I live a few hundred metres from the Swan River, and bike to Uni a few times a week along the river. Along the way, I see lots of interesting stuff like seagulls, ducks, pelicans, and hear some sort of wind sound in my ears as I ride, all of which I'm sure I won't experience if I were in a car....
20 something studying in UWA, just took up cycling recently because the weather here is PERFECT!