Why is everybody staring at me?

I went out for a bike ride this morning, dressed "normally" for an American cyclist serious about the sport. That is to say that I had on lycra tights, a helmet, and a wind vest. The wind vest covered the jersey with the Disney characters on it. Normally when I see people staring at me, I assume it's because of the Disney characters on my front and back. Today, that clearly was not the reason.

When I came home, I looked in the mirror. I am completely "wrong" for Belarus. The helmet is bad enough, and the tights are questionable too. Probably the most bizarre is the mirror I wear attached to my clear cycling glasses. Then there's my bike. It has curly handlebars and clearly isn't a mountain bike. Oh, and I'm an adult.

There are plenty of serious cyclists in the suburbs, but I was riding on a new multi-use path in the heart of the city.

From 2010-2&3 Life in Minsk

We have multi-use paths in the Boston area too, for cyclists, roller-bladers, walkers, runners and what-have-you. Sections of this path have an additional use; it's a drinking path. I learned this because of all the broken glass, particularly behind a college athletic field. I think it's been covered for a long time with snow, and I really hope it gets cleaned up. I'll stay off the path for a while to give the clean-up crew a chance. Besides, I'm too much of an oddity on that path.