Biked to Selby and Dale

I rode my bike to a monthly meeting that I have above the Mississippi Market at Selby and Dale. I couldn't believe how well I was treated by cars on Summit Ave!

2 strange observations:
A guy passed me near Snelling on Summit. He was large, spandexed, and on a mountain bike. I soon discovered that either he wasn't maintaining his speed or else he just passed me when I slowed up the hill, but I quickly found myself in the awkward position of practically drafting him. Should I pass him now? That just seemed tiresome.

I realized that I didn't want to pass him because he was fascinating. He was riding almost exclusively with his helmeted head down, looking at his front chainwheel. He kept changing the front gear and spinning. I think that he was in the lower one up front when he passed me and didn't expect me to be gaining on him, as I'm almost always in that highest one in front. I think that I introduced him to the mighty large front gear. He was playing with it for blocks. Finally he got it because he zapped away from me at Lexington.

On the way home I was on the east river road bike path. There is a part were the pedestrians and bikes mingle. I was cautiously going downhill and then up hill slightly. At the top of the hill stood a baby boomer couple with a poodle. Ever cautious of poodles (and baby boomers for that matter) I was relieved when I saw that they saw me and they moved their dog out of the way. As I passed them I said, "Hi". They said, "Hi" and the woman said in a really sarcastic upsetting tone, "Thanks for the light." I was so confused I didn't have retort. Clearly there has been some bad blood between cyclers and that couple. If they hadn't noticed me, I would have dinged my bell and everything. Geesh.