Wednesday, my tasks were to acclimate to the town again. My bike had a flat so that was my first task. I went to the neighborhood flat-fix-it guy. He fired up his gas-powered air pump and went to work on patching the flat and putting air in the other tire. All for 25¢. In Honolulu and DC the bike shops would have made me buy a new tube, charged me for labor and made me wait the half hour or so. All for the exhorbitant fee of $30 or so.

Riding around town I was again struck by traffic. When traffic follows no rules even red lights on major boulevards have little or no meaning. So standing at an intersection on the sidewalk just watching traffic go by I'm startled by a voice to my left. Lo and behold, a motorcycle has come uponto the side walk and is trying to beat the signal by riding directlyinto oncoming traffic (remember my little lecture on riding opposite traffic?) I can do nothing but smile and allow the driver to pass against the light opposite traffic and on the sidewalk.