Exercising on a vacation just simply doesn’t work for me. It’s not that the will isn’t there, it’s the drive! I simply can’t seem to make the effort. On a recent trip to Vancouver, an opportunity to not only get some exercise, but to see a beautiful part of the city made it finally possible. Stanley Park is not far from Vancouver’s port and a few steps away from where the Olympic Torch burned for the 2010 Games. There are several bicycle shops that rent out for the hour to explore the more than 1,000 acres of prime park. After a bit of research, which basically means the first rental shop we found, we stopped at EzeeRiders at Canada Place. Now that I read my receipt, I guess from the name of the company I should have known that the topic of exercise, while intentionally sought, was not on the agenda this afternoon.
EzeeRiders, as the name implies, is quite easy. The bikes are electric and as you guessed it, require very little in terms of peddling. The lime green bike operates in one of two ways. To engage the self-peddle option, you merely turn the power on at your handgrips and choose the speed you would like to go. Warning: these bikes do have a bit of speed to them. I never actually engaged the highest speed for fear of cramming some rubber tire up some poor unsuspecting sap who simply wanted to take in the sites. Once you pick the speed, you can either engage the power from a quick kick on the peddle or by tapping a small lever on the handlebar. It was more than easy to manage, but you have to be careful when in the midst of other riders. And yes, other riders are quite common at all times in Stanley Park.
Cheap and Fun!
For a charge of only $10.50 CA or about $8 US per hour you can spend the day seeing all of the sites around the waterfront of Vancouver and literally get lost in Stanley Park. With so much to do, the fact that I didn’t have to peddle made the ride go by in a flash! In fact, it was such an enjoyable experience, our day literally slipped away from us. After all that riding, you would expect to be quite exhausted, but I could have easily ridden another 20 miles or so! Well of course I could have as long as the battery was charged!!! Just the fact that we were able to load up on some greasy food like Poutine and a few beers and still continue our “exercise” made me feel, well like the American I am! I’m just sayin!!!
Now there are a few downsides to this excellent way to sightsee Vancouver. For one, if you’re not an average bicyclist, the initial lunge and speed can be a little surprising. If you’re in an open are where there is plenty of space to maneuver, this bike is a dream. But, when you find yourself in closed-in paths and trails with many other bikers surrounding you, the experience can be not as fulfilling, as my daughter soon found out when almost causing a collision of sorts.
You May Gain Weight on This Bike!
But in reality, the only downside is the obvious. You WILL NOT get a workout on this bike. No matter how many times I attempted to peddle under my own power, that little lever was always within grasps, and well, just felt good and guilty all at the same time! I must also admit the looks I received from tired faces as we traveled at high speeds past them without a kick of the peddle was satisfying. But as I near the scale, I fully realize that this lack of exercise will not treat me kindly. But you know what? It’s vacation and it was worth it.
