Southeast - Jschen's visit to N.C. Dec 27-31

HEY! Fellow BF member Jschen (Jason) is coming to ride in NC this Dec. 27-31. Plans are for him to visit the mountains in the Sylva, NC area from the 27-29, then head down to Charlotte till he leaves on New Year's Day. So, those interested in riding with him should check in here between now and then.

All rides are weather depending, but I hope we have decent enough days that some good mountain rides can be done. The idea is to ride each day in the mountains at an easy to moderate winter endurance, off season pace, but get in some climbs and distance. I have several rides in mind ranging from 40 to 80 miles with up to 8000' of gain, but again the weather will decide and decisions will be made close to the time of the visit. If that sounds like fun, chime in.

I will leave the Charlotte part of the trip to those in that area. Plans will become more clear as the time approaches.

Yeah!

I'm in! :D

Heh. You know I'm in! Guess I better see what the Holiday Inn has available.....

HEY! Fellow BF member Jschen (Jason) is coming to ride in NC this Dec. 27-31. Plans are for him to visit the mountains in the Sylva, NC area from the 27-29, then head down to Charlotte till he leaves on New Year's Day. So, those interested in riding with him should check in here between now and then.

All rides are weather depending, but I hope we have decent enough days that some good mountain rides can be done. The idea is to ride each day in the mountains at an easy to moderate winter endurance, off season pace, but get in some climbs and distance. I have several rides in mind ranging from 40 to 80 miles with up to 8000' of Pain, but again the weather will decide and decisions will be made close to the time of the visit. If that sounds like fun, chime in.
I will leave the Charlotte part of the trip to those in that area. Plans will become more clear as the time approaches.

Yeah!



Fixed it.

:D

You must ... treat him right <evil laugh>

Burr.

jschen, you do realize that some parts of the United States get cold during December, right?

Let me know when he gets to Charlotte.

Burr.

jschen, you do realize that some parts of the United States get cold during December, right?

I gave Jason the stats, ave temps and what we have seen the past few years. The valley to the South of Sylva around Franklin is usually about 4 degrees warmer than here and we are a few degrees warmer than Asheville. So on ave the highs are around the low 50s, but in the recent past have been in the 60s.

Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

We will take it as it comes. Remember, Jason lived in Boston for a few years so he knows real cold. I expect we won't ride to 6000' but there are many climbs around here that top out at 4k and I have ridden them in the winter. Just hope we have dry sunny weather and then we can manage whatever temps we get.

Low 50's for highs isn't too terrible. As long as it's above freezing, I'll deal just fine. Looking forward to the trip. :)

OK. I was envisioning a high-elevation, low-wind-chill-temperature affair.

Looking back, December 18, 2006, was actually warmer here than it was today. So decent weather is possible. Then again, it might be snowing.

Anyway, I may interested in joining if it's tolerable.

Count me in.

I may have family in town that week, but will do my best to join in the fun!

CM, ya need to try and join us...I dont know if I can keep these guys inline by myself:D.

Believe me, I will try if I can. It just depends on the whole family visiting time. I don't have definite dates yet from the Procrastinators, so it will probably be last minute before I can decide anything.

Yay! Mentioned the ride to the SU this evening...I haz permissionz to attend the ride 12/27-12/29!!! :D

Yay! Mentioned the ride to the SU this evening...I haz permissionz to attend the ride 12/27-12/29!!! :D

Glad to hear you are not a kept woman. :p

Glad to hear you are not a kept woman. :p

not i. now i just need to get up there on the 26th so i dont have to get up at 4am to drive up there.

Yay! Mentioned the ride to the SU this evening...I haz permissionz to attend the ride 12/27-12/29!!! :D

Yay!

I was so out of shape for yesterday's ride. :( I really need to get back in better shape by next month, or else I may need a tow rope, even on the flatter ride in CLT.

Hey, no sweat. I did one of the climbs out of the valley yesterday and it hurt. But it's Nov. so no big deal. Come as you are and we'll do what we can. Remember, we don't have to race around, just ride a nice pace and take in the sites. Besides, you're 28! so how bad can it be? :p

I'm all up for nice pace, convo ride, taking in the sights...

Are you planning on riding the 27, 28 and 29? Just trying to decide which day to come up.

Yes, Jason will arrive up here on the 26th. We will ride the next 3 days. What we ride really depends on the weather each day. As you know it can be highly variable that time of year. Regardless we won't be starting the rides very early so that it can have a chance to warm up. Besides, Jason will be on PST and might want to sleep in. So it will be possible to drive up the morning of the day you want to ride. It's about 3:15 up here from WS. As we get closer to the end of Dec. we'll know more about where we might ride.

I hope we can get in at least one good climbing ride but it's easy to rack up the elevation even around in the valleys.

just start the ride on the 27th late enough so i have time to get up there. remember, i have to drive from clayton to sylva on the morning of the 27th.

Bump.

23 days till Jason gets here.

This is one ride I hate to miss but, prior plans have me elsewhere over the holidays. Hope you'll have decent weather and strong legs. Seems like the cooler weather we have been having would be near ideal for climbing in and around the mountains. Hope it stays the course for you folks.

I'll be coming up the morning of the 28 and do the friday ride and stay friday night and do the saturday ride. Does anyone have any suggestions on hotels? Hope the weather holds out for us.

i'm stayin in the best western river escape (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=34143) in dillsboro thurs/fri night. there's also the holiday inn express (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/dsbnc?firstpoint=dcb1&_requestid=172653&_requestid=172656). i stayed at the HI last time i was up there, it's pretty nice.

What are expectations regarding how long a ride you would do if there's a day of decent weather (mid-40s+)?

Since the plan is to ride at a relaxed pace, and in talking with Jason, we would like to ride about 4 hours each day if possible. Depending on the amount of climbing that could mean anywhere from 45 to 70 miles. Likely to be on the lower end of that. There are a couple of climbing rides I hope we get to do but the weather will decide our fate. Jason is used to the mountains so hopefully we can all keep up.

One more thing. I doubt we would start riding before 11am. That will give it time to warm up some and for Jason to wake up, since he is coming from PST. So riders close to the area, Velo Vol and Modovincere can make a day trip if need be.

Yes, if the weather cooperates I might cruise over for the day for a more-challenging ride. I haven't been in the mountains since the September spectacular.

In anticipation of this trip, I started my long journey toward getting back in shape today with a short trainer ride. Just ten minutes, with two short hard efforts (hard by my current standards, really not that hard) thrown in that nearly made me puke. I'm really out of shape right now, but hope to be in very good shape in time for my upcoming trip.

Oh my. You almost puked over a 10 minute ride?

You must have an incredible get-in-shape-in-three-weeks plan.

Yes, my secret get-in-shape plan is called being 28 years old. :) Being 26-27 years old allowed me in the past on a few occasions to go from totally out of shape to back in form in about a week.

Alas, I'm a bit too old for that plan. :rolleyes:

Methinks you must define "totally out of shape" a bit more loosely than most people do. ;)

No, I'm definitely totally out of shape. I almost puked on a 10 minute spin on the trainer! That's bad.

::: poking head in :::

You NC'ers take good care of my little love monkey Jason!
:love:

::: turns around and runs back to SoCal :::

don't run away, Happytime! stay and visit. take yer shoes off and stay a while!

::: poking head in :::

You NC'ers take good care of my little love monkey Jason!
:love:

::: turns around and runs back to SoCal :::

We'll send him back as a man. After climbing here, there will be nothing he will fear.

Lol

Any news of the routes yet and do we know how many people are coming
for sure?

Any news of the routes yet and do we know how many people are coming
for sure?

The people that have committed are Jschen, Wolfpack, BikeWNC (Dec. 27-29) and roadrider (28, 29). Possible additions are Velo Vol and Modovincere. I think CycleMagic is on the fence and may join Jason in Charlotte. Have I forgotten anyone?

I'll have a better idea what routes we might ride as the time gets closer. Once we know the weather I can plan accordingly. It was 75 degrees here yesterday. Up on the BRP it was breezy and in the upper 40s. We may or may not get to ride up there. I'm pretty sure the Thursday ride will be around the Franklin valley. There are multiple options for rides as long as we can stand. There is plenty of climbing available too so don't let "valley" make you think it is flat. Friday, I would like to do more of a climbing ride. Sat. we can take a group consensus and decide.

Roadrider, is a climbing ride OK with you? I don't know your comfort zone but it would be good to let us know what rides are good for you.

I think ride(s) in Charlotte on Dec 30 and/or 31 are still up in the air. I'm up for anything.

Getting back in shape has been derailed a bit by work, but a flat-ish century ride (3000-4000 ft vertical, which is about as flat as SoCal centuries get) this Sunday should whip me back into a base level of fitness.

I think ride(s) in Charlotte on Dec 30 and/or 31 are still up in the air. I'm up for anything.

Getting back in shape has been derailed a bit by work, but a flat-ish century ride (3000-4000 ft vertical, which is about as flat as SoCal centuries get) this Sunday should whip me back into a base level of fitness.

Jason, if things don't work out down in CLT and you want to stay up here in the mountains on the 29th and 30th that is fine. As long as the weather is OK we can ride. You will probably need to be in CLT for sure on the 31st so you can be at the airport early the next day.

I think ride(s) in Charlotte on Dec 30 and/or 31 are still up in the air. I'm up for anything.

Getting back in shape has been derailed a bit by work, but a flat-ish century ride (3000-4000 ft vertical, which is about as flat as SoCal centuries get) this Sunday should whip me back into a base level of fitness.

Your room is still reserved at Hôtel VV for the nights of December 29, 30 and 31, Jason. :)

And there's definitely going to be a ride on 12/30 (Sunday). There are two possibilities so far, each of which will provide a 50- to 55-mile ride, and each of which has a 30-mile option. One of these rides also has a 22-mile option (this one also has a 70-mile option for the die-hard four-hour mountain contingent). Having routes with distance options works out nicely since not everyone who might like to participate has the conditioning to ride 50+ miles (there are some relative newcomers in the CLT thread who might like to ride). Besides, you may just want a short 50-miler in the flatlands after BikeWNC punishes you with the two-hours of climbing per ride. :eek: :p

Anyway, I'm going to gauge interest from BF/Foo members in the greater CLT area this week as to who is interested, and then try to set the ride in the relative geographic center. I figure the location of the actual route won't much matter to anyone coming in from further out. I know already that substructure is interested, and CM was interested earlier. So am I, and likely polara and, yes, eboo. :)

As far as a ride on 12/31, that's probably easy enough to throw together, though we must be mindful that there may already be some early celebrants out on the roads (sorry -- daughter of a retired NC Highway Patrolman, and I've seen the pics from NY's Eve accident scenes, including those occurring in daylight). Still, not hard to gauge interest, and to get up at least a small group of three-five, I'd think.

As far as New Year's Eve, I may be staying up a little later than I'd originally planned. :D

Jason, if things don't work out down in CLT and you want to stay up here in the mountains on the 29th and 30th that is fine. As long as the weather is OK we can ride. You will probably need to be in CLT for sure on the 31st so you can be at the airport early the next day.

Though I've not heard anything to the contrary since I offered Jason a room here in my home and at least one BF/Foo ride in the greater CLT area, if he wishes to stay up there and ride with you, that's his choice as this is his vacation. But he's more than welcome in my home, and we will have a ride on 12/30 at the least. I just thought he might want to see some of the Charlotte area as well while here, perhaps on 12/31.... :)

Sorry I've not been participating on this thread already, but as I'm not planning to ride in the mountains, I only lurked and didn't post. Been kinda busy here at the end of the year, nervously and frantically finishing some business for tax reasons, and so didn't post anything about CLT 'til now.... :o

BikeWNC a climbing ride is ok with me. I feel like Jason, I've been off the bike due to work lately
but I'll survive. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. I'm just looking forward to some good
riding and good conversation and good beer at dinner.

I'm definitely looking forward to visiting both mountain and flatland peeps. VV, I haven't a clue what to do in CLT, but I trust I'm in good hands. Being off the bike on the 31st is fine. Having a short ride is fine. I'm cool with whatever. The ride on the 30th in CLT can be any distance you (VV and CLT area peeps) want. 15 mile social ride for ice cream is fine by me. Century is fine by me. A mix of loops to allow different distances for different participannts is fine, too.

BikeWNC a climbing ride is ok with me. I feel like Jason, I've been off the bike due to work lately
but I'll survive. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. I'm just looking forward to some good
riding and good conversation and good beer at dinner.

Just what I wanted to hear! Look forward to meeting you later this month.

Yes, I'm a maybe.