Turn fear into bliss.

When my butt isn't confined to a chair positioned in front of a computer, it can often be found on the seat of my 1980-something purple Bianchi single speed. It's my vehicle to work when the weather is decent (which is most of the time in Austin, Texas, save for the rare thunderstorm or even rarer snow flurry), and social cycling is among my primary pastimes on the weekends and almost weekends.

Photo courtesy of Andrea Mabry.

Passions squared: don't get me started on the color purple.

Once upon a time -- all of a few years ago -- I was not a cyclist in the least. My friend Annie Angello showed me the ropes of road biking soon after I moved the the Live Music Capital of the World. I must admit, the first few months of two-wheeled ventures were terrifying.

Learning to ride with traffic is no cake walk. I've discovered how to deal with angry drivers, how to be on guard for every pothole and piece of broken glass that litters the streets, and how to dodge nasty speed bumps that tend to come out of nowhere. Not surprisingly, though, riding a bike is, well, just like riding a bike -- once you get the hang of it, you're golden. 

After regularly joining the Thursday Night Social Ride, biking became a breeze and a passion. It has fueled more endorphin-filled excursions than I can track, and I wouldn't trade this hobby for a Bentley.

The point of sharing my amour de velo is to encourage anyone and everyone to find something they love and make it an integral part of their life -- even if that thing is uncomfortable or scary at first.