Anti-Gym? Go to the Gym...or Not

So my wife and I had a day pass at the gym and we went and had fun together but... we also talked about how it's a rip-off.  Before I start tearing into gyms and why I don't like them, I must say that for some people I'm sure gyms are very important.  I can see that a gym is what is needed to get some people to workout.  The classes that are held can be fun and inspiring.  You are also given access to many different  machines that you probably otherwise not use.  That said, you probably don't need access to all of the machines that gyms possess.  Infact the only thing that that would be nice to have at home are the free weights.  If you live in colder climates the pools would also be nice (even though there's always an air of filthiness in gym pools - maybe it's just me since I grew up never swimming in a public or gym pool).  The thing that gets me most is the bike trainers and the treadmills.  Yes they have their pluses i.e. they are inside if it's cold, but would you really rather run here-

instead of here?

Or if you want to hop on a bike to workout do you want to drive to the gym to sit on a bike in a room (when you could do that at home pretty easily and with no monthly fee)? 

or would you like to spin on through an area like this?

 Maybe you don't have all of the trees and greenery around, but I argue that if you go to the gym to spin, your scenery is not very likely to change much.  Alright I've had enough. I can't bicker long.  Maybe some other time.  The point is you can run pretty much anywhere and the same goes for cycling.  Weather isn't really the issue. In fact it might fulfill a childhood dream to go and run in the rain.