Around the world in 30 minutes
I took a walk through Death Valley and the Grand Canyon all in the span of 30 minutes last night. This incredible cross-country trek came courtesy of the YMCA's new cardio equipment. While you ride a stationary bike or march on a Stairmaster, you can play a digital video on a screen that is attached to the exercise equipment. It shows short video clips of fabulous landscapes throughout the world, making you feel like you are on some sort of virtual world tour while exercising.
A few weeks ago, I pedaled on trails and streets in Italy via the upright stationary bicycle. Last night, I hiked through the canyons of Death Valley and the Grand Canyon. The scenery on the video screen made me yearn to be able to teleport and see those towering rose-colored cliff walls in Death Valley first-hand. However, the filming made me smile a bit because not only was the landscape filmed at alarmingly fast rate but it must have been done by plane because it scanned over wide rivers. It gave me the impression that not only was I booking through this enormous and challenging terrain but I had the ability to walk across water.
When the film switched gears and began showing a hiking trail in Grand Canyon, I remembered the real-life trip my family and I took many years ago to the Grand Canyon. We walked on a trail very similar to the one shown on the Stairmaster's screen. We did not know what was in store for us when we first started off. Not only did we pass fellow hikers but also burros carrying tourists to the canyon floor. It was a very hot day - when we reached the bottom the canyon, which was a lush oasis of water and thick trees, we all dug into our packs for our reward - the trail mix my mother had divided into plastic baggies for everyone - only to realize that it had all melted. I stubbornly ate the gooey mix anyway. It was a different story on the hike back to the top of the canyon. The heat turned to rain and a fellow hiker - a girl carrying an enormous camping pack- uttered my exact thoughts with every step: "Ow, ow, ow."
There was a lot of celebrating when we reached our final destination. That night I would find several blisters on the bottom of my feet, which I took as evidence of a good day's work.
Sometimes exercising can be a bit of bore for me. I impatiently look at the timer and demand it hurry up. But yesterday I wished the digital tour of U.S. National Parks would continue and allow me a few more moments on this incredible journey.
A few weeks ago, I pedaled on trails and streets in Italy via the upright stationary bicycle. Last night, I hiked through the canyons of Death Valley and the Grand Canyon. The scenery on the video screen made me yearn to be able to teleport and see those towering rose-colored cliff walls in Death Valley first-hand. However, the filming made me smile a bit because not only was the landscape filmed at alarmingly fast rate but it must have been done by plane because it scanned over wide rivers. It gave me the impression that not only was I booking through this enormous and challenging terrain but I had the ability to walk across water.
When the film switched gears and began showing a hiking trail in Grand Canyon, I remembered the real-life trip my family and I took many years ago to the Grand Canyon. We walked on a trail very similar to the one shown on the Stairmaster's screen. We did not know what was in store for us when we first started off. Not only did we pass fellow hikers but also burros carrying tourists to the canyon floor. It was a very hot day - when we reached the bottom the canyon, which was a lush oasis of water and thick trees, we all dug into our packs for our reward - the trail mix my mother had divided into plastic baggies for everyone - only to realize that it had all melted. I stubbornly ate the gooey mix anyway. It was a different story on the hike back to the top of the canyon. The heat turned to rain and a fellow hiker - a girl carrying an enormous camping pack- uttered my exact thoughts with every step: "Ow, ow, ow."
There was a lot of celebrating when we reached our final destination. That night I would find several blisters on the bottom of my feet, which I took as evidence of a good day's work.
Sometimes exercising can be a bit of bore for me. I impatiently look at the timer and demand it hurry up. But yesterday I wished the digital tour of U.S. National Parks would continue and allow me a few more moments on this incredible journey.
This would have been great in the Monitor. They lost a wonderful writer ...
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