From Germany to Iceland

Near the end of the road.

I haven't been this active since the mid 90s.

Back then, DW and I worked in the Merivale Mall, where there was a Y gym. In the mornings, before work, we would go for a step class or get on a bike for an hour. Sometimes, we'd join a fitness class after work.

But we wouldn't do it every day or even every other day. At most, we'd hit the gym two or three days a week, and back then, that was enough for our late-twenties–early thirties bodies. We weren't battling any bulges but we were maintaining our slim selves.

Having a gym so close to work was a great motivator to be active. We were either already heading to the mall—we just had to get up a bit earlier—or we were already at the mall and just had to go upstairs, to the gym.

When we moved to Korea for a couple of years, our diet became much healthier and we got plenty of exercise from walking around our city and exploring mountainous temples and other sites on the weekends. It wasn't until our second year, when I spoke enough Korean that I could pick up the phone and order pizzas for delivery that my weight started to pile on.

My belly has been expanding since we've returned to Canada and especially since I've become a craft-beer aficionado. We had returned to the gym for spin classes but that eventually petered out over the years. Before the pandemic, we would swim once or twice each week and would join the odd spin class.

But this year, I've been more active since those days when we were regular members of the Merivale Mall Y. And I owe it to my virtual challenges.

To date, I've completed 2,949.5 kilometres in three challenges: the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, the Lands End to John o' Groats trek, and the Romantic Road journey. Using The Conqueror Virtual Challenges app, I've been prompted to continue moving, whether by foot, by bike (spin and road), or by kayaking to keep ahead of a virtual pace car. My love of travel allows me to explore these places (Spain, England, Scotland, and Germany) through Google Maps, and make plans to do some real travelling when the pandemic ends.

Today, I start my latest virtual challenge, which takes me to Iceland and the Ring Road trail, which will add another 1,332.5 kms to my activity.

The app keeps me motivated. The routes cost less than a monthly gym membership fee.

I know that these routes are not sustainable. I won't do them all—especially the routes that are shorter than the Romantic Road. I'm looking for longer routes that have a street view on Google Maps. And I'm not interested in visiting the United States, even if it's virtually.

I've suggested that they create a trans-Canada route, and I'll be one of the first to sign up for it. If not, I may create my own, but somehow I think it won't be the same. We'll see.

But for now, I leave my German route and start in Iceland, and from there, who knows?