I like to ride my bicycle, I like to ride my bike.

I am a sucker for a Groupon or Living Social deal.  I'm far more willing to try something different if I can try it at a discount. 

Yeah, I know, me and everyone else in the world.

But more than just trying a new restaurant, salon, or doing a wine tasting (and Good Lord knows I love myself a good wine tasting), I love the deals that offer the opportunity to DO something new.  Target practice, indoor rock-wall climbing, zipline tours, etc...if it's something I've ever vaguely harbored an interest in and it comes up online, I'm probably going to buy it.

So today, Lilah and I went for a nice ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail thanks to Living Social and Reedy Rides.  I think it's worth mentioning that Greenville is fast becoming one of the most bike-friendly cities in America, which is great.  We have special lanes all through downtown - which means you need not fear imminent car squishing (as much) - and there are a lot of races, trails and shops all dedicated to the activity.  Reedy Rides will rent you a bike, helmet, trailer...pretty much anything you need for a four-hour journey and set you free to your own devices.

Lilah got all secured in her little trailer.  I think she was enjoying all the specialized attention.

Lilah was most disappointed to find out there were no rabbits guaranteed on this trail.

I decided we should head up the trail to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery. After a few hairy moments at the advent of the ride (My first time on a bike in probably 20 years and I decide to pull a trailer behind it.  Find my picture under "Brilliant" in the dictionary...of sarcasm), I found that they are totally not kidding and you really do retain the knowledge of how to ride a bike.

 

 A little ways into the ride, without knocking us over or ruining someone else's morning ride, I managed to stop and snap a self-portrait of us on our inaugural bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit. 

 This "Stay Beautiful" graffiti is my second favorite thing spotted on the trail today.

We arrived at the SRC&G to find a festival of sorts going on.

It was the Spring Flea.

They had jewlery, pottery, repurposed and vintage items, food stuffs, etc.  Plus this drum group under a big tree.

After a quick grilled cheese sandwich for lunch,  we took in the flea market.

In particular, the drum group was very interesting to Lilah.

In what was sort of a "Festival in a Festival," this Our World thing had just anyone who wanted to join in playing some sort of percussion instrument on the ground and following the instructions of the leader.

If I ever go bald, I'm only rarely going to wear a real hair wig and opt for crazy things like this the rest of the time.

Lilah was interested enough to watch and dance, but preferred to keep her distance.

After Lilah we lost interest in the drum group, Lilah we went back to the outdoor picnic tables and finished up her our juice from lunch.

 

I'm not naming names, but someone had a chocolate chip scone for dessert.

Then we peddled on back to Reedy Rides.

On the way back we saw a scary black snake with a diamond pattern, winding across the trail toward the river.  We respectfully stopped 100 feet away and let him pass without incident.

Then we passed local celebrity George Hincapie.  George is a cyclist and I'm guessing is best known for being on Lance Armstrong's Tour de France team one of those millions of times he won.

Finally, we passed by an elementary school fair which had A TINY HORSE by the trail!!

You have no idea how badly I wanted to jump off the bike and hook up the trailer to the Tiny Horse.

No idea.

But I managed to hold myself together and not become a horse-thief, and we made it back safe and sound where we started.

It was SO much fun.  Lilah loved it.  I loved it.  

We will totally do it again.

Thanks, Living Social, for reintroducing me to the bicycle!  I had forgotten how much fun I had as a kid riding up and down the avenues with friends, looking for adventures and a cheeseburger from the McDonald's.

And I hope this is just the start to Lilah's good bicycle memories.