RECENTLY, Mrs. California Alps Cycling has taken a shine to my KICKR and the Fulgaz account connected thereto, and has been doing some sightseeing in preparation for this year’s Tour de France.
WHILE she’s been jumping on the trainer here and there for a few weeks, it hasn’t been until recently that she has really become aware of a benefit of riding in the pain cave she hadn’t paid attention to before: sightseeing!
SURE we get to see some amazing scenery here where we ride (as I suspect you do too), as witnessed by the image at the top of this post, but to be able to ride inside and not just watch sports, or cooking shows, or your avatar, or all of those avatars in front of you for that matter, is a game-changer.
INSTEAD, you get some fascinating glimpses of other parts of the world, and the people in them going about their daily lives.
Later that day, at my recommendation, Mrs. CAC road part of it.
FOR my wife, it’s been an almost transcendent experience.
SHE now looks forward to getting on the bike and checking out a new locale. It also has given her renewed motivation; some days she saves the ride for later and then resumes it the next day so she can get farther into the course or conquer that little roller that she didn’t have the poop to conquer the previous day.
FOR me, though, it’s always been about the workouts. As you know, I’ve spent countless hours on the trainer, in that pain-cave, either on Zwift or Fulgaz, getting my groove on.
Icicles outside? Riding inside!
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the scenery, whether it be real or virtual, and the air guitar sessions are pretty righteous, but until until my wife started sharing her perspective (e.g. the interesting buidlings, the pretty flowers, the people walking nearby), I’d never thought of it as a way to sightsee.
THAT shared experience is perhaps that best ROI, though. We’ve been enjoying recounting our adventures with each other. She doesn’t glaze over quite so easily when I start talking watts and rollers and I have a renewed sense of appreciation of my surroundings, albeit virtual ones, and even find myself craning my neck to see things on the screen I wouldn’t normally notice.
I’VE even caught myself waving to the locals and other cyclists!
Next Steps?
WE’RE going to get my “other-half” and fellow tourist her own Fulgaz account and she’s already talking about budgeting for her own trainer so we don’t have to switch bikes so often.
EVEN better, we’ll be able to ride some of the routes together! Fulgaz does have a group ride option!
Kudos for us at the end of that Pingvallavatn ride.
SO, if someone you know needs a little incentive, or you just want to share more of what you love, maybe you need to show them some love and go on a little day trip together somewhere in France, or Africa, or Australia.
YOU choose!
Hello Mr. CAC. Ran across your web site after cruising several of your rides on Fulgaz. Just rode Markleeville to Snowshoe New Years Eve. Just a note to tell you how much I have enjoyed your part of the world. I am in North Carolina . Never been to California. In between huffing up those long hills you seem to have out there the sightseeing is terrific! Nothing like some exercise and great scenery at the same time. I have got a number of your rides left to ride, but slowly working them in.
Hi David and thanks for the feedback. LMK what you think of the other rides. You should come out for the Deathride in July and experience the area in person! Ride on! – Mark