Even though Anchorage has a population of 250,000, it is still a very small town.
Case in Point:
This afternoon, I received a phone call from a friend, Jon, who is getting ready to lead a ten day bicycling tour through Alaska (well, the parts of Alaska that are connected by a road system). One of Jon's clients had just had surgery and didn't think he could ride a road bike. However, he thought he could ride a recumbent. So, they had visited the various bike shops but were sort of daunted by the price: recumbents start at $2000 and go up from there. But then, Jon remembered that I had a recumbent. Hence, the phone call.
I jumped in Henry and scurried home to meet the group. Jim, the client, is a big guy 6' 4", but my recumbent frame is large, one has a lot more leeway with recumbent sizing that with regular bikes. So, we scootched the seat back and away Jim went. He toodled around the cul de sac several times and then headed down the hill. Jim took to the bike like a duck to water! It was clear that my bike was headed off on a big trip!
My only criteria for the loan was that I wanted lots of pictures of my bike in various Alaska locales. It's getting to do more Alaska travel this summer than I am!
Now, here's the small town part. I was downtown this evening and was in Henry waiting to turn off of 10th on to L street. As I waited for traffic to pass, I saw two bicyclists moving along in traffic. As they got closer, I saw that one was on a recumbent. As the guy passes me, he turns and waves! It was Jim on my bike!!!!!!! He looked like a pro!
8:55:02 PM 
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