"Vous faisez du vélo ici?"

The wide-eyed look on the walker's face indicates that his reaction to me riding a bicycle here is born not of outrage, as might be the case back home, but of simple astonishment.

"Oui, bien sûr!"

My response is accompanied by a self-satisfied smirk that reveals my shallowness. I've never seen anyone else on a bike here, and I'm sure neither has he: I'm unique. My ego is buoyed.

"Vous êtes fou... mais, allez! Allez, mon ami!"

"Merci! Bonne journée!"

Self-confidence reinforced, I set about tackling the drop-off ahead. A convoluted mel