At first everyone thought it was cool, an old lady lab manager riding her bike to work. They never expected it to last.

Then they got sullen when I rode in the rain.

They they snickered among themselves that I didn't ride the 50 yards from the bus stop to the lab door. (It took longer to put on the helmet, reattach the panniers, and dodge traffic than it took to walk the bike 50 yards.) Of course they assumed that meant I was tiring of biking....

Then they saw Amazon boxes arriving with winter riding gear.....

Some are still very supportive but even they think it's just very very very odd.

I shrug and ride on. It makes me feel good, no it makes me feel GREAT to ride a bike, to leave the car behind, to reacquaint myself with weather and day length and seasonal changes up close and personal.

I have yet to find a single down side to riding a bike but then, it's all in one's attitude.

So just smile like Mona Lisa with your secret that you've tried to share and which fell on deaf ears.