spinningmagnets,
"Has $10,000 E-recumbent...people give you free coffee and ask if you are homeless."
Yup. Back in May I was 45 miles into an 84 mile bike ride, when I rolled into the small strip mall of a struggling Appalachian town. Across from the Sheetz was a small stand selling fancy coffee, and fruit smoothies. I got a small lemon smoothie and settled in on the grass, in the shade of the mall marquee.
Several minutes later a twenty year old Corolla, with weak springs and bad shocks, came tacking across the parking lot, headed for the Sheetz. A heavy set woman of indeterminate age was driving. Four young people in their teens or twenties filled the car. Over the blaring music, I heard someone say, "Hey look! Stop!" The car swerved in my direction, and stopped. From the front passenger seat emerged a giant who could have been mistaken for Queequeg (ear discs, jagged geometric tattoos covering every inch from his close cropped hair down his face, his sleeveless arms the size of my thighs, and massive legs below his baggy shorts) were it not for his milky complexion and reddish blond hair suggesting his people came to these mountains during the Great Hunger.
As he approached I was thinking, "I'm going to get beaten to death by a redneck crackhead." Looking up from my seat on the grass I see him reaching into his pocket...this can't be good. "Hey dude. You need some money?" "What?" "You homeless? Need some money?" "I'm not homeless. I'm retired! You assume anybody on a bicycle is homeless? Put away your money, and get back in your car!" "Hey dude, I was just trying to help. Don't need to be a smart ass!" As he got back in the car, and they drove away, the blood stopped roaring in my ears. :-(