Training for the bike...without a bike

[scrooge]

I'll be leaving soon for a month trip to Nicaragua with the family and won't be taking the bike. Since I'm 6' 8", it seems my odds of finding something rideable there are slim. I'd like to stay in shape since I have a three week bike charity ride from LA to Colorado Springs starting the end of June (I'm on sabbatical-this counts as "renewal" time). Any suggestions of exercises I can do with limited equipment to keep from losing too much ground?

[ned]

Anything cardio. If your body is ok with running, that's the most efficient (time, equipment) way to get the heart rate up. Not a bad time to work on core stability, stretching, and those holistic bits we ignore when addicted to the bike. But keeping cardio fitness is your priority (second to enjoying a vacation with the family).

[christian]

Run stairs. 2 at a time - that's the approximate rise of a set of cranks. When you're tired of that, run.

And do the basic exercises:
Push ups
Inverted rows (can use the edge of a table)
Pull ups
OH press
Find a bucket, fill it with something and do some OH squats too.

[vertical_doug]

With your 6'8 wingspan, you should find the local pickup game of futbol and be a goalie. You'll make friends.

If you visit the hill country, find some trails and run. The vert will give you power and descending is a tough quad workout.
You might consider throwing in a small plyometric routine 2x a week. It helps the range of motion, shocks the muscles and develops some snap for sprinting.

The best thing is after a month of travel away from the bike, psychologically you'll be refreshed and dying to hammer the pedals.