I saw the young man who lives around the corner today, and he has grown up like a weed in the 6 years or so since we crossed a local wash that was running on our bikes. He must be 6'4" tall now, a height I never would have thought possible of the 12 year old boy I first met. I've never known his name, but since that time we have always waved to each other as we rode by, and said "Hi".
For a while my ride route was changed by construction, and as I rode past one house usually around the same time of day, a little girl of about 6 years of age would wave and yell "Hi, Hi" often from the seat of here own little bike still equipped with training wheels.
A man in his early 20's caught my wheel with ease and stayed along side a while, and we talked of our love of roadbikes. He liked the fact that I ride at 58 years of age. I think that it affirmed what he already knew, that cycling can be a life long sport.
In all of these cases what they saw was not the "big old grey haired guy" but a fellow cyclist. Someone who loves something that they also love. Had I been on foot they probably wouldn't have even noticed me. It was our bikes which bridged the time!
How has it been for you?