Fifty Plus (50+) - Riding with jppe

We all know that jppe is the beast of 50+ with a string of killer centuries to his credit including the Assault on Mt. Mitchell this last Monday which he rode in some ridiculous time. Anyway, as luck would have it, I am in the Charlotte area visiting my kids and granddaughter and jppe and I were able to hook up for a ride. I figured that the 50+er's could be interested in what sort of rider this legend of the over 50 crowd is......

Well, he is one really nice guy. On our 45 mile ride, he did not run off and hide (which he obviously could have) and we did it in a little under three hours are an average of 16 mph. Since he did the entire Mt Mitchell at 15.8, I imagine that he could have done this ride at much higher speed but took pity on this old man.

The route was on beautiful roads east of Charlotte through Midland (where we took a break to have our Lance Peanut Butter crackers) and past Reed's Gold Mine. Speaking of Lance, we got held up at a bridge repair with a Lance delivery truck, and jppe got some photos of our snacks and the truck while we waited. I'm sure he will post later. Fabulous weather, beautiful roads and wonderful riding companion....what more could you ask???

<tch,tch>

Two handsome men in Lycra out ridin' around in the greater VegaVixen area, and no one called me to join. :(

Nice ride report, and jppe does a great job around here for cycling, especially with regard to the smooth operation of the time trial series. <appreciative curtsy and gracious nod of head>

Just goes to show, that age has no limits.

By George, you are right! :)

TLC summed things up very nicely. It was just a glorious morning to be out on the roads........even if the legs and knee were still feeling Monday a bit. TLC and I had a terrific go of it on the rural roads around Charlotte, NC. I do not have the priviledge of riding during the day very much and I was very surprised at how light the traffic was. I guess I'm just going to need to change my work schedule to start later in the day so I can take advantage of getting out more in the mornings. Customers can wait!!

TLC is a true gentleman and a terrific riding companion. For someone who has not been back riding too terribly long he gets on down the road with ease. Many of you would be very envious of his beautiful bike as well.

My favorite photo is of TLC and the Lance truck. TLC and I both were carrying the same type of Lance crackers for cycling food so we thought it only appropriate to get a photo of the "Sag" wagon!! I'm going to send the story in to the Lance folks and see if we can get a little more mileage out of it.

Great pics and nice ride report, jppe! You're right, that's a sweet LeMond. THough TLC and I have a Garmin in common, he clearly has a much nicer bike. :)

Hope you get lots of Lance goodies! :D

Just proves that not only is jppe a better biker than I am, but a better photographer, too.;)

TLC, your pics are better at showing the grades you were riding. That third pic gives me the willies! :eek:

<tch,tch>

Two handsome men in Lycra out ridin' around in the greater VegaVixen area, and no one called me to join. :(

Nice ride report, and jppe does a great job around here for cycling, especially with regard to the smooth operation of the time trial series. <appreciative curtsy and gracious nod of head>

OMG if we had only known.......

Way-ul. Now you do. :)

nice ride report TLC and jppe! Glad you guys were able to get together for a ride. I'm hoping to meet a bunch of BFers for the first time in August at the CB Tour, if not sooner.

Were you fellers out near Davidson by any chance? I'm an alumnus from the early 70's. Last time I passed through the area I hardly recognized it.

Thanks for the pics and ride reports from both of you. I think it's great that some of the BF'rs are able to get together for a ride. I hope to do the same sometime this year.

Beverly, isn't there a century in Ohio in September? If so, I'm sore tempted to try it. :eek:

[Did I just say that out loud?!]

Beverly, isn't there a century in Ohio in September? If so, I'm sore tempted to try it. :eek:

[Did I just say that out loud?!]

Yep! There are quite a few centuries in September. One of the most popular is the Hancock Horizontal Hundred in Findlay. It's on of the flattest routes around. You just hope and pray there isn't much wind that day:eek:

Here's a link to most of them.

http://www.ohiocycling.info/OBEC.html#Anchor-Septembe-63194

Thanks, Beverly! When I first came on BF in November, Chipcom was tryin' to get me interested in doing that very century, and I could not believe at that time that I could ever be ready. But maybe I will be. :)

Thread hijack over. You may resume the thread already in progress. :p

Were you fellers out near Davidson by any chance? I'm an alumnus from the early 70's. Last time I passed through the area I hardly recognized it.

I think that is up north near Lake Norman and we were east of Charlotte near 85 and 485

Thanks, Beverly! When I first came on BF in November, Chipcom was tryin' to get me interested in doing that very century, and I could not believe at that time that I could ever be ready. But maybe I will be. :)

Thread hijack over. You may resume the thread already in progress. :p

Not ready to resume regular programming quite yet:) If you decide to do it be sure to let us know. Some members of the group I ride with usually does this century.

I think that is up north near Lake Norman and we were east of Charlotte near 85 and 485
Once again. You fellers were in my neck of the woods. I live in the university area. And you just ignored me. :(

:cry:



Beverly, I'll check out the site, and give it some thought. I'll be sure to let you know if I decide to do it. Always better to undertake something like that among friends. :)

Many of you would be very envious of his beautiful bike as well.

Is the Lemond the new carbon frame with the "min/max" technology? How does it ride?

Is the Lemond the new carbon frame with the "min/max" technology? How does it ride?

It is indeed a min/max.......and it's okay:rolleyes: actually, it is fabulous; I keep looking for hidden motors in the hubs that make it climb so well......smooth on the butt, too.

VV, have you thought about doing the Lancaster CB Tour? BDG, Chipcom, and a bunch of others are doing it (thread's in the NE Regional Forum). It's a scenic metric, and if you like covered bridges, this one's for you. Beverly- are you doing this as well?

Considering it, MTBL. But it might be a bit much for me, doing both a century and a metric century practically back-to-back: so much long riding, so much travel, and then I still need to go to Vienna at some point. Plus, I don't want to miss any local time trials. I'll know more in a month or so. :o

Cool, VV- whatever you decide, it sounds like you have a lot of good stuff in the queue.

Holy crap after seeing a pic of JPPE's legs I'm starting to understand how his freakish performances are done!

Were you fellers out near Davidson by any chance? I'm an alumnus from the early 70's. Last time I passed through the area I hardly recognized it.


I ride those roads up around Davidson a lot and the area is continuing to change very quickly. The students seem to be stuck in the early 70's though!!! There are still a lot of terrific roads to ride on up that way though. We do centurys every Saturday in December out of Davidson if you are ever are down this way and would like a long ride on a pretty cool day........You can experience blackberry cobbler at 65 miles.

Our route yesterday started in Harrisburg and looped southeast through Midland. We must have crossed a RR track 5-6 times..........

Sorry for not getting you out there VV!! Next time for sure.

:)

VV, have you thought about doing the Lancaster CB Tour? BDG, Chipcom, and a bunch of others are doing it (thread's in the NE Regional Forum). It's a scenic metric, and if you like covered bridges, this one's for you. Beverly- are you doing this as well?

I'm not sure I'll be doing the Hancock ride. I'll be in PA the weekend after the CB Tour to do the Livestrong Challenge ride. The CB tour sounds like a great ride - I'll have to keep it in mind for next year.