First, I would like to give a major shout out to all the folks who have donated so far! I am already at the 10% mark for my goal, which is really terrific, to say the least. In addition to the support this shows for the cause, it really keeps my own motivation up. I know there are plenty of others of you out there who are planning to participate as well. All I can say, is, join the fun now! (Click that link!) It is VERY MUCH appreciated really.
This morning, I also made reservations for Ruthie and me to stay in Ptown for 2 nights following the ride. We are staying at The Boatslip and I think this is going to be majorly party city and lots of boys. But probably no kids, so we won’t be dodging silly floats in the pool, right? LOL. The price was more or less right. Try to get a place in Ptown in August if you don’t have a car or aren’t going with an entourage to rent a condo or something. Ruthie said gently, “We will have to embrace Ptown, honey.” Bring on the tea dance. Thank goodness my training will have been based on gay dance tunes.
Back to the gym today, still more or less following the recommended early in the season training schedule for the big ride. 30 minutes on the Xdream stationery bicycles plus 30 minutes on the treadmill. The Xdream bike is more interesting way to get the mileage in on an indoor bike. You pedal a bike that sort of responds to your body movements — it banks on turns and there are hand brakes and gears. All of this is in response to a video screen that shows you one of four cycling scenes on it. Like other vid games, you unlock better gear, harder opponents and routes and nicer outfits as you go along. Your information is sotred in the system so you can pick up where you left off last workout. All I can say is, I’m not bored with it, and I know it is a harder ride than some of the Lifecycles for sure, so I think the training is better.
When I lived in San Franciso in the late 80s and 90s, they actually had something like this at my gym, but I bet I bet the graphics weren’t as good, although it seems to me the routes were more open. I’m not sure. They aren’t as popular at the Quincy Y as the Lifecycles; you’re not watching TV while on them as you are focused on the race. If you crash, they will reset you, but you do lose time and your position with the other 5 “riders”. I have been winning, but I am about to advance another level and bet my opponents will get more aggressive.
Then of course, there is my playlist. The Xdream bikes have music if you plug your earphones into the console, but I am still relying on the iPod.
- Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
- Bad Girls
- Never Gonna Give You Up
- I Will Survive
- Waitin on the Bus (I have been playing this on the guitar lately as well)
- Pig in a Pen
- Eyes of the World
- Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
- Black Dog
- Something from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- My Favorite Things
- Don’t Stop til You Get Enough
I need some other tunes, clearly. This was set on Shuffle, but I skipped over stuff like Laurie Anderson (way too trippy), the French lessons, classical music. I used this particular iPod for my wedding dance DJ which is why the bar music keeps popping up. During the actual PMC, you can’t have music in your ears for safety reasons and once I get out on the road, I will not be listening to tunes while on the bike.
