Road Cycling - armstrong sighting!

i live in greenville SC, where George Hincapie lives. My friend went downtown to Sobe's, a nice restaraunt, on saturday night. he saw hincapie, his wife, lance, and sheryl crow eating! i just thought this was kinda cool, and i thought i would share. i don't think he went up to them cause he didn't want to interupt their dinner, but it's still a pretty cool surprise!

Cool.
So tempting to walk up to them I know, but you don't want to be a big geek about it. I've never had the chance to interview him and would love to, but he's got so many layers of people around him you can't get to the guy.

That is pretty cool, especially since your buddy didn't harass them during dinner.

I bet if they were leaving about the same time he could have asked for an autograph without a problem. LA seems to be pretty good to his fans...at least that's what I beliieve as I've never met him myself.

PJ

Is this the same Lance that used to be a cyclist?

hitchy

what is that supose to mean?

Armstrong? You mean Neil Armstrong?! Cool!!!

If he sees them again, tell him to go up to Hincapie, and ask HIM for an autograph, but don't say a word to Lance or Cheryl. I bet they'd be stunned! (he he) Plus Hincapie would have something to tease Lance with and talk about for the rest of his life. It would be priceless!

I was once was at a Duke Football game, when NBA star Grant Hill and his "Posse" came and sat down, literally, in the row and seats right behind us. This was when Grant was with the Pistons, making $50M / year in endorsements and not on the perpetually injured list. We didn't say a word, just continued to watch the game. It didn't last - he got mobbed by fans asking for autographs and had to go down onto the football field itself to escape them and watch the game in peace!

A similar thing happened last year when I was at Lime Rock Park testing a race car that I was thinking of buying. We pitted two spots over from an immaculate "Toter" motor home and trailer, outside of which was a brand new Corvette race car being serviced by a small army of mechanics. It was a little strange because there was no name on the car, or any team name on the trailer. We borrowed a couple of tools from them, not thinking much of it. A little while later, Paul Newman steps out of the motor home - he barely looked like he could walk, he's so old and bent over. He proceeded to be helped in the the race car by his team, it looked painful as he crawled through the window. Then he went out on track and blistered the field, passing everything in site. Amazing. He too got mobbed, so when he was in the pit area, he stayed mostly in the motor home.

If he sees them again, tell him to go up to Hincapie, and ask HIM for an autograph, but don't say a word to Lance or Cheryl. I bet they'd be stunned! (he he) Plus Hincapie would have something to tease Lance with and talk about for the rest of his life. It would be priceless!

That would be awesome!



A similar thing happened last year when I was at Lime Rock Park testing a race car that I was thinking of buying. We pitted two spots over from an immaculate "Toter" motor home and trailer, outside of which was a brand new Corvette race car being serviced by a small army of mechanics. It was a little strange because there was no name on the car, or any team name on the trailer. We borrowed a couple of tools from them, not thinking much of it. A little while later, Paul Newman steps out of the motor home - he barely looked like he could walk, he's so old and bent over. He proceeded to be helped in the the race car by his team, it looked painful as he crawled through the window. Then he went out on track and blistered the field, passing everything in site. Amazing. He too got mobbed, so when he was in the pit area, he stayed mostly in the motor home.

Are you an SCCA racer? I'm a photojournalist at a newspaper in CT and we cover the Memorial Day weekend events. I'm always amazed by the Dyson team in the GTP (I think that's right) cars.

On an unrelated LRP note, I was there a few years ago for media day and as the group broke to head to the track for the Viper rides I looked into the parking lot and WHAMMO! Sitting in the lot was a Maclaren F1. I almost shat as I walked over to check it out. A few guys walked over with me and we drooled for a few minutes. Then, some dude walks up and asks why all the attention for this car. When we explained what it was...and the fact that it could smoke every car on the track he was flabbergasted.

Pj

i have actually met paul newman twice. once at litchfield beach here in SC, the other at Chateau Elan in brasselton georgia. he was very nice to me and my family, and it was defifently a great experience.

During my days in the car magazine biz, I was at the Rolex 24 at Daytona (back when they had real sports prototypes running). Paul had just turned 70, and the movie studio had sponsored his car that year with the name of the movie on it (I seem to think it was the Color of Money?). Anyway, I had my usual right-on-the-pit-wall spot at the start of the race, which I secured some 5 minutes before they cleared the grid. When the cars went off, this driver sits on the wall, blocking my vision, while spinning around and planting his foot on mine. The driver? PLN. He excused himself, and I let him know that it was OK, but it was my throttle foot he'd just stepped on. We both laughed, and stood side-by-side as we watched the rolling start. We should all be as cool as Newman.....

Armstrong? You mean Neil Armstrong?! Cool!!!

Haha good one, I actually 2 weekends ago was waiting to get a cap with my parents when Conan o' Brien was waiting for a cab behind me. I was so tempted to ask him questions. Ive also been in the sam elevator with Ice Cube. that was sick, it was only till after i got out that my friend punched me in the shoulder and told me that it was ice cube.

If he sees them again, tell him to go up to Hincapie, and ask HIM for an autograph, but don't say a word to Lance or Cheryl. I bet they'd be stunned! (he he) Plus Hincapie would have something to tease Lance with and talk about for the rest of his life. It would be priceless!

I was once was at a Duke Football game, when NBA star Grant Hill and his "Posse" came and sat down, literally, in the row and seats right behind us. This was when Grant was with the Pistons, making $50M / year in endorsements and not on the perpetually injured list. We didn't say a word, just continued to watch the game. It didn't last - he got mobbed by fans asking for autographs and had to go down onto the football field itself to escape them and watch the game in peace!

A similar thing happened last year when I was at Lime Rock Park testing a race car that I was thinking of buying. We pitted two spots over from an immaculate "Toter" motor home and trailer, outside of which was a brand new Corvette race car being serviced by a small army of mechanics. It was a little strange because there was no name on the car, or any team name on the trailer. We borrowed a couple of tools from them, not thinking much of it. A little while later, Paul Newman steps out of the motor home - he barely looked like he could walk, he's so old and bent over. He proceeded to be helped in the the race car by his team, it looked painful as he crawled through the window. Then he went out on track and blistered the field, passing everything in site. Amazing. He too got mobbed, so when he was in the pit area, he stayed mostly in the motor home.


Paul Newman is a hell of a race driver!! I was racing in Bridgehampton (now closed :( ), and he passed me on an offcamber multidogleg right, where you couldn't see the road over your right front fender, adn I was doing 145+. To beat it all he passed me on the INSIDE, sad to hear he is doing so poorly. I spoke with him later on, and he was a true sportsman, and laughed when he realized it was me that he dusted. Very nice guy.

BTW good form in not approaching Lance in the resturant, and I liked, the idea of asking his fiend for an autograph

man thats cool. I'v never met/seen anyone famous in person before, unless I did and I just didn't know it.

Good for you're friend that he didn't run up to him and start asking for his autograph, everyone deserves some peace and quiet.

what is that supose to mean?


well now he's a 'has been' rock stars handbag....thats what I mean. That & the fact that 'His lanceness' is actually bigger than the sport!...I mean someone has thought it interesting enough to post to a cycling forum that Lance actually eats...who woulda thought!

hitchy

Oh chill out, he thought it was cool to have happened to see him. Sure he eats, but have you ever happened to be in the same public place that two celebs as big as Lance and Cheryl were? I'm sure you told somebody (of course you'll say you didn't). Normally I appreciate your posts, in fact I'm not a huge Lance fan myself AT ALL (!!!!), but I think you are being a little harsh.

Oprah, Michael Jordan, and Barak Obama work out at my gym.



;)

Koffee

If he sees them again, tell him to go up to Hincapie, and ask HIM for an autograph, but don't say a word to Lance or Cheryl. I bet they'd be stunned! (he he) Plus Hincapie would have something to tease Lance with and talk about for the rest of his life. It would be priceless!


Even better, ask George's wife for her autograph.

Are you an SCCA racer? I'm a photojournalist at a newspaper in CT and we cover the Memorial Day weekend events. I'm always amazed by the Dyson team in the GTP (I think that's right) cars.

On an unrelated LRP note, I was there a few years ago for media day and as the group broke to head to the track for the Viper rides I looked into the parking lot and WHAMMO! Sitting in the lot was a Maclaren F1. I almost shat as I walked over to check it out. A few guys walked over with me and we drooled for a few minutes. Then, some dude walks up and asks why all the attention for this car. When we explained what it was...and the fact that it could smoke every car on the track he was flabbergasted.

Pj

I have never seen a Maclaren F1 in person. That must have been pretty cool. Yes, I've done some SCCA racing. I raced one whole race in World Challenge (whoopee doo!), and one of the racers, Frank Selldorff, who paid for a whole season ride with Turner Motorsports, supposedly has 2 Maclaren F1's, one in the US and one in Europe. Who knows, maybe the one you saw was his?

Paul Newman is a hell of a race driver!! I was racing in Bridgehampton (now closed :( ), and he passed me on an offcamber multidogleg right, where you couldn't see the road over your right front fender, adn I was doing 145+. To beat it all he passed me on the INSIDE, sad to hear he is doing so poorly. I spoke with him later on, and he was a true sportsman, and laughed when he realized it was me that he dusted. Very nice guy.


Cool story! I didn't actually talk to him, but it It looks like he hasn't changed one bit. Even though he had difficulty getting in the car, he looked fearless behind the wheel, and just like you said he had no problems passing folks in seemingly impossible places. It was quite inspirational to see someone so old compete at such a high level. And he was truly gracious to those that approached him in the pits.

Argh! I was in Greeneville this weekend visiting family :(

Thats OK, I saw Hincapie on his bike a couple months ago outside of Chapel Hill, NC :D

Oprah, Michael Jordan, and Barak Obama work out at my gym.



;)

Koffee

Isn't Obama like the most wanted man alive? wouldn't you think that
all the anti terrrorism squads could find him at a gym in Chicago?
where's Elliot Ness when you need him?

Marty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barak_Obama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barak_Obama

I think he was being sarcastic ;)

lol, it's always the people outside of the U.S. that have negative comments about Lance Armstrong.

and one of the racers, Frank Selldorff, who paid for a whole season ride with Turner Motorsports, supposedly has 2 Maclaren F1's, one in the US and one in Europe. Who knows, maybe the one you saw was his?


It was one of the guy's from Turner. I thought it was the owner who had them. The front end was scratched and chippped from being driven. I thought that was the best part...chipped and dinged from being used.

PJ

Isn't Obama like the most wanted man alive? wouldn't you think that
all the anti terrrorism squads could find him at a gym in Chicago?
where's Elliot Ness when you need him?

Marty


Well, Obama IS the most wanted man alive- there isn't one talk show or news outlet that hasn't tracked him down for an interview. He's such an intelligent and nice guy... no wonder so many people like him.

Koffee

Then, some dude walks up and asks why all the attention for this car. When we explained what it was...and the fact that it could smoke every car on the track he was flabbergasted.

Not to mention the fact that someone put out almost $1,000,000 on it. But what the heck, you get a free can of Fix-a-flat. (no spare) :D Awsome car.

And pat you friend on the back for not bothering him during dinner. I am in the LA area where you see celebs all the time. People act like idiots around them. If they really loved these people as much as they claim to, they wouldn't ruin their day.

lol, it's always the people outside of the U.S. that have negative comments about Lance Armstrong.

who's posting negative comments about Lance?......because I don't find the fact that lance actually eats that enthralling?......& as for negative comments ALWAYS coing from people outside the US?......have you actually read these forums?....sheez...talk about insular!

Hitchy

who's posting negative comments about Lance?......because I don't find the fact that lance actually eats that enthralling?......& as for negative comments ALWAYS coing from people outside the US?......have you actually read these forums?....sheez...talk about insular!

Hitchy
Don't sweat it Hitchy. You can tell the esteem Lance is held in by the fact that half the thread has been pie-jacked to Paul Newman, Oprah, Obama and a range of other non-cycling identities by American posters themselves. The facts speak for themselves.

Don't sweat it Hitchy. You can tell the esteem Lance is held in by the fact that half the thread has been pie-jacked to Paul Newman, Oprah, Obama and a range of other non-cycling identities by American posters themselves. The facts speak for themselves.

Yes, the facts do speak for themselves.

I cycled up Alpe d'Huez 'with' LA and the Postie boys in May this year. Pretty cool.

Ants

Yes, the facts do speak for themselves.


6 TDF's ........& he eats & has a life outside of being a celebrity too?.........maybe we should get Joe to make....."where's Wally.....err sorry...Lance", a sticky.....that way we could have posts like,"lance seen tying the laces on his Nike's", "I saw Lance & Elvis at 7-11".....maybe even, Bin laden says "I'll surrender if I can meet Lance"....or...or...speaking of Wally's...there's a few around here!

Hitchy

Actually when I saw him I didn't realise it was him at first because I was checking out the bike rather than the rider. I'm not given over to any form of hero worship, but when you're at Alpe d'Huez and you see any top notch rider there training it's pretty cool.

well Hitchy, i just thought it was kinda cool since i live in freakin SC(not exactly cycling or sports star country). and i thought others might wanna hear about it

Yeah, that was a personal encounter you had, and good luck to you. You, him and the bike (glad you got your priorities right in what to check out). You've sort of understated it... threw it in as a bit of a name-drop (but a worthy one, I suppose), and added that the rest of the postie-boys were there as well.

But this thread started with someone saying "a friend" saw so-and-so at a restaurant. The follow-up posts about other celebs were more worthy coz they were actual personal experiences.

By the way Ants, how ya been? Haven't seen you posting here for a while. You need to get over to the huge party at the Aussie thread. Great news about SBS picking up live telecast of the 2005 TdF, all day, every single day. Now that's something the seppos can't brag about.

Ant, how did you get to ride with the posties?

well Hitchy, i just thought it was kinda cool since i live in freakin SC(not exactly cycling or sports star country). and i thought others might wanna hear about it

yeah Ok...I guess I just don't get the whole 'celebrity' thing in the states!....which is hardly surprising, cos there's heaps of things I don't 'get' about the states!

Hitchy

Actually when I saw him I didn't realise it was him at first because I was checking out the bike rather than the rider. I'm not given over to any form of hero worship, but when you're at Alpe d'Huez and you see any top notch rider there training it's pretty cool.


Ok, so you saw them, or did you actually ride WITH them up the hill?

;)

Koffee

it wasn't so much the celebrity thing...God i'm sick of celebrities...damn NBA stars...anyways, i just thought it was cool cause i look up to this guy so much, i mean when i saw him ride the tour in 01, he was th reason i started cycling....believe me, celebrity is THE LAST THING I CARE ABOUT :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barak_Obama

That guy was born in 61'?!?!?!

He looks all of 20 years old in this pic. I guess his workouts have paid off.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/Obama2004convention.jpg

-mark

Hehe. I was staying at Bourg d'Oisans and had a bike rented from Cycles et Sports in the village (very worn out Gitane, Shimano Sora, better than no bike). This was the week after the end of the ski season so it was really quiet. I went up the Alpe one day, then the Lauteret the next and saw a bunch of T-Mobile guys there.

The day after that I did the Alpe again, saw a few people climbing it, one ahead of me in a yellow rain jacket. Couldn't catch him. As I came down there were 3 guys in Postie kit heading up. Later that day, I was in the village with my partner and the guy in yellow went past. I was checking out the fancy Trek bike and my partner said 'That's Lance Armstrong'. My reply was the obvious 'B*llsh*t'. Turns out it was - the local baker saw him, and it was reported on cyclingnews.com a couple of days later that they were there training. So I was on the same road at the same time. Does that qualify as 'with'? ;-)

I don't generally get the celebrity thing either, but they were very impressive to watch and it was rather cool. It certainly has an effect on one's enthusiasm, whatever you may think about celebrity worship. I don't think my 'un heur cinq' would have kept me with them for long. But if you're in the right place at the right time and you're strong enough...

New baby here, so pretty busy, didn't know about SBS, that's fantastic news. Better make sure I'm on leave next July. I'm avoiding the phenomenal Aussie thread... just too much in that one.

cheers,
Ants

...the closest I ever got to 'ridin' with lance' was in last years TDF!.......yep, he was climbing alpe d' huez & I..........was at home on my trainer in front of the telly....but i kicked his arse I tell ya! :D

Hitchy

Hehe. I was staying at Bourg d'Oisans and had a bike rented from Cycles et Sports in the village (very worn out Gitane, Shimano Sora, better than no bike). This was the week after the end of the ski season so it was really quiet. I went up the Alpe one day, then the Lauteret the next and saw a bunch of T-Mobile guys there.

The day after that I did the Alpe again, saw a few people climbing it, one ahead of me in a yellow rain jacket. Couldn't catch him. As I came down there were 3 guys in Postie kit heading up. Later that day, I was in the village with my partner and the guy in yellow went past. I was checking out the fancy Trek bike and my partner said 'That's Lance Armstrong'. My reply was the obvious 'B*llsh*t'. Turns out it was - the local baker saw him, and it was reported on cyclingnews.com a couple of days later that they were there training. So I was on the same road at the same time. Does that qualify as 'with'? ;-)

I don't generally get the celebrity thing either, but they were very impressive to watch and it was rather cool. It certainly has an effect on one's enthusiasm, whatever you may think about celebrity worship. I don't think my 'un heur cinq' would have kept me with them for long. But if you're in the right place at the right time and you're strong enough...

New baby here, so pretty busy, didn't know about SBS, that's fantastic news. Better make sure I'm on leave next July. I'm avoiding the phenomenal Aussie thread... just too much in that one.

cheers,
Ants


Well, doesn't quite qualify, but I'll throw you a bone, since you were so cute and honest about it all! ;)

Next time, bring your camera with you!

Koffee

Geeze Hitchy, sounds like all that trainer time in front of the telly makes you tetchy. Better go ride some hills mate!

Thanks Koffee! Only carried the camera once up the Alpe, too bulky with pockets full of food... Hmm, how do I attach a photo?

I am sure Lance is cool. Being from Texas, he has to have learned some from Willie on how to treat fans. Willie Nelson, now that is one cool dude. I have briefly met Willie several times, but have never made it into the bus.

It trips me out about meeting celebs, since at least for me if I dont know they are there I usually dont think "OMG htat's person_x!" Like the time I met Stephen King...I was talking books with him at a bookstore I was at...freaking awesome...really funny part was I had one of his latest books at the time (Insomnia) in my hands and never noticed that he was the author until the girl at the register tripped out over him being there. All I could say was along hte lines of "sweet, hey if you use me in your writings, let me die nicely, ok?" which he got a good laugh out of.

I was once was at a Duke Football game,


Duke has a football team?? :eek: :D

props for you, or your friend for leaving them along.
Back at university I was on concert committee and dealt with
alot of the people we brought in. Most of em were ok, some were
a$$holes. almost all of them just wanted to go somewhere quiet
where they could lead some resemblance of a normal life.

Hitchy, Ants and the rest of you springbok hating chops, Here in the
US we have few cycling legends so we tend to go a bit overboard you
know? not everyone can have Stewie (oi! oi! oi!) or Robbie. Look at the
fervor over Tyler. . .
It not like we have Hansie, ya know?

marty

A springbok is some kind of gazelle, yeah? Hansie sounds like a disease.

yeah Ok...I guess I just don't get the whole 'celebrity' thing in the states!....which is hardly surprising, cos there's heaps of things I don't 'get' about the states!

Hitchy

What is really hard to get is why people in other countries are so enthralled with US celebrities.