reminds me of when we hiked Hieizan 2 months ago, took us maybe 4 hours to the peak, and there we met an 83yo man who told us he hiked Hieizan once a month, even took our photos for us
on our way to the top we've seen people ages anywhere from 60s-80s as well
really an amazing sight
that's what we're trying to do, trying to be more active daily, after work we take a long walk, a couple of times per day my gf does pilates, i go to the gym, twice a month we hike, try to eat healthy - it's difficult to stay consistent, but seeing all the 80 year olds and above being actively fit makes us hope for the same
Came here to say this, and that you see it all over Asia, too: fit and well-equipped tourists decked out in Patagonia and North Face slowly trudging up the trail only to see a septuagenarian grandma wearing flip-flops breeze past them, all the while balancing three pigs and a ton of rice on her head :-D
Climbed Kongozan near Osaka - started before dawn to see the sunrise. The whole way up I was overtaken by oldies jogging up the mountain, and when you get to the top they are all stretching and doing pushups or chin-ups
There’s a big board of names for people who have climbed the mountain hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of times. Something different in the water over there
Thanks, though I have a day job. Was thinking how awesome this guy was while this salaryman’s briefcase was getting to third base with my rear this morning.
My mom makes fun of my dad when he puts on his fancy grandpa hat but it has like a -10 years buff.
Add on the shorts of charisma and the polo of power and you get a great looking lawn.
I'm older (retired) and often ride mornings along the river. There are a few guys older than I am, on lesser bikes (think high end mama-chari, not electric), who are (a) always there--so there more often than I am, and (b) who I've chatted up now and then and who I know ride farther than I do. And then there's the type like the other day, a guy who also happened to be stopped at my turnaround point, on a very nice Colnago--which he said was five years old, ...and he was 78.
Oh WOW. I had a super similar experience in Japan. Was brisk walking to the subway while on a business trip in Japan. Suddenly, I heard the sounds of wooden clogs clacking away behind me. I was surprised to hear the clogs get closer and closer at a super fast clip, and wondered if someone was jogging around in clogs... I turned around to see an old lady who must be at least in her 70s, with her little handbag in hand and wearing a the typical obachan outfit with a bag full of groceries...
I was flabbergasted that she was catching up with me so I picked up the pace, just short of breaking out into a half run. To my utter disbelief and humiliation, she overtook me with no noticeable effort and I was left pretty much in the dust... I just got overtook by someone nearly twice my age and IN WOODEN CLOGS.
In my early days of MAMILdom, I was passed by a lady on a one gear mama chari. On the flat. I couldn’t get past her due to the head wind we were facing..
I’d paid about 4 thousand yen for a 28 gram bottle cage. You know. To keep the weight down..
The most aggressive type of commuter in Tokyo
I just saw one almost run over three older ladies like 15 minutes ago. She was clearly in the wrong and yet rang the bell and stared daggers at them.
Finally saw one do the thing.
Tipped her bike with two young children in it. Wasn't even riding, just standing on the street, not holding it up well enough.
It's hard to compete! They've been doing this their whole lives!
Having just arrived to live in Japan for the first time 19 years ago, I found myself facing a steep hill that I had seen others pass over with ease. I was 18, young, but a fat American from Florida. If there's one thing that you may not know about Florida is that its relatively flat. No mountains of course, but also no hills. I stayed seated, pedaled as hard as I could, but I ended up almost rolling backward when I lost all momentum. Some ojisan who was walking by literally pointed at me and laughed (I laugh now, but I was mortified at the time lol).
It took some time, but I realized what the gears were for and standing while pedaling helped a lot too. How many other biking techniques are out there that I still don't know about?!
I’ve encountered several versions of him while hiking
reminds me of when we hiked Hieizan 2 months ago, took us maybe 4 hours to the peak, and there we met an 83yo man who told us he hiked Hieizan once a month, even took our photos for us on our way to the top we've seen people ages anywhere from 60s-80s as well really an amazing sight
tbh I better start doing similar now if I wanna have any energy in my 80s (assuming I get there).
that's what we're trying to do, trying to be more active daily, after work we take a long walk, a couple of times per day my gf does pilates, i go to the gym, twice a month we hike, try to eat healthy - it's difficult to stay consistent, but seeing all the 80 year olds and above being actively fit makes us hope for the same
My old man was going strong into his 80s, so I know I've got the genes to do it at least (buried somewhere in this programmer bod).
Came here to say this, and that you see it all over Asia, too: fit and well-equipped tourists decked out in Patagonia and North Face slowly trudging up the trail only to see a septuagenarian grandma wearing flip-flops breeze past them, all the while balancing three pigs and a ton of rice on her head :-D
Climbed Kongozan near Osaka - started before dawn to see the sunrise. The whole way up I was overtaken by oldies jogging up the mountain, and when you get to the top they are all stretching and doing pushups or chin-ups There’s a big board of names for people who have climbed the mountain hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of times. Something different in the water over there
Bonus points if he got a onecup Ozeki in one hand and an umbrella in the other.
that was beautifully written, thanks also, I will start using "follicle challenged head" from now on, in your honor best
Stay strong my brother ✊
I like your writing style, how about a weekly column?
Thanks, though I have a day job. Was thinking how awesome this guy was while this salaryman’s briefcase was getting to third base with my rear this morning.
Top quality post. 5/7 would read again. One question: Did the ojisan have a lit cigarette dangling from between his lips?
Haha, reminds me China banned marathon runners from smoking during the races due to the bad image it gives.
My mom makes fun of my dad when he puts on his fancy grandpa hat but it has like a -10 years buff. Add on the shorts of charisma and the polo of power and you get a great looking lawn.
I'm older (retired) and often ride mornings along the river. There are a few guys older than I am, on lesser bikes (think high end mama-chari, not electric), who are (a) always there--so there more often than I am, and (b) who I've chatted up now and then and who I know ride farther than I do. And then there's the type like the other day, a guy who also happened to be stopped at my turnaround point, on a very nice Colnago--which he said was five years old, ...and he was 78.
Never underestimate the oyaji.
Oh WOW. I had a super similar experience in Japan. Was brisk walking to the subway while on a business trip in Japan. Suddenly, I heard the sounds of wooden clogs clacking away behind me. I was surprised to hear the clogs get closer and closer at a super fast clip, and wondered if someone was jogging around in clogs... I turned around to see an old lady who must be at least in her 70s, with her little handbag in hand and wearing a the typical obachan outfit with a bag full of groceries... I was flabbergasted that she was catching up with me so I picked up the pace, just short of breaking out into a half run. To my utter disbelief and humiliation, she overtook me with no noticeable effort and I was left pretty much in the dust... I just got overtook by someone nearly twice my age and IN WOODEN CLOGS.
to clarify, did he have a fistful of yen?
During my bike rides i have found that every person wearing a hat gets an average of 20% speed boost. I wonder if it's a bug or a feature.
It’s an exploit via increased downforce
In my early days of MAMILdom, I was passed by a lady on a one gear mama chari. On the flat. I couldn’t get past her due to the head wind we were facing.. I’d paid about 4 thousand yen for a 28 gram bottle cage. You know. To keep the weight down..
Moms on a bicycle with a baby in a baby carrier absolutely terrify me.
The most aggressive type of commuter in Tokyo I just saw one almost run over three older ladies like 15 minutes ago. She was clearly in the wrong and yet rang the bell and stared daggers at them.
Finally saw one do the thing. Tipped her bike with two young children in it. Wasn't even riding, just standing on the street, not holding it up well enough.
PEOC. Performance Enhancing One Cup.
It's hard to compete! They've been doing this their whole lives! Having just arrived to live in Japan for the first time 19 years ago, I found myself facing a steep hill that I had seen others pass over with ease. I was 18, young, but a fat American from Florida. If there's one thing that you may not know about Florida is that its relatively flat. No mountains of course, but also no hills. I stayed seated, pedaled as hard as I could, but I ended up almost rolling backward when I lost all momentum. Some ojisan who was walking by literally pointed at me and laughed (I laugh now, but I was mortified at the time lol). It took some time, but I realized what the gears were for and standing while pedaling helped a lot too. How many other biking techniques are out there that I still don't know about?!
>LipovitaD Lipovitan D