I'm easily intimidated...

[solobiker]

Go out and ride

[tulip]

What they said! It's highly unlikely that people are paying as much attention to you as you think they are. They have their own lives to deal with.

[Veronica]

What they said! It's highly unlikely that people are paying as much attention to you as you think they are. They have their own lives to deal with.

That's right. It's not all about you. It's all about me.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

go ride, they won't even notice you unless you run into them. Dormitories are full of people who ride bikes every day... did you notice what color socks the mailman was wearing today?

[Kathi]

Go ride, I'm not sure where in the route you were but these riders had 70+ mile days. I can vouch that their concern was food, hot showers and bed (not necessarily in order). They probably didn't notice you. If they did they thought of you as a local doing what you normally do.

[solobiker]

go ride, they won't even notice you unless you run into them. Dormitories are full of people who ride bikes every day... did you notice what color socks the mailman was wearing today?

I think mine was wearing white socks. Sometimes he wears a headset so he reminds me of the mailman in the movie Better Off Dead.

[Zen]

Oh, you are easily intimidated. I wish I could come and give you a short course in not giving a rat's ask.

[Owlie]

I wound up going out, shortly after posting actually. I hit submit, and thought "Well, that's really a dumb reason not to go out." So I put on my spandex and left. I did get some "oh, you have a bike too" nods. Also a "nice jersey" comment and a brief conversation about the bike. Turns out it was an LBS employee from the shop where I got my bike who was volunteering. Apparently he has eagle eyes and noticed the sticker from the shop on my frame.
I had a nice 5-mi ride apart from an patch of badly-paved road and the bike decided she wanted to go somewhere that I wasn't expecting.

Kathi--The start point is a mile away, so we're actually the "get everyone in one place" spot for the non-local riders.

[kenyonchris]

I think mine was wearing white socks. Sometimes he wears a headset so he reminds me of the mailman in the movie Better Off Dead.

I love that movie!!! I want my two dollars!!

[bmccasland]

See? You had a good time anyway, and met some people too!

did you notice what color socks the mailman was wearing today?

White, with his black shoes. But what I really like is the Safari hat!

[Zen]

Yeah, what is it with those pith helmets? Who thought that was appropriate for USPS summer uniform, Teddy Roosevelt?

[PamNY]

Good that you went. Where I live, you'd have to set your hair on fire and play an accordion while biking to get attention. I suspect other places are the same.

I got over worrying about what people think when I learned to play racquetball on an outdoor court directly across the street from a firehouse.