A bike ride is a good way to see what life is all about.

It a starts one quiet Sunday morning...

Today I decided to take my new purchased and newly fixed mountain bike for a second test ride.side note: the first attempted test ride ended with my seat falling off as I was stranded about a mile and a half away from my apartment.) And I couldn't have asked for a better day to go out for a ride. Beside noticing that everyone, young and old, was out on the bike trail. I was taken back to how nice people were as I chugged and sweated my way to end of the trail. (

But how does a bike ride, teach one about life?

Well at first when you start your journey, there are going to be difficulties. This occurred when I tried to leave my apartment complex through the front gate as if I was a car. After sitting at the gate for a few seconds and realizing it was not going to open, I went ahead and used the smaller access gate to the side.

You are going to run into some tense situations. No more than a few minutes after exiting through the side gate and getting out on the main street, a coyote comes out of nowhere and runs across the street. Nearly hitting another set of bikers coming in the opposite directions. I thought to myself if I was out of the property a few seconds earlier my bike could have literally smack that coyote in the face.

You will notice wonderful things along the trail. Beside seeing the normal stuff (squirrels and birds), while biking. It was the things that you don't normally run into that made my eyes wide with wonder. It first started with the horses. I don't know why, but every time I see a horse I love to watch them as they run around or even as they stay still. The second awesome thing I saw were two deers running a few yards in front of me and then disappearing into the woods. I wish I could have gotten closer and wish I had my camera with me. 

Sooner or later the trail will end. After biking three miles or so, I came to a point where the bike trail simply ended. And oddly enough I meet an old man in bike shorts waiting for me at the end of this trail. As I took sips of my now warm water, we talked about the trail that I just rode on. He lets me know about the alternate paths I could have taken. Tells me of a path that is longer and more difficult but equally rewarding. As we said our good-byes I jump on my bike and head on home.

And then a few minutes later, out of no where old man bike shorts comes zipping past me and disappears into bike trail like he's Bagger Vance. Other than being schooled on a bike by a older man, in bike shorts. I enjoyed my Sunday bike run and look to have many more of those quiet moment to myself.

I'm just a sterotype when it comes to swimming.

"Black people don't swim!"

I don't think there is a single person out there who hasn't heard a black comedian say this when talking about an African-American person in their comedian routine.

But is it true?

Well in my case it is. In my twenty-nine years of existence I have never learned how to swim. I am the type of person when growing up would freak out in six feet of water (writer side note: I'm 6'1"). Growing up in New Jersey and later on in Florida, my parents couldn't afford a pool or even had the time to take my sister and I to the public pool or beach. So all of our watery fun was spent running through the sprinklers and making homemade slip n' slides. Apparently neither prepares a man on the proper etiquette on swimming in a basin full of water. Just recently I tried to swim in three feet of water and found myself sinking to the bottom of the pool every time I flailed my arms like a man possessed. To make matters worse, I must have been in the kiddie pool as there were a few two to three year old kids swam effortlessly around me.

So on the request of my swimming partner, I am taking swimming lessons. I am very curious to see if these instructors can quell my fear of water and have me swimming like Michael Phelps.

I think I'm going to try and change this stereotype, well at least try to.