Agreed. This thread confuses me because I get the impression that cycling is the _only_ form of exercise many bicycling enthusiasts are willing to engage in. I can understand if someone is a professional or aspiring professional and wants to train during the "off-season", but for Pete's sake, does it not get boring after three or four hours? It reminds me a lot of long distance runners and the treadmill. Like, what's the problem with doing arm exercises, strength training or HIIT? I have a lot of respect for endurance athletes, but to fixate on a single exercise seems to require a degree of obsessiveness.
That was one of the reasons I moved back to Canada from Japan. The 4 AM dash for the first train and then the bullet train to a ski resort was much worse than a leisurely 7 AM wake-up, walk to the minivan, and a 50 minute drive to Nakiska.
I still have hopes regarding winter in the alps this year, there are some places 50 minute drive away from where I life. Not high alps, but good enough for a day with the kids. Everything else tends to become a full weekend trip...
