One of my favorite all time quotes from Mark Twain is this, “Whenever I get the urge to exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes away.” That was me today. It’s raining again. The last two days I got caught in a downpour. I did not want to suit up in rain gear and ride in the misery today. There was a thirty minutes break between storms and I opted for ignoring the urge to exercise. I read. I’m a middle school librarian and I thought Mark Twain would approve of that option. Ignore the urge and read.
Yet, the nagging issue is getting exercise. That’s a big deal in my book. Mark Twain was a wiry, witty guy and health probably wasn’t a consideration then. The reality for me is I have a goal of 75 miles a week and last week I broke the record and hit 94 miles. Then the devil on my shoulder chimes in, “It’s not going to require that much additional effort on a day off to get some exercise.” Plus, I have my Wahoo and the whole Zwift thing. The virtual ride was calling my name.
I changed and went out for my usual 13 miles. That’s what my commute would be and if I want miles I need to get in the saddle and get it done.
Off I went to Watopia. I ended up having a blast. There are still things I don’t understand, like customizing your avatar and why do some people have those fancy yellow rims? I don’t always know what sort of a workout I want. I’ve been doing flatish rides to build my confidence. Some avatars seem to have screens in front of them as they ride. I don’t get it. I’ll figure it out. Admittedly my virtual riding isn’t the first option that springs to mind on days it’s too much to really ride outside. Today, I’m glad I reviewed my alternatives and got off my bum and went for a virtual ride.
The sun and palm trees was exactly what I needed to see. Plus I didn’t have to put on sunblock.
Then the aquarium took my breath away. This virtual riding is entertaining.
The cobblestones make me laugh however I love this little village. I want to pull over and have an espresso at the café on the right. These virtual rides make me happy I embraced the urge and went for a ride after all.
Happy riding!
BG
Bike Goddess 
How fun! And to think that you were just going to skip… 🙂
Keep it up! Watopia is pretty stunning and there’s loads of little details you notice over time. Have you ridden through the volcano yet?
The glowing rims are on the “Tron Bike” which you can unlock (by riding lots and lots). The screen in front means that rider is in workout mode rather than just free riding. And if you have a Tacx Neo you can actually FEEL those cobbles when you ride over them!
Thanks! It’s more fun than I ever thought it would be. Today I rode more Watopia and hit some major hills. I’m glad I have this option. I might be Wahooing all week given the buckets of rain in the forecast.
Pingback: Ho Chi Mihnute: Blood Road Documentary – Bike Goddess