Bloomington, a small city I frequent, is like a small San Francisco with some older hippies around.  There is one older gentleman that I converse with at the local bike co-op, library, bike trail, or wherever I run into him.  The other day as I was shopping at Good Will I saw him and started a conversation.
I could tell that he didn't remember my name but he did know that he knew me.
After a bit he asked if I could possibly give him a ride to the other Good Will across town.  I told him I could and we loaded his bicycle in my trunk.
Along the way the talk turned to our common interest of recreational bicycling.  He mentioned that he had some friends who have never learned to ride due to traumatizing stuff happening when they were learning.  
I can relate to this and have seen a similar situation with near drowning victims developing a life long fear of water that prevents them from ever learning to swim.
Any way, the older hippie gentleman told me that he would like to have an area such as a golf course to teach people to ride on a softer surface.
I then mentioned to him that I taught my kids to ride "on grass".  He perked right up as he thought we were talking about two different things.

Fun story

I just posted it because I go to this forum most days to see if anything is going on.
Usually there is not, so I thought I would try and help out.  
Man, I love living in Indiana!

I live just south of Bloomington in Bedford and no doubt you see some interesting people. Mostly very liberal.

Lol, I've had the same thought before. Come here to see what's going on and "nope, just the same boring HTF". But boring is good. It could be filled with calls to action against anti-gun politicians and such but we're lucky we really only have to deal with that on a federal level.


Same, I go up to Bloomington once every few weeks and occasionally see the crazies in their native habitat.

lol Our little piece of California. Lived there briefly. Didn't I see a homeless encampment on the south side of town last time I went through? Lovely.

I rarely go north of Bedford these days.

The people I talk to who grew up there in the 80s loved it.  They talk very fondly about what a nice town it was to be in back then.
I can see that as I look around.  
I enjoy going there some.  But the atmosphere was kind of oppressive during the height of the pandemic.

Bloomington is a shit hole,  I sadly drive through often, definitely a mini Cali.... I was walking back to my car from the bank and saw a needle on the ground. I thought instantly no way does anywhere in Indiana do that stupid illegal drug needle exchange.  Looked it up, yep Bloomington gives the druggies fresh needles that they just throw on the ground

I've watched two Homeless dudes try to act like firefighters collecting money at stop lights

Some 1/8th acre Park that was packed with like 30 Homeless people

I could go on, only place in Indiana that truly say I've been to and disappointed to say it's part of Indiana... sure Indy/fort Wayne have similar issues but there an actual metro area

I used to frequent Teeter Quad ,chasing tail.

My brother in law is a IU officer.  I hear a few good stories now and then.

My brother lives there now. As far as I know they still require masks when walking into bars.

I've never had a good experience there.

LaPorte has Belle Gunness, and they've been filming a movie about her with Traci Lords.

I live there, and everything here is on point.  You're talking about Seminary Square, in which the homeless pitch tents nightly and just destroy the park by accosting people, fighting, throwing trash everywhere, and generally just being terribly useless.  People are fed up, but I only see it getting worse thanks to "Russia's" inflation...apparently.

Hehe... Bloomington is definitely weird.  I've never been to Austin or San Francisco, but I've been to Eugene, Oregon, and Bloomington definitely has a similar citizenry and vibe.

Bloomington makes my head hurt. The level of wacky doubles every year.

That aside, it's world's better to me than going across the river into Louisville.

I'm gonna have to agree with you there.