Have you ever tried something new? Sometimes we don't want to try new things, but if we have an open mind, we can learn and grow.

It was crowded. Couples strolled along the water, their hands glued together. Kids filled with curiosity as their parents kept a close eye on them. The smell of exotic fruits and flowers filled the air. It was the perfect time to be at the Miami Boardwalk.

Ring! Ring! The sound of a bike bell rang through the air. I looked to my left to see some people riding on tandem bikes.  ¨We should try that!¨ my dad said.

¨Yes!¨ my mother agreed.  My dad gave my sister and I a big smile.

¨I'm up for it!¨ my sister said in a cheerful voice.

¨I don't know,¨ I said hesitantly.   I was not very excited. It didn't look fun, so I expected I wouldn't like it.  My sister frowned at me.

¨Well… okay,¨ I said.

When we walked into the bike rental shop a kind women greeted us. She had a flawless tan and her hair was a deep amber. ¨Pick any bike!¨ she said, grinning.

It was a petite shop. Three of the walls were painted a pale grey, but another had a painting of the boardwalk. The ceilings were a little low, but it gave an inviting feel to the whole place.  The checkout area was to the left as you walked in. On the checkout desk there was a figurine of a cactus. It had sunglasses on and held up a sign with “Miami Boardwalk” on it. I watched it bob back and forth in the sunlight. Next to the figurine was a clunky, yet shiney, cash register. A wide window let in just the right amount of sunlight for the plants it held.

The shop had rows and rows of bikes. Each bike was a different color and a different style.  I looked around and admittedly my sister and I saw a bike we liked. It was very simple but very unique. The base of it was a milk white. On the side of it there was a bold aqua stripe and a smaller sky blue stripe underneath it. The seats were wide and comfortable. On one of the handles there was a petite silver bell that tied everything together. It was perfect!

My sister and I carefully buckled the strap on our helmets and then started to paddle together.  It felt amazing! The gentle wind blowing against my face and through my long hair. The sun's heat was relaxing, and it soothed my body.

There was the great view of the ocean as the sun was calmly setting on the crystal blue ocean.  There were many different things to see as we rode along the ocean.  There was a funky cactus. It was very tall and thin. It was a olive green color, and had many small white prickers on it.   I saw large hawaiian flowers; there were some that were vibrant orange, some that were neon yellow, and others a soft peachy pink.  There were people far up in the sky parasailing across the wide waters. They looked like birds soaring through the wind.   Others were skiing as if the water was a mountain covered in freshly fallen snow. They would occasionally do cool tricks, like using only one arm or getting down really low so that they could touch the water.  

When we got back from the bike ride I took a deep sigh of relief. All I could think about was how great the ride was! It was fun and relaxing. It was exciting to see all the different plants, and to see all the people doing fun sports. It felt good to try something new.  

As you can see, sometimes it's good to try new things.

-Rachel Drozdyk