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Monday, March 31, 2008

Is it just me or is this pretty funny?

I was walking around the lake last week when something struck me as so funny that I couldn't stop laughing. I was afraid that I might get reported for walking in a public park while intoxicated but the only thing I was drinking was water.
The place where it hit me the hardest to the point of laughing out loud was right at the spot where I took the photograph above. If you look at the far right mid point of the photograph, you will see a wooden structure. Guess what would be positioned right there off of a hilly part of the path. Give up? Well let me show you below.
Yes indeed, if walking, jogging, bicycling, or running around the lake isn't ambitious enough for you, there is an area for push ups and a little factoid from a community hospital. Below is another shot of the hill taken from another stopping point which made me laugh almost as hard.What do you think you would want to do before heading up the hill or doing some push-ups?Did you guess? Of course you did, jumping jacks. What else would you want to do before starting up the hilly part of the lake trail.
I'm not sure why this struck me as so funny when in the past I haven't been as struck by the exercise options on the lake. Perhaps it was because I was doing my long walk which I haven't done in a while.
I was pleased that I could do my old 5 mile walk, starting from my house and ending at my house, but it was definitely a stretch for me.
There was something about encountering all these stations for doing additional exercises that totally cracked me up.You notice how there isn't exactly a long line to use these exercise stations either.
These geese were the only ones who seemed to be considering using the exercise spots.There were a few people fishing. Quite a few walkers, joggers and cyclists but not a soul taking advantage of the strategically placed exercise stations.
It's not even that I haven't done many of the exercises they have stations for. It's the idea of doing them out at the lake where the ducks will be laughing at me and my antics.
I am very pleased with how my latest effort towards regular exercise is going. Saturday, April 5 will be 30 days since I started my latest effort and so far I've only had one day per week when I haven't gotten any exercise. Can you see me patting myself on the back?Hopefully if I ever walk past someone doing push ups or jumping jacks along the trail, I'll be able to control myself and not burst out laughing.I remembered something else that also makes me laugh, although 20 years ago when it was happening I wasn't amused. There is a playground for children near the arts center which overlooks the lake. I used to take my daughter there for her play time and then I'd stroll her around the lake for my walking time. The exercise stations at the lake aren't designed for children but when she was a toddler and pre-schooler, she'd want to get out of her stroller and try the exercise stations when I was trying to walk. I assumed that she got her play time at the play ground but oh no, she had to check out the exercise stations. So not only are the stations under used by the adult population, they are one more thing that makes young children want their parents to stop walking so they can try them out.

16 comments:

escape said...

funny indeed. i've never seen signs like these in our parks here. it gave me a good idea to suggest it to some of the parks here. hehehe...

congratulations on your good effort in continuing your exercise.

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Nice views you've got at the lake near ur place.
I know what you mean by kids will be attracted to those exercise stations.

I've seen old ladies/men in parks of Seoul,Korea back hugging tree trunks and hitting their backs hard on it! Been the idiot, and thinking it's probably some kind of backache cure. I tried. Verdict? OOUCH!!
I found out later that they actually place towels inside their shirt. I truly felt idiotic..LOL

Glad you like my photoblog :)

Skippyheart said...

intoxicated from drinking just water...that's funny! :D

that lake is beautiful!

Have a wonderful week :)

eastcoastlife said...

*pats Carver on her back*

You have beautiful views when you take a walk or do exercises. Not in my country. There are many people using the exercise stations and everywhere it's a concrete jungle.

I love your home town.

Carver said...

Thanks "the dong", I appreciate your comment.

Thanks Napaboaniya, I would have wondered about that too (hitting backs on trees) and probably tried it without realizing I needed a towel.

Thanks Rebecca, I hope you have a good week too.

Thanks Eastcoastlife, The older I get the more I appreciate my hometown.

AscenderRisesAbove said...

thanks for the chuckle as i lifted my coffee cup; thinking of people doing jumping jacks at each of the stations.

i have a photo of a little spot we go walking sometimes and it has a bike path on it; it says bike speed "15 mph" and next to it there is a sign saying that it patrols the area by plane.

things that make you go hmmmmmm ;-)

http://ascenderrisesabove.com/wordpress/

Heart of Rachel said...

I'm glad you had a wonderful walk. Seeing those views must be very rewarding.

Amusing exercise signs. As if they want you to do additional warm up exercises before continuing the trail. :)

Carver said...

Hi Ascender, The signs about patrolling by air is hilarious. Just what you need to know when walking or bicycling.

Hi Heart of Rachael, It is nice to have pretty views when I walk and there is no danger that I'll stop and do jumping jacks, signs or no, ha.

Dee said...

Nice shots, as usual, and thanks for visiting my site today!

Yeah, the exercise signs are funny . . . I don't believe I've ever seen anyone using them and we have one or two of these kind of set-ups around here. Did people ever use them?

Anonymous said...

Great exercising effort, and such a lovely place to do it in. Don't think I would stop and use any of these exercise stops I would feel so self conscious, even if it was only the geese watching.

Leslie: said...

I started laughing out loud myself. It does seem rather strange to stop exercising (cardio) to do some other type. But then, what can you say about the powers that be????

This sure looks like a lovely place to take a walk, though! It's beautiful!

Carver said...

Hi Dee,

I don't think I've ever seen anyone using the exercise stations at this lake and they've been there for 20 years. People do use the the wooden blocks to stretch but not for the exercises they have listed. Little kids want to play on them but that's all I've seen. Granted there may be people using them when I'm not there but I've been walking and I used to jog, at this lake for over 20 years at different times.

Hi Vic, I'm the same way. Even if I wanted to use the exercise areas I'd be self conscious about it.

Hi Leslie, It is a pretty place to walk and I enjoy the side trails they have too that run along streams. You're also right about the powers that be. They probably have decided the exercise equipment is a good idea and don't really know that they aren't used much.

Jeanne said...

Carver--this is a funny post. I really enjoyed it.

We do have those exercise stations here in Seattle, at Green Lake, which is popular with walkers and joggers because the circle around the lake is just about three miles.

I remember my kids always wanting to play on them too, and sometimes annoying an adult who was trying to use the stations "properly" and do push-ups or whatever.

Great photos too. So sorry about the drought.

Jeanne

SabineM said...

Ok that is funny! nice photos!
ANd I say CONGRATULATIONS to doing so well on your exercise plan!

Carver said...

Thanks Sabine, I appreciate your support.

Carver said...

Thanks Jeanne, The walk around this lake is only a little over 2 miles although there are side trails and a connected greenway system that is 26 miles. When I say I walked 5 miles, that is from my door to the first trail, to the lake, around the lake, then back on the trail that goes almost to my house. The drought has been awful. We've had some rain this week but will need a lot more. That's interesting that the exercise stations at your lake are used. Not sure why these aren't used more.