said, I'm lucky - and probably non-threatening. It's hard to take a fat old woman on a recumbent as a threat to anything.