Treadmill adventures, part 1

OK, we did it. We got a treadmill (see photo above, in our car). I found it on Craig's list; it was a little less than 1/2 the retail price and the people that had it had only had it for 6 months and had used it maybe 20 times. They have to move and because they pay by the pound to move stuff, it wasn't worth it to them to move an inexpensive treadmill. Yes, I decided to get a lower-end model, because I probably won't use it heavily (I prefer to be outside if at all possible, and even in the winter I can usually be outside), and Loren won't either. He plans to walk on it at a brisk pace, but doesn't really care to run or racewalk. So, this way, we can see if we like having one, and if we do, and if this one doesn't last more than a few years, then we will upgrade to a better one. And if we don't use it much, well, then we didn't spend a lot of $ on it.

The adventure so far was going to get it. It is snowing here now, and the roads are OK in the valley, but this treadmill was in Suncrest, in Draper. That's 1000 feet or so higher than our house, up a curvy road, in the fog, and the snow. Yup, fog - it is not foggy down here, but it was nasty up there. I was pretty petrified driving up there, even though I do have 4-wheel drive. I got there just fine, thankfully. I was able to try out the treadmill and my knee was OK for the short time it took to rev it up to 6 mph and put it through its paces. For a lower-end treadmill, it was not too bad - the belt is pretty wide (20") which is great, and it seemed to take the racewalking motion decently; it shook a little, but not bad. Loading the treadmill in the car was surprisingly easy. It folds, and I folded one of the rear seats down so it would fit sideways. Michelle could still sit in the back next to the treadmill, and Calvin moved up to the front seat. Our car has a sensor which turns off the airbag for the front passenger if it's a child; it's still not optimal, but it will do in a pinch. I didn't have a sitter, and NO WAY was I going to drive back up there tonight with Loren with the weather the way it is, so we went with it. Anyway, the guy who sold it to me was very nice and we were able to pull my car up behind his house and load it in from his basement patio door. Together it was no problem to lift it into my car, though I have to say I'm glad I've been weight training, as it weighs 176 lb.

I drove home w/o incident (though I did go very very slowly down the hill from Suncrest), and now the treadmill is still in the car, waiting for Loren to get home so we can get it into the house. That's why this post is labeled part 1 - because part 2 is to follow when we get it inside.