Before the pandemic, I belonged to a health club in Harvard Square. I enjoyed riding an exercise bike there. Alas, the health club went out of business. And so did my workout regimen.

Over the Christmas holiday in 2021, I decided to get an exercise bike for our home.

I passed on the Peloton. Not keen on having to wear clip shoes. Or spending $39.95 a month on the Peloton app with instructors egging me on. Not for me.

I went down the rabbit hole online and ultimately discovered the Schwinn AC Performance Exercise Bike with Carbon Blue. Order placed with Studio Cycles in LA. They built the bike and shipped it across the country to me in Cambridge, MA.

I last had a Schwinn bicycle as a boy. I didn't even know that they made exercise bikes.

AC stands for "Authentic Cycling" I am told. Works for me! I love having this bike in the house. To make my riding more enjoyable, I have subscribed to the Fulgaz app. Fulgaz allows me to take virtual rides all around the world. Just this past week I have been in France, Germany, Scotland and Australia. Tuning into FIP on Sonos for each journey completes the experience.

Now that I have this bike, I am not sure how I lived without it. I am grateful to be riding it on a regular basis – and to have a good space for it in a room downstairs in our home. Once upon a time this room was an unfinished and uninviting storage room. These days it's a magical place for world travel. Amazing.

Yes, that's me on the bike in the photo below, as well as a photo of the bike itself and the Fulgaz app in action. It's all good. Glad to be on the fitness journey.