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RACING NEWS:
TEASER: La Grange @ Masters Nationals
JOIN US: The Mammoth Gran Fondo
VIDEO: Morgan James: Life on Track
CLUB NEWS:
Meet the LG Member: Jessica Chen
THE LG BOARD: A Worthwhile Endeavour!
IN THE NEWS:
JOIN US: The All-Clubs Picnic and Eldo Finale!
PROFILE: Pippa York—formerly Robert Milar
”One of Britain's most successful cyclists”
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
Giilbert’s El Indio—A Family Affair
RACING NEWS
Laura and Peter go to Masters Nationals
SPOILER ALERT: This is a teaser! Laura Martin and Peter Dorantes just spent an exciting and hard-fought week in Augusta, Georgia at USAC Masters National. Unsurprisingly, they competed against some of the nation’s best racers and endured that suffocating southern humidity. To fully grasp their experience, we will be sending out a Special Edition email soon, complete with race reports and pictures. Stay tuned.
JOIN US: The Mammoth Grand Fondo
The Mammoth Gran Fondo is coming up on Saturday, September 9th. This is an awesome timed-fondo so it’s basically a race LOL. La Grange has a bunch of folks going so you can hammer for the win or chill and enjoy the fantastic rest stops. There is something for everyone. Be sure to sign up as a Velo Club La Grange Team Member. The top three 102-mile finishers are combined for a Team Finish.
As an added bonus, Fondo and La Grange sponsor, Pedal Mafia is leading a fun warmup ride on Friday, Sept. 8th at 11 am from Footloose Sports.
Check out our new video!
"Cycling is a sport of grit; a sport of suffering and pain. Every time you push a little farther, it unveils a depth of yourself you’ve never explored before”.
Morgan James, LG track cycling captain, reveals what it’s like to be a woman racer in the world of track cycling and her desire to bring more women to the sport. For Morgan, despite the obstacles, challenges, and naysayers, the self-exploration of racing, striving, and growing is worth every single minute!
Producer: Renée Fox
Producer / Cinematographer / Editor: Jessica Chen
Special Thanks: VELO Sports Center
Speaking of…please meet: Jessica Chen
I'm a journalist and filmmaker from Southern California. I just started cycling this year but it’s been an amazing way to see L.A. and meet great people. In addition to cycling, I love to play guitar, learn languages, explore new places, and hang out with my sweet beagle mix that I adopted during the pandemic.
As a new rider, can you share what makes you passionate about cycling?
I can honestly say that cycling's changed my outlook on life. It's an excuse to get up early and live healthier. I've gained a deeper appreciation of the landscape and the community in L.A. And it's something to continuously challenge yourself with while keeping you humble at the same time.
Please share some of your cycling goals/ wishlist items!
My goal was to complete a century this year, which was the Santa Barbara LG 100. Thanks to a lot of support, I was able to get close to 100. I'm aiming to complete a full century (or two) in the next year. I also want to do the Nichols ride, which feels like a rite of passage for this club. My wishlist items would be to travel to Italy, France, or Taiwan to ride.
Tell us about your bike!
It’s a 2014 Trek Madone
When did you join LG and what are you hoping to add to the club and get from it?
I joined in April this year! I hope to find people to ride with from the club and learn from them.
What regular LG rides do you participate in?
I've been on the Santa Barbara Century and about four LG 50 rides now. The LG 50 Renée led (last weekend) was epic!
What has been your favorite ride?
PV Switchbacks : )
Please share a cycling story for LG:
I rode once in Oahu, and it has a very special place in my heart. As you can imagine, you're riding while surrounded by a rugged landscape and beautiful beaches. A specific memory in Oahu was what felt like a 15-minute descent down Pali Highway, in rain and wind, through tunnels—it was terrifying and ultimately one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had.
Do you have favorite bike-friendly spots (restaurants, services, businesses) in LA you love and would recommend to the club?
There's a neighborhood gem in Culver City called Jackson Market. It's a grocery store with sandwiches and wine, tucked away in a little residential section. There's also a secret garden in the back that serves pizza on the weekend.
Thanks for reading
As told to Renée Fox
We had a great LG50 Ride last Saturday to Palos Verdes. We tried a remote start, which is rare for the LG50, but it was a rousing success. Led by Renée Fox and David Newcombe, we traversed the beach cities to a scenic overlook in PV where Bodie Olmos had an amazing rest stop ready. Then we attacked the switchbacks (or Forrestal / Ganado for the masochists) and rode to the domes. With a spirited ride home, we split between the MDR bridge and libations at Three Weavers Brewing. **Special thanks to Todd Bernhardt for the insider’s routing through the South Bay.
The La Grange Board: A Worthwhile Endeavor
By Jan Datomi
Cycling is a great sport. From the challenge of staying fit enough to keep up with fellow cyclists, to learning all the aspects of becoming a competent rider, to enjoying a good beer or coffee post ride with friends, to meeting all the like-minded people who are into health, fun, and bike racing.
All these things I love, and gained when I joined La Grange. So, when I had an opportunity to join the La Grange board, I jumped at the chance.
Being on the board lets you be a part of keeping this special club alive and thriving. Each new person brings their experiences and energies to make the club vital. What also makes La Grange special isn’t just its legacy and continuity, but how it continues to influence and impact racing and riding in Los Angeles. Being on the Board means you’re part of a proud tradition as well as helping La Grange pedal into the future.
Being on the Board isn’t hard, nor particularly time-consuming, but it is very worthwhile and important. Everything you do is to create enjoyment for people. From my experience, it’s extremely satisfying to plan and execute an LG50 ride and see how much fun people are having, or put together the yearly picnic and hang out with members after the Piuma Hill Climb.
I would encourage everyone to strongly consider running for the La Grange board. Give your time to this worthwhile venture. You won’t regret it. The club needs you, and you will gain something significant in return; the opportunity to create something positive for your community.
IN THE NEWS
The All Clubs LA BBQ & Eldo Finale are HERE!
TWO WEEKENDS AWAY; September 9th, 2023!!
The famous All Clubs LA BBQ returns in conjunction with the Eldo Race Series finale! Held in El Dorado East Regional Park, affectionately known as ELDO, join us for a lovely day in the park featuring bike racing, cycling clubs, vendors, families, friends, children, BBQ, music, games, awards, and so much more!
The mission of All Clubs LA is to unify the So Cal cycling community inclusive of all clubs and cyclists. We use All Clubs LA events to engage the cycling community in riding and social activities that bring us all together. From advocacy to mentoring, racing to recreation, we are stronger together than apart.
Velo Club La Grange supports All Clubs LA in their goal of diversity, unity, and community! La Grange will have a tent there. Join us and enjoy a day in the biking community.
Full Details including address and schedule are here…
Our Los Angeles cycling community is special. Hope to see you there!
PROFILE:
Pippa York—formerly Robert Millar
“One of Britain's most successful cyclists”
Born in Glasgow in 1958, York began life as Robert Millar and went on to blaze a trail for cyclists in Britain by winning the King of the Mountains jersey in the 1984 Tour de France, becoming the first ever Brit to win a classification in cycling’s most prestigious race. And it was the Tour, York says, that first inspired her to become a pro cyclist.
But something never felt right. “When I saw a trans person in real life I realized that’s what I was. Then I had to make a decision: Is it acceptable for me to transition as a pro cyclist in the environment as it was and with the profile that I have? No, it wasn’t. It was the 1980s with rampant homophobia, fear of AIDS, and the time of Thatcher’s Section 28 legislation, which banned education in schools of any kind of different lifestyle.”
As her career ended on the road as a racer, it opened a new door for York as she transitioned from male to female. It was something she had been waiting to do since childhood.
Read the full article…
and listen to the companion podcast…
Sponsored:
Gilbert’s El Indio–A Family Affair
The year is 1974. Carmen and Gilberto Rodriguez open the best Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica. Carmen had a dream to join the family business. Although already the mother to nine children and employed at La Cabana, Carmen knew she had the resources and know-how to start her own restaurant. After speaking with her husband Gilberto, the couple opened Gilbert’s El Indio—a product of love, perseverance and family.
The restaurant the Rodriguez’s purchased was called El Indio and Gilberto loved the name so much that he added his own to it. Gilbert’s El Indio was born. El Indio is a nod to the indigenous peoples of Latin America, including Gilberto’s own Native-Mexican heritage.
Besides the celebration of heritage through the food and decor, Gilbert’s El Indio is truly a family affair. All nine Rodriguez children have worked there since the beginning, sweeping the parking lot, washing windows, taking orders, accounting, managing, and more. Carmen, now 84, still comes in every morning and stuffs every taco for Taco Tuesdays.
Approaching their 50th anniversary, Gilbert’s El Indio hopes to continue the tradition of love and family that’s kept them going for so many years. Viva la familia.
Sponsored:
Win a Free Canyon Endurace
Combining pinpoint handling with a relaxed riding position and modern features like wide tire clearance and sleek integration, the Endurace hits the sweet spot between comfort and performance like nothing else on the road.
For 2023-24, Canyon has updated its Endurace CFR and CF SLX endurance road bikes with 35mm tire clearance, improved aerodynamics, adjustable handlebar width, and a top tube storage compartment. More about the bikes…
Now you can win one! No purchase necessary. Deadline Oct. 1, 2023.
Enjoy ALL of our wonderful partners!
2023 La Grange Partners
La Grange is incredibly fortunate to have such awesome partners! With our partners, you can satisfy virtually every aspect of cycling: Apparel, Accessories, Bikes, Repair, and nutrition. We also have partners to assist you when you have to live your non-bike life: Dining, Legal, Real Estate, and Engineering. Log into the La Grange website and check out your member-only benefits.
SOS—Support Our Sponsors
TRIFIT
Wanna get faster? Incorporate strength training and flexibility exercises into your cycling routine. TRIFIT, Santa Monica’s best-loved Gym, has the equipment and trainers to take your performance to the next level.
Ask about a FREE TRIAL today…
Canyon
It’s never too late to get a new Canyon. N+1, right? Canyon has a complete selection of bikes for every discipline and desire; road, MTB, Triathlon, commuter, you name it. Plus LG members get a nice discount.
See your LG Deal here…
New and Returning Members
Please say hello to our new members who joined in August 2023:
Ryan S. and Aaron D.
And a hearty welcome back to returning member: Anthony H.
Welcome, everyone! La Grange is proud to have you with us.
And in case you were wondering, we don’t include last names here to protect online personal privacy.
LG Event Calendar for SEPTEMBER
This calendar is where you’ll find all of our upcoming events IN ONE PLACE. You’ll find both LG On-Bike and Off-Bike events as well as non-LG events. Check it out and bookmark it! Here is the schedule for September. Bold events are LG Team Targeted Events.
September 9th — The All Clubs Picnic and Eldo Finale
September 9th — The Mammoth Gran Fondo
September 13th — LG Board Meeting (everyone is welcome)
September 27th — La Grange Night @ Pedal Mafia
September 30th — The September LG50 Ride
Have an event you would like to add? Send a request to Jaycee at jaycee.cary@lagrange.org