Everybody has great things to say about.... my Bike and Touring Setup!

At Monarch Pass I met a really nice couple who were avid cyclists... and we talked about my tour but talked more about my Trek 1500 and how I had it set up for touring. They asked me about the racks, the gearing, the weight I was carrying... folks ups here know bicycles and components and they like to talk tech.... I talked to a lady on the bikeway to Copper Mountain who had done a cross country tour a few years back. She was asking all kinds of questions like "Did you have to change the rear derailleur when you installed the 11-34 gears?" How many women in the world even know what a rear derailleur is? Then I ride up to the motel in Gunnison this evening and this tall, thin Scandinavian looking fellow greets me and starts asking me about where I cycled from... then starts asking me about my bike and setup and concludes with "You have a beautiful bike". This guy was an avid cyclist
who just completed a 6 week cycling tour in Indonesia! Bottom line is... Colorado likes my Bike!