Wake up early on a Saturday. Load your Schwinn with a water bottle onto the car. Then head south. Park at Larry & Penny Thompson Park, just south of Zoo Miami. Opened in late 2012, this paved path hugging the Black Creek Canal begins at SW 137th Avenue amid empty fields, winds through subdivisions, and crosses South Dixie Highway. After nearly seven miles, you'll pass one of the county's largest landfills. Not sold? Well, surprisingly, you don't even notice the landfill on this path. The breeze generally blows away the smell, and the view of water and trees is breathtaking. There's no traffic, and the pedaling is smooth. Along the way, you'll spot bright birds and ducks, maybe an iguana or two basking in the sun. The 8.5-mile route finishes at Black Point Park & Marina, on Biscayne Bay, where there's a good chance you'll spot manatees. Even if you don't, you can still grab a great burger or fresh seafood at Black Point Ocean Grill. After this ride, you'll be hungry — and you'll never look at this little section of Miami-Dade the same way again.