Magic

13 women in a dark, hot, cramped room for 60 minutes. This is a description of one of my favorite places and times: spinning class. No, this does not refer to a group of people spinning in place for an hour....To the uninitiated, class members sit on stationary bikes, led by an instructor. The class is dominated by pounding music and shouted encouragements....or insults, depending on the individual in the lead bike. In my case,I was lucky. Laura was equal parts "you ladies are lookin' good" and "don't cheat yourself...I'm watching you!" Just when I got to point where I didn't have anything left, she'd look at me and sing along with music:"Clowns to the left, jokers to the right." It was just enough to give me the pick up I needed.

The perfect spinning class is equal parts motivation, camaraderie, instructor and music. I had all of the above for one hour, three times a week. For that hour, I could let go of everything while singing along with Aretha Franklin or Queen. No matter how much my body screamed in pain and protest, every sweat-drenched minute of that class was sweet. I have said it more than once: if I could package the feeling I had after spinning class, I'd be a very rich woman.

Unfortunately, I am no longer a part of that class due to a move. I have yet to attempt finding a replacement. Let me illustrate why this is such a task: at the end of every class Laura would always play a cool-down song, to help us come back to reality. On my last night with them, Laura looks at me perched on my bike and says: "this one is for you." Twelve pairs of hands clapped as Tina sang "Simply the Best." How else could such a moment be described, except as magic?