Zwift, A Slippery Solution and Reaching Out


I've pretty much given up hope for getting back on my fat-bike for the rest of the snow season due to the amount of ice on the trails. I can't recall a winter anything like this in the 5 years I've been trail riding. I'm disappointed because I had hoped for getting in lots of snowy miles this winter but such is life. All is not lost though because I'm actually getting in some excellent workouts on my CompuTrainer and enjoying the thrashing I receive on it more than ever now that I'm using the online program Zwift. It's both fun and effective at improving my performance.

Check this out—this is from a recent ride I did.



The video looks a little sparse of riders but there were actually about one thousand others on the course with me. Typically, there's never any lack of other riders to try and keep up with or ride off your wheel if that's what you're looking for, and I do enjoy that. There are also some structured "workout mode" features that push me in ways I don't typically push myself. The improvements in my fitness are beginning to show after a month of regular use.

As I was saying, we've had much more ice than usual to contend with this winter. I took a spill on our driveway last month and fell flat on my back. I was hobbling around for the better part of the next two weeks afterward. I purchased some Yaktrax for a pair of shoes I keep by the front door for when I need to go out with the dogs or check the mail. I could've saved myself a lot of pain had I bought them weeks ago and used them. I'm very pleased with the traction they give me on glare ice.

I posted the following to my Facebook page a few days ago. I'd like to post it here as well.

A beautiful moment just now. Tammy and I were sitting at a table in a common area among restaurants at Mall of America. At a table near us were 3 Muslim women—they looked to be a daughter, mother, and grandmother. Tammy went over to their table, knelt down and told each of them individually "you are beautiful in America". Their faces lit up. The younger one translated for the older woman and she was overjoyed to hear what Tammy had said. She put her hands to her chest and said: "thank you". I love that about Tammy. As we were leaving she went back over to them to tell them goodbye and they each gave her a hug.

 There's simply so much anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment in our world right now and it's wrong. Those of us so inclined need to push back and take the lead.

What I tried to convey in my words but not overly so was the way the women appeared to be so hungry for what Tammy told them. Minnesota is a friendly place for the most part but I can only imagine that the women Tammy reached out to must feel at least some amount of uncomfortableness when in public knowing there are many who oppose them being here in the USA. I would not want to live my life like that and neither should they have to. An approving smile or a friendly word can do so much and it costs you nothing.

And yes, Americans are likely looked down on in some parts of the Middle East. What does that have to do with anything?

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