One of the final frontiers of absolute misogyny has to be the car dealership. More specifically, the service department of any car dealership. There are even Tik Tok videos floating around the interwebs where girls call their dads/brothers/boyfriends to tell them how the service department charged them $100 for windshield washer fluid or to put air in the tires- and the people in their life believe them and blow a gasket. It is a true representation of how women are dealt with when dealing with a simple repair or service on their vehicle.
I have had an issue with one of my key fobs for months now- the car gave the notice saying the fob had a low battery. So I changed it. Went back to the car to drive, car is still pinging that the fob has a low battery. Ok, maybe I put in a bad battery. I went to the store about bought a brand new pack of batteries and changed it again. Same thing happened. I went through about 3 batteries when I realized it most likely was the fob and not the batteries. I put the fob in a drawer and used my other one, figuring maybe it was glitching and I would come back to it later. Well later was like 3 months when my second key fob read low battery. I decided to pull the other fob out and try an experiment. I put a new battery in the fob giving me problems and went to the car- still low battery. I then took that same new battery and put it in the second fob and went back to the car- no low battery warning. So it’s not the battery, it is definitely something with the fob. My husband, not wanting to pay the several hundred dollars it may cost to replace a fob, urges me to get the car over to the dealership while everything is still under warranty. This is at the end of October.
I call the dealership and due to the perfect storm of supply chain issues, slow shipping and people beginning to re-emerge from covid, find out that it will take a month to even get an appointment. Ok, that’s annoying but it is not an urgent matter so I don’t mind waiting. The girl on the phone scheduling the appointment assures me that it is probably an easy fix (“they probably just need to reprogram your fob”) and it might be something I could just drop by the dealership to get fixed if I don’t want to wait for my appointment. I never trust a ‘just drop by the dealership’ for anything diagnostic so I decided to just wait. I ended up having to change my appointment time once due to scheduling conflicts but finally went over to the dealership Tuesday morning. This is when things get interesting.
I bring the car in and am greeted at the service area by one of the techs who check in the cars. He asks why I am bringing the car in and I tell him it is because I believe one of my key fobs is faulty and may need to be reprogrammed or fixed in some way.
His response- ‘You know it can take up to five or six times for the fob to read a new battery’.
Ok.
I assure him that I have tested multiple batteries in the fob and used the fob in the car on multiple occasions, all resulting in the same ‘low battery’ warning. I told him I was told over the phone it might be an easy fix and we go inside to talk to my service rep about the problem. The guy I normally deal with was not there but they had me talk to another guy who was maybe between 40-55 years old. He had a shaved head so it was tough to gauge his age but I knew he wasn’t one of the super young guys. Here’s where it goes from interesting to absurd.
They have me stand and wait for him to finish on the phone. I’m not trying to listen to his conversation but he’s literally a foot away from me. He’s complaining to the person on the other end of the line about people not wanting to work, stuff he is fed up with, other various complaints. Now I am standing here, looking at my phone, doing my best to act like I can’t hear that he’s venting on the phone, one foot from a customer, while I wait to speak to him. I look up at one moment and he catches my glance- assures me it will just be another minute.
Ok.
He finally finishes on the phone and asks me to explain why I am dropping the vehicle off today. I explain to him that after much troubleshooting, I believe my key fob is faulty in some way as it keeps telling me it has a low battery. As if things hadn’t already been interesting, now it kicks into high level mansplaining. He looks at me and asks me where I bought the battery and if I brought the car to the dealership to have the battery changed. Excuse me? Who in their right mind would drive to the car dealership- it’s 20 minutes out of my way but even if it was close- to get the BATTERY IN A KEY FOB CHANGED???
I look at him, puzzled at the question and tell him no, there’s no way I would bring the car here to change a battery. Oh and I purchased the battery at a store, possibly Target, since he needed to know. I actually think I got it on Amazon but I had a feeling telling this guy I bought a battery on the internet might lead to additional mansplaining. He asks me if I am sure I put the battery in correctly and if I currently have a battery in the fob.
Sir, how could I have been able to tell you that the car is still giving me the low battery warning if there was no battery in the fob? Oh and yes I put the battery in correctly as I told you I took the battery out of the faulty fob, put it in my other fob to test that it wasn’t a faulty battery and my other fob currently works.
At this point I am starting to feel CRAZY. What is happening here?? He asks me again where I bought the battery, I repeat that I believe it was from Target. The next question- did you pop all of the batteries out of the pack and store them loose?
What?
No of course I didn’t pop out all of the batteries- I explained I had tried 3 different batteries, one I had and two from the new pack. One of those batteries from the new pack is currently in my other fob and working just fine. So no, I can assure you that I stored the batteries correctly. He decides he is going to get a battery from the service department (these are clearly special, dealership approved batteries SMH) so he knows that we are getting a manufacturer approved battery.
Seriously what is going on?
At this point he’s made multiple trips out to the car and back in to ask me these ridiculous questions and still getting the ‘low battery’ warning on the fob. So he tells me to go wait in the lounge area while he gets another one of their special magic batteries to test in the fob.
Folks, I am sure you know what happens next. After what seems like way too long to test out a battery, he comes and tells me yes, there is in fact something wrong with the key fob and it, along with my other fob, will need to be reprogrammed. Oh, and it’s going to take 3 DAYS. Luckily I had scheduled a loaner vehicle as I never trust these timelines but I was still seriously shocked they needed to have the car that long. The funniest part of this was the interaction once he told me that there was a problem with the fob. I looked right at him and said, ‘Ok, so I’m not crazy’. I definitely know he wasn’t expecting that comment but I also don’t think he knew what to do with it. He gave me a puzzled look, assured me that there was a fix for this and transferred me to the person handling the loaner cars. It’s not that he wasn’t a perfectly nice person but the third degree over a battery gave me a lot of pause. As I was driving home, the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got. I am fairly positive he would not have asked my husband if he knew how to properly store batteries or came to the dealership to have the battery changed- mostly because I know how my husband would answer. It’s not like I was trying to tell him how to rebuild the engine, it is a damn battery! Even if I was trying to explain how to rebuild the engine, who’s to say that I don’t know what I’m talking about? I am sure they get their fair share of individuals who come in having messed around with an issue only making it by far worse but all of this for a battery? Ugh we are almost at 2022 and still have such a long way to go.
My scheduling for posting got all screwed up because of the holiday last week so this post includes two classes from last week and two from this week (hence the ‘long weekend’ title). The weekend was by far busier than I had expected which played a significant role in which workouts I chose. I had finished up my points for the last week of the challenge by Friday which left me with some additional flexibility. The workouts here are all longer rides- classes if you want a slightly longer workout but have no desire to stack. I often will chose a 45 minute ride over two 20 minute ones because that transition from workout one to two can be a huge mental hurdle for me. When the instructor says it’s time to cool down, my body starts checking out. Every single one of these classes are so good, all from instructors that I love. Let’s not waste anymore time, here are the rides for the end of last/beginning of this week-
Friday-
I’ve had my eye on this 45 min 90s Ride for a while but between my own schedule and the playlist for the challenge, it kept getting pushed back. I waited around to try to take Hannah Frankson’s live class from that morning (just a little too lazy to get myself on the bike at 8am) but when that wasn’t showing up on demand, I decided to finally do this 90s Ride. You guys, Emma never disappoints with these 90s Rides; it does not matter what type of music she is playing, the playlists are always so fantastic. I cannot imagine the time it takes her to comb back through that entire decade and continue to come up with these epic musical masterpieces. I lived through the 90s and never think much about the music of that era; in my mind it’s either grunge/Seattle bands, Boyz II Men or maybe some Dave Matthews. The boy bands and Britney came about in the late 90s but I always think of that music as more early 2000s. When Emma puts together these lists I’m always pleasantly surprised at the musical choices and enjoy all of it. The relatability with her in these 90s rides is off the charts; I am well aware that she is younger than me (not by a ton but still younger) yet she makes you feel like she felt the real time angst and emotions from these tracks in real time. I find myself thinking how it can be possible that I am relating to her about some of these things when I know she was born in the late 80s. That’s the power of music- it connects with people in whatever way they need, at any time the need it. She starts class with a four minute flat road warmup and then wastes no time jumping in to interval work for the second track. She programs a fairly challenging roadmap for this ride; I know I’ve said before, these 45 minute 90s rides have a way of morphing into HIIT and Hills. There are a total of 5 climbs and 4 interval tracks in this ride (kind of like HIIT and Hills…). In final working track she takes a hill and weaves in some speed efforts- just in case you had anything left in the tank. The workout here is challenging and at times the metrics can be pretty aggressive. I think there is some room to modify; there are two programmed recoveries during class to bring down the heart rate and resistance can be pulled back. Modifying will not make this ride any less difficult- the class is designed to be a high intensity workout. I know Emma programs a HIIT and Hills in disguise, but that never stops me from taking these rides. My brain will even say ‘oh it’s a music ride’ when I fully know it is going to be a beast. These workouts have become some of my favorite on the platform- you are guaranteed an awesome playlist and gritty workout. I like Emma’s teaching style; she’s low key while absolutely putting you through the wringer. I don’t always need someone who instructs at a 10 to get me to push at a 10 (if that makes sense). If you are ready to get to work while enjoying some awesome 90s music, look no further than this ride. Emma hits the ground running and does not let up until the cool down- make sure to pace yourself even when the music starts getting you hyped up. You will thank me!
Saturday-
I missed this class live on Friday and tried to wait for it to come to the on demand menu but when it wasn’t there by almost noon EST, I had to push it to Saturday. I am not sure how the Heat It Up theme relates to gratitude week at Peloton but regardless, this ride is fantastic. It is no secret that I am a Hannah Frankson fan; she has the right combination of humor, spice and grit that make for a consistently entertaining and difficult workout. She also has a knack for knowing the right time to talk, hype, and story tell and when to back off. As much as I appreciate all of the instructors’ encouragement, there are times when less is more. In this 45 minute ride, Hannah designs a tough, well balanced workout with a little something for everyone set to a fun, sort of random but really good, playlist. There are cadence pushes, jogs, HIIT, and varied climbs (heavy, progressive, moderate). Class starts with a 7 minute, 2 track warmup; the first is to get the legs moving and the second track brings in some shorter cadence pushes. She breaks the class into 3 blocks of work (moderate, hard and proud) with the middle block being the most difficult. At the conclusion of each block she programs a designated recovery. This is a challenging, high energy workout. She asks a lot from the rider and programs a ton of working elements in these 45 minutes. I think there is room here to modify; the metric ranges are generous and could be expanded to further meet the rider’s needs. A lot of the work is done in intervals so there are no multi-minute or excessively long efforts. The rider should expect to ramp up within the first ten or so minutes of class and stay at a higher intensity level until the cool down. Modifying can make this ride more accessible but it definitely won’t make it any easier. I think the point of Heat It Up might be to get us all moving after Thanksgiving (that’s just my guess). I know we are not supposed to use exercise to justify eating/drinking or food as a reward for exercise- you want to move your body to keep it healthy. I don’t think any of us can honestly say there aren’t times when having done some form of exercise before a big, fun meal (and having another workout planned for the following day) just makes us feel better. A little control over negative thoughts or feelings can go a long way! Overall I think if you are looking for a workout that’s going to push you slightly outside your comfort zone but not all the way into Metal Ride/yellow clothing territory, this would be an awesome pick. Hannah has a way of entertaining the rider that makes the workout feel a little less like work.
Sunday-
60 minute Bike Bootcamps can be a lot- there’s carving out the hour to do the workout plus these classes often leave me pretty spent. I saw this class was dropping on Friday afternoon and was intrigued because Cody does not usually teach the hour long bootcamps. I wanted to take it live because I had the time (yay to a week with no schedule) but then, like always, I got wrapped up in something else and forgot. I actually remembered when I went to get on the bike Friday at quarter to twelve. Saturday I couldn’t make it happen but finally got around to taking it on Sunday. You guys, this is going to sound crazy, but this workout is a ton of fun. This is Cody’s first live class back in the NYC studios after 2 months at Dancing with the Stars and it was like reconnecting with an old friend. Cody’s definitely gotten some rest, had his macaroni and cheese (it better have some Gruyère) and was ready to teach the children all about the dos and don’ts of Thanksgiving. Well, mostly about Thanksgiving leftovers to coincide with the Heat it Up theme. I am not sure what the Heat it Up theme is supposed to entail, but it somehow works in with Gratitude week at Peloton.
Unlike Jess Sims, Cody breaks a 60 minute bootcamp into 4 blocks- bike/floor/bike/floor with approximately 15 minutes per block (give or take, there’s transition time in there as well). A 60 minute workout can be a daunting task but I found this to be a very manageable class; you push hard for 15ish minutes and then get the next 15 to bring the heart rate down while lifting weights. He starts the class with a two track, 7 minute warmup; the first track is a fast flat road and the second incorporates some jog intervals out of the saddle. As a whole the class focuses more on resistance than cadence work. There are some speed pushes but often in conjunction with resistance. Most of the cycling work is done in intervals so you are spared long, multi-minute efforts. I found there was time between intervals to back off and let the heart come down as well as a designated 1 minute recovery about 3/4’s through the first block. He starts the second cycling block with a short 2 minute flat recovery/re-warmup to ease the rider back into higher intensity work. After that short warmup, he jumps into the second cycling block made up of speed, resistance and output intervals. If you’ve done a bootcamp with Cody before, you know that he tends to keep the floor exercises simple and straightforward. The moves and circuits are not overly complex- there are no EMOM’s or AMRAP’s in this class. These classes work really well if you are newer to bootcamp or easing back into weight training. Bringing it back to basics is the way to go sometimes! The first weights block focuses on upper body and core- think biceps curls, Arnold press, tricep kick backs, etc. He hits the core pretty hard in the second half of the first block so be ready. He targets the lower body and core again in the second weights block; the core work in this block is not nearly as tough as it is in the first. Overall he gives the rider a full body weight workout coupled with some solid cardio. I thought this class could work for a lot of different fitness types; the high intensity work is broken into smaller chunks to elevate the heart rate and get nice and sweaty. I did not find myself overly gassed at the end of either cardio portion. You could easily pull back on resistance and to make the cycling blocks more moderate or low intensity. Cody encourages modifications throughout- if lifting weights is not your thing, he tells the rider to make the mat work a bodyweight workout. There is a ton of flexibility here to customize this workout to your own abilities. Yes it might be 60 minutes but it does not feel like a hardcore hour long workout.
The Gratitude/Heat it Up theme allowed for Cody to bring all of the Thanksgiving opinions and I am here for each and every one of them. He is so SO funny- funnier than he has been in weeks. The Cody you see on the bike for this bootcamp is the one that we all know and love, not the one who is in the presser cooker of dealing with covid, training for DWTS and running to tape classes at a showroom in LA. He had me literally laughing out loud when discussing the trials and tribulations of reheating mashed potatoes. I say that and it sounds totally absurd; these are the things that people outside the Peloton community just don’t understand. We showed up for him each week because he makes us happy and brings laughter to our lives. It is so much more than just a workout.
Monday-
I was excited to see Kendall back on the bike for this 45 minute ride. I know she’s been fighting a cold over the last couple weeks with the weather change here on the east coast. I feel for her as a semi-recent transplant from the west coast; I’ve lived on the east coast my entire life and I still lose my voice/get a cough when the weather goes from hot to cold. I recently told you all my story about coughing because something spicy went down the wrong pipe- people have no time for any coughing nonsense. We were on the airplane back in October and the man across the aisle coughed; my first instincts were to bathe my daughter and I in hand sanitizer. I’m happy to see that Kendall’s cold seems to have passed and she is gassed up and ready to get back to work. As usual, I had no motivation to workout before 10 and missed this class live on Sunday morning. It worked out perfectly to do this class on Monday as I had already mentally committed to taking Cody’s 60 minute Bike Bootcamp Sunday morning. Kendall did not disappoint in this 45 minute Pop Ride; the class is challenging but not Metal Ride challenging with some good vibes in the mix. I described this ride on IG as the exercise equivalent of putting on your own mask before assisting others. Kendall wants us all to reach inwards to protect and nurture our own mental, physical and spiritual health. The playlist is full of feel good, uplifting tracks- some a little more emotional than others. Is anyone else unable to get through “Fix You” by Coldplay without getting choked up or feeling the immediate need to cry? I don’t know what it is about that song- and I am not a huge Coldplay fan- but it does it to me every single time. It’s funny that the two songs that probably get me the most emotional, “Fix You” and “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, are both by artists that I have little to no interest in (I’m sure some Swiftie out there just grabbed their pearls, but it’s a no for me, dog). She does play “Believe” by Cher- if you haven’t heard her talk about her mom and this song, you need to dig around and find this story. It’s a solid parenting moment.
Class starts with an 8 minute, 2 part warmup; the first part starts with a flat road and slowly adds resistance while keeping cadence. The second half are moderate jog/climb intervals out of the saddle. Kendall programs a relatively well rounded workout in this class but definitely leans more heavily on resistance rather than cadence work. There are some true spin ups toward the end of class but most of the other speed pushes are in conjunction with resistance. She alternates between jogging and climbing for most of the class with the exception of a recovery at about the halfway point and an arms track towards the end. Kendall religiously programs a tough workout- I never come to her classes expecting an easy or low impact workout (unless the class is low impact). That being said, I think the rider could modify some to make this ride more accessible. The metrics are pretty generous and those climbs could easily be done in the saddle. There are two opportunities within the workout to allow the heart rate to come down; one could even stop pedaling altogether in the arms track. It’s a challenging workout with a lot of depth- there were times when I got lost in what she was saying and the music and let my mind go on autopilot. We all know by now that I am a huge Kendall fan- these are the rides that remind the rider why we keep coming back time after time. Her energy and spirit go beyond the bike to create a class plan that works the body and the soul. It sounds silly to need a reminder to love and care for ourselves, but way too often we put our own needs last. Taking care of yourself is not selfish!! I really enjoyed this ride and think it is the perfect combination of grit and gratitude.
That is all for me! There is no challenge for the month of December (the group plans to start back up in January) for the holidays. I have really enjoyed being part of the group- more than I thought I would- and it has inspired me to continue to incorporate more variety in my daily workouts. We are officially on the three week countdown to winter break which means things will most likely be crazy the entire time. My daughter has her first cheerleading competition next weekend; I do not know what to expect but I know it is a lot of hurry up and wait. I am sure I will have plenty of takeaways and opinions!!
I will see you back here later this week to round up more of my classes as well post the list of November’s favorite workouts! Have a great week!