Now that it's winter, I go work out at the gym where they have treadmills, weights, etc, and
spinning classes. Of course ,nothing is the same as getting out on the bike, but we just have to
face it, it's winter. However, sometimes, being at the gym can really make you crazy. Spinning
classes are great, but the rest of the time, it can really make you long for the outdoors.
For example, some people reek! I have a really sensitive sense of smell, almost like a dog (although
I hope I'm not one LOL) and yikes! Some people come in drenched in cologne and perfume. Geez, do
they have to marinate in the stuff? Some women seem to favor really strong perfume and then get up
on the cross trainers and gusts just waft over to me... yeech! A dab here and there is enough! I'm
not one of those perfume sensitive people, but some just drown themselves in the stuff. ANd then
there are those who just smell. I remember one older man who wore those rubbery knee bandages, and
when he'd start exercising, they'd emanate this putrid, rubbery gag-inducing smell. They were all
old and fuzzy. Either wash them or get a new pair! Or smelly old sneakers. Get a new pair! And some
people come to the gym reeking of cigarettes. What do they do, puff on butts and then go work out?
of course, they could have been in a smoky car or something. I'm not a puritan about people smoking,
and the smell itself doesn't bother me as much as B.O., but it's not something you really want to
smell when you're running on the treadmill. It's almost like you're breathing in actual smoke.
And then there is the music. One of the nice young women who works at the gym as a receptionist
plays a particular radio station when she's there and it plays the absolute worst music- Celine
Dion, Rod Stewart, bad 80s hair metal, billy Joel, Whitney Houston, the Nelsons, you get the
picture. I don't have a walkman, so I just have to suffer. When I go into the stretching room I
close the door and get weird looks. At least you don't have to listen to celine dion when out
on a ride.
Spinning classes are at least better. Everyone there is a cyclist, you get to watch race videos, the
music is better and no one reeks! That's the thing about cyclists, they don't reek, even in spinning
class. It just smells like sweat, not BO or rubbery sneakers.
I know it sounds like I'm griping. Well ,I am! LOL. Actually it's a nice gym with great facilities.
But no pool, which is too bad because swimmers don't reek either, LOL.