Every once in a while we have an encounter that's unexpected, sometimes thought provoking. It's one of the less appreciated perks of bike commuting. Today it was another cyclist who rolled up beside me and was curious how far I needed to go, though he phrased it "when do you get to work?" I'd seen him out there a few times lately. He's on some kind of road bike (apologies to those with nice bikes, but I never notice what it is), in the usual cycling stuff, keeps up a good pace though today I'm going 14 or 15. Do you commute every day, something about rainy days, the usual casual stuff.

Then he asks if I still ride "the wedge" - a appellative I've heard locally for my home-brew fairing bike - and allows that he hasn't seen it for a couple of years! Well I still have it and ride it, but not in the heat of summer ... but, "years"? You're just dawdling down the path and a more or less random cyclist recognizes you from years back. It strikes me that it's still a small world for us dedicated bike commuters.