feeling like a kid

One of the few ways I've been able to slip from the grasp of the real world lately is riding my bike. Unlike most college students, I never owned one during my tenure at school (The University of Alabama) since I was a commuter. I figured that getting a bike would be a great way to have fun and get in a little exercise after spending my days sitting around at the office. Researching what type of bike to buy was a bit of a pain. I quickly discovered that I was clueless as far as bike lingo and branding were concerned, and decided to just go for a cheap starter bike that would get me around and see if i liked it and kept up a semi-regular riding schedule. So far, I have gone riding 2-3 times a week. Most of the time I hit up the campus and make my way around all of the buildings I used to frequent, while trying to use routes, streets, and shortcuts that I didn't walk through on a regular basis. The other night I actually rode past a building I had never seen or heard anyone mention in my 5 years at the UA. Riding around at night reminds me of the full days and nights I would spend riding around the neighborhood with all of my friends as a kid. We got into so much mischief through those bike rides that it is pretty mind blowing to think about now. Dropping a mere $60 on my bike was one of the best investments I've made in a long time. It's allowed me to release a good amount of the pent up energy that builds during my work day, and to reconnect with one of my favorite activities as a kid.