La Voix - July 2026

Greetings La Grange Members, 

Your July newsletter includes recaps on the June LG 50, womens ride and summer social at Wurstküche, and some smokin’ July dates to add to your calendar.

Don’t forget to hydrate and ride safely,

Renée Fox, La Voix Editor

P.S. Have something else cycling-related you think would be interesting or beneficial to our members? Submit here to be considered for an upcoming newsletter.

Letter from the President

Hello La Grangers,

Vive La Grange,

Larry

Racing News

UCI Track racing summer: PA - Trinidad - CA

By Morgan James


Club News

Save the Date!

LG Women’s Ride: Saturday July 18, 8am at San Vicente and 26th. Route TBA

LG50 Ride: Saturday July 25, 8am at Helen’s Cycles, Route TBA

LG Skills and Safety Course: August 2, 8am, start TBA

Edgar Burcksen Memorial Santa Barbara Century: Saturday August 8

Club Events Recap

May Spring Social at Wurstküche in Venice

By

Images by various contributors


June La Grange Women’s Ride to Encino and back

Led by Jan Datomi

Images by Philippa Moore & Amanda Weinstein

Great job Jan for planning and skillfully leading such a fun women’s ride to the valley and back, before it got too hot! The group of 14 women started at San Vicente and 26, climbed Sepulveda to Mulholland then down into Encino. We took Coldwater canyon to Mulholland, descended Benedict Canyon and rode through Bel Air taking in the rolling hills and shaded tree-lined streets. After 36 miles and 3125 feet of climbing, the ride ended at Santa Monica New Works where a few riders enjoyed a beer with Larry, Marco and friends.


July La Grange LG 50 to Fernwood

Led by Geoff Loui | SAG by Jonathan and Amy Weiss
Images by various contributors

A massive group of 90 riders showed up for Saturday’s LG 50 ride!

The ride started from Helen’s in Santa Monica where Jay and Adam opened the shop early for cyclists to purchase any nutrition and gear needed before the ride. A group made their way to Santa Monica Brew Works after the ride for some well-earned beer and snacks.

Member Features

Mallorca 312 Bicycle Race

By Tom Hill

It was the end of April 2023 when my nephew Marcos from Argentina contacted me about a bicycle race on the island of Mallorca in Spain. He said I should come to Mallorca and do this race the Mallorca 312.

Marcos left Argentina twenty one years ago and moved to Mallorca to follow his dreams and passion for sailing. After earning his education in the boating industry he became a Captain and found work sailing private yachts owned by wealthy foreigners. Mallorca is a beautiful island and has attracted many famous people. Some of the homeowners on the island include Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas, Sir Richard Branson, Pierce Brosnan, Claudia Schiffer, Rafa Nadal and many others including Bradley Wiggins a winner of the Tour de France.

After a little research I was excited to enter the race the following year in 2024. Registration opens in October for the following year race. You have to be fast on the computer because once entries opened up they sell out 8,000 entries within ten minutes! I did not get my entry in time so I hooked up with a British Cycling Tour company that had some extra entries and got in.

There are three distances offered. The short version is 104 miles and 8,100 feet of ascent, the medium version is 140 miles and 13,000 feet of ascent and the longest version is 193 miles with 16,500 feet of climbing. I did the short version in 2024 finishing in 6 hours and totally drained crossing the finish line.

I registered in 2025 and was looking forward to the race again until I got a knock on my door January 7th at 10:15 a.m. by a neighbor who told me there was a big fire heading our way. I climbed on the roof of my house, made a quick video of it then came back inside. At that moment I froze deciding what I could get out of my house before the mandatory evacuation. After loading up my car with all I could take, Clyde (my dog) and I headed out to Sunset Blvd. to sit in bumper to bumper traffic to escape the fire as it kept getting closer and the smoke became thicker. Needless to say I missed the race in 2025 as it was a lost year relocating many times and living out of my car. I promised myself I was not going to let anything get in my way so I could return in 2026.

This year I chose to challenge myself and signed up for the longer distance race of 140 miles and 13,000 feet of climbing. I put in some longer early season rides to prepare for the longer race. Most of my rides were 5 to 6 hours long, though this race would be about 10 hours long. At 5:30 a.m. 8,500 riders lined up for a 6:30 a.m. start of the 16th annual Mallorca 312. It was a cold morning and I was shivering waiting in the dark for the gunshot start. The field of riders were mostly all Europeans with the majority from Spain, England and Germany. Every year the event draws top racers and some famous ex pros. This year brought Jan Ullrich from Germany and Miguel Indurain from Spain both past Tour de France winners. Indurain is the most famous Spanish racer having won the Tour de France 5 times.

I was placed in the last group of 5,000 riders and did not cross the start line until 18 minutes after the official start. The pace was fast once we got going on the flat section of about 10 miles before reaching the first major mountain pass. I tried to hold back knowing it was going to be a long day but it was hard not getting caught up with all of the others and adrenaline running high. There was also a time cut at mile 60 which I did not want to miss. Having started in the back and losing 18 minutes at the start made it that much harder. I rode steady and fast passing hundreds of riders over the first two major climbs and thankfully arrived 15 minutes before the time cut so I could continue on the longer course. It was a beautiful day, sunny and temperatures in the low 70’s most of the day. The mountain passes were very scenic and great ocean views. My goal was to break 10 hours. After 13,000 feet of climbing and 140 miles I crossed the finish line in 8 hours and 55 minutes and finished 4th in my age category.

It was my longest race and required all my effort. I was happy to beat my goal of breaking 10 hours. My finishing time will allow me to move up to another group next year so I can cross the start line sooner.

I would highly recommend cycling on Mallorca, it is truly the Mecca for road cycling and should be on your bucket list!

Until next year!

Cheers, Tom

Springtime Portland West Hills Ride

By Ryan Schmidt

Warning: If you bring up an epic ride in conversation with Renée, you may end up writing it up for La Voix.

Last April, I traveled to Portland on the first flight out of LAX on a Thursday, hoping to get a bike ride in that afternoon. I knew that I needed to get going as soon as possible as I was attempting the route for the De Ronde PDX 2024 ride. This ride occurs annually as part of The PDX Classics - Chasing Lions series (http://www.RondePDX.com and The PDX Classics - Chasing Lions Club on Strava). It is an open road event that is intended to mimic a Belgian classic, such as Liège-Baston-Liège, that is challenging for its up and down profile that is never flat.

I skipped lunch to head over to the Cycle Portland bike shop and start riding, relying solely on The Feed nutrition (orange Skratch gummies, blackberry pie bar, SIS Beta strawberry lime gels). The bike was ready to go thanks to an easy online reservation process, and I was able to store my shoes at the shop. I got a Giant carbon road bike with tubeless 32 mm tires and subcompact chainrings allowing for a 1:1 gear ratio for the smallest gear, which turned out to be perfect for the combination of rough pavement, gravel, and steep sections ahead of me.

The ride took me up and down the West Hills, which is a small mountain with panoramic views overlooking downtown Portland and the surrounding areas. They say that you can see around 4 volcanoes within the Cascade Range from the West Hills on the right day. I didn’t look that hard, but I could easily make out Mount Hood in the distance.

The route took me through an industrial area to enter Forest Park for some shaded gravel climbing punctuated by funky art installations. From there, I rode through beautiful neighborhoods built into the hills with well-kept landscaping that was in full bloom. Navigation was challenging as there must have been around one hundred navigation points. One eye was kept on the road, and the other on the Garmin. Apparently, you can follow lions painted on the street, but I only saw them once. The developer of this route was a true master operating at the level of a symphony orchestra conductor. I went past major landmarks (Pittock Mansion, the Zoo, and the Rose Garden), through parks and small paths connecting streets in unexpected ways, and even a cemetery! There was one set of antennas at the top that I approached from every possible direction. In the end, it may have been too much for the Garmin to handle. In the neighborhood that includes Portland State University, I entered a Bermuda Triangle where I lost the route and kept doubling back on myself. Apparently, I was supposed to climb a steep one-way street that is the width of a single car against traffic for approximately 600 feet (SW College St). Maybe this would be have been more obvious on the top-end bike computer models. Who knows?

At this point, I was low on energy, nutrition, and water, so I decided to head back to the bike shop. I was satisfied with my 37.7 mile ride with 5,935 feet of elevation gain in around four hours. I quickly downed a Mexican Coke, which was conveniently available at the shop and bought some socks for my daughter. From there, I headed to an outdoor food cart pod and ordered a sope de carnitas and a beer.

Life is good on the bike!


Members:

Please take a moment to ensure your contact information is up to date. Visit https://www.lagrange.org/member-dashboard#myaccount to confirm that your phone number is current, and double check that your emergency contact name and phone number are accurate. This helps La Grange improve vendor access to membership verification and ensures that, in case of an emergency during a ride, a board member can quickly notify your emergency contact. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at membership@lagrange.org.

Follow La Grange and Stay Informed!

Keep-up with LG Rides, News & more on our Social Channels

  • LG Club on Instagram 

  • LG Race Team on Instagram 

  • LG on Strava 

  • LG on Facebook 

  • LG exclusive What’s App community for LG members only

    Join HERE and become part of the legacy of Velo Club La Grange, one of the oldest and most respected cycling clubs in California.

Support Our Sponsors

La Grange members receive a 20% discount on all retail Pedal Mafia clothing and accessories. Please see the PM membership benefits page on our website for the member only discount code.Thank you for supporting Pedal Mafia.

Created in Collaboration with Caleb Ewan, this signature series is a reflection on a career defined by speed, precision, and years at the highest level of professional Cycling. Designed alongside the PM team, the collect6ion acts as both a celebration of Caleb’s journey in the sport and a representation of the next chapter, moving beyond the intensity of professional racing while still maintaining a strong connection to the bike, family, fitness, and the lifestyle surrounding cycling, keeping a connection to cycling long after racing itself.

We encourage you to support our clothing sponsor of the last two years, Pedal Mafia, provider of high quality, performance oriented cycling wear for men and women. Stop by their shop conveniently located on Santa Monica Blvd and check out the newly released Caleb Ewan range and ride in the kit of the world tour!


La Grange members receive a 20% discount on non-mechanical components (ie: chain lube, bar tape, etc.) and a 10% discount on bikes, frames and components.

La Grange rides often meet and start from Helen’s in Santa Monica. Be sure to go to Helen’s for all of your bike maintenance and gear needs!

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!

ACTS Law, Personal Injury Lawyers
APEX Law, Real Estate and Business Litigation
Caffe Luxxe, Artisanal Coffee Roasters Gentle Jaw, A passive stretching device for acute and chronic tmj and jaw pain John Fox Fine Painting, Exquisite finishes and bespoke murals Helen’s Cycles, Local Community Bike Shop
Lee Ziff, Real Estate Pedal Mafia, Killer Cycling Apparel Rudy Project, Italian-Made Helmets and Eyewear The Feed, #1 Source for Performance Nutrition TriFit LA, Fitness and Performance Center
4iiii Powermeters, Harness the Power Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa Monica’s First and Only Brewery




La Voix - June 2026

Greetings La Grange Members, 

This month’s newsletter includes recaps on our first LG Safety Course, LG 50, womens ride and spring social at Busby’s, member feature by Ryan Schmidt and June dates to remember. As the Tour de France approaches I’ll leave you with this question… Will the 19 year old Paul Seixas be in the La Grange Jersey (aka French Nationals jersey) at the Tour de France? So excited to see this young professional race against Tadej this year at the tour! Thanks again to Amy Hutner for your support in gathering content for this month’s La Voix.

Ride safely,

Renée Fox, La Voix Editor

P.S. Have something else cycling-related you think would be interesting or beneficial to our members? Submit here to be considered for an upcoming newsletter.

Letter from the President

Hello La Grangers,

We closed out May with amazing weather and a super fun LG 50 ride to Griffith Observatory. As we look to June and beyond this might be a good time to set some cycling goals. And to come together as a club supporting each other in the club and larger cycling community.

Simple hellos, and sharing comments like “you are riding strong” can carry lots of positive energy that are just as powerful as that sugary gel, banana, or aero part.  

Let’s all have an amazing and safe summer riding our bikes and regaling the accomplishments and beauty of the day together afterwards. 

Vive La Grange,

Larry

Racing News

US Elite Track National Championships Bound

By Morgan James

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share a quick training and racing update as I head into a big stretch of UCI track racing this summer. Thanks to the incredible support from Velo Club La Grange, I’ve been preparing for a major block of international competition over the next several weeks. Next weekend, I’ll head to Pennsylvania for the UCI C2 Fastest Woman on Wheels, followed by my first-ever UCI C1 competition at the Carnival of Speed in Trinidad. After that, I’ll return home to race the UCI C2 Summer Slam at the VELO Sports Center before focusing on the US Elite Track National Championships later this August. I’ve been building toward this season since last September, and I’m excited to finally put all the work to the test.

One of the biggest turning points in my preparation came last November when I attended my first development camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The coaching staff encouraged me to make a major adjustment to my training by reducing some of my track-specific work and significantly increasing my aerobic base training and Zone 2 riding. Over the last six months, that change has made a huge difference in my fitness and confidence. While I no longer race for La Grange on the road, I’ve had a strong road season with several podium performances, and I’m currently leading the CBR race series in the Women’s P1/2 field with both the yellow and green jerseys heading into the finale in early June. In fact, I’ll be stepping off the plane from Pennsylvania and heading straight to the CBR finale that same day!

I’m incredibly grateful for the support La Grange has provided throughout this journey. Racing internationally and competing at the national level would not be possible without the encouragement of this community. I’m proud to represent the club this season and can’t wait to share how the racing goes over the next few months!

Velo Club La Grange! stay tuned for Morgan’s exact race schedule so we can show up in numbers to cheer for Morgan at the Velo Sports Center later this month and early July! The events are free to the public and really fun to watch.


Club News

Club Kit for Armenian Cyclists

By Michael Kludjan

Getting rid of old kit as new spring kit arrives? Arrange a meet up or drop off. I’m in Cheviot Hills and have a big porch where others have dropped off stuff. Helmets, shoes, kits, old equipment, anything bike related is acceptable. I’ll be making another trip to bring cycling gear soon. Reach out to me at 310-817-3299.

Thanks so much for your donations! The gear is greatly appreciated by the kids. They love the stuff.

Save the Date!

LG Women’s Ride: Saturday June 20

June LG50 Ride: Saturday June 27

Edgar Burcksen Memorial Santa Barbara Century: Saturday August 1

Club Events Recap

May Spring Social at Busby’s Santa Monica

By Deb Carabet

Images by various contributors

A great time was had by all who attended our May Social at Busby's West. Members played miniature golf, a little shuffleboard and enjoyed food and drinks while listening to our special guest speaker, Charles Aaron.

Three LG sponsors were present. Kevin Culpepper of ACTS Law educated us about the recently proposed measures by Uber that could significantly impact the rights of injured victims, including Los Angeles rideshare accident victims, drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Rich Hirschinger of Gentle Jaw added context to Kevin's update and David Newcombe from John Fox Fine Painting provided an update from our recent Skills and Safety Clinic. It was so great to have our sponsors with us. 

Guest speaker Charles Aaron shared his background racing as a young cyclist and how he got his start owning and managing pro cycling teams over his long career and why he decided to focus on women's pro cycling.  He shared Human Powered Health's goals, news about their women's team and thoughts on returning to our cycling roots with the younger generation to bring pro racing back to North America.

Thank you for joining us Charles and for picking the winner of the Rudy Project Sunglasses raffle, which was won by Ryan Schmidt and his son! 

See you all at the next social! 


La Grange Skills & Safety Course

By David Newcombe

Skills Course, cont’d. The goal, we recall, to make group riding Safety a topic to which we devote club energy, as part of our culture of looking out for one another.

Starts at 8. There is a little stretching, off the bike, to be honest, a little reaching and twisting and balancing, of which we can expect mastery from those who propose to operate bicycles at speed in close proximity to us, no?

We inspect our tires. The instructor says, “You may be surprised by some damage you didn’t know about.” Then promptly finds a large hole in his own rear tire. 

That’s what learning is! A constant surprise, what you don’t know, right?

Or, what we don’t pay attention to. Or what we don’t have shared words to talk about.

We address these constraints thus: we test our brakes, hard, around the building at Helen’s and in the little parking lot. We try riding a straight line while turning to look behind, each side. We corner one-by-one past a moving pedestrian obstacle, the fearless Geoff Loui, studying our decreasing line by mental effort to not look at the obstacle. To not hit Geoff.

We ride smartly in a neat double line up 26th St. We frame our rubric as “rider responsibilities.” You are responsible for your line, your spacing, your speed. Your focus.

We all need corrections, and encouragement, too. In the Skills Course, we offer these objectively and kindly, while carefully tending our fragile paceline around the golf course clockwise, amidst the usual foreseen and unforeseen madness we call “the road.”  

A few of our LG junior racers, animating our pace line, demonstrate the future of road cycling, and the continuity of the Velo Club La Grange vision.

May La Grange Women’s Ride

By Amy Hutner

Led by Amy Hutner and Philippa Moore

Images by Philippa Moore

On May 16th, the Women's Ride met up at Ocean and San Vicente for a social-paced ride up PCH to Topanga and up and over Topanga Canyon, Old Topanga and Mullholland to Pedalers Fork and back. In addition to some 'regulars" on this ride (Cate, Philippa, Janice and Kirsten), we were joined by a few friends of Philippa's - Molly and Jolene. Topanga was lush and beautiful. While Amy and Kirsten both had to turn around before Pedaler's Fork, the hardy remaining crew were able to make it to Pedaler's and enjoy a coffee and pastry before heading back over Topanga and back to Santa Monica. A good time was had by all, new friendships forged, and solid time in the saddle logged!


May La Grange LG 50 to the Griffith Park Observatory

Led by Marco Fantone | SAG by Renee Fox & David Newcombe of John Fox Fine Painting
Images by various contributors

Saturday’s LG 50 ride could not have had better weather to trek across the city to the Griffith Observatory.

The ride started from Helen’s in Santa Monica where Jay and Adam opened the shop early for cyclists to purchase any nutrition and gear needed before the ride. The LG van was gleaming from a thorough detailing by Marco, David, Amanda & Renée. A few words on safety and the route were spoken and the group departed with the van following closely behind. As the peloton climbed Sepulveda, David spotted Rich Hirschinger with a mechanical, pulled over and used the tools in the van to help Rich get back on the bike so he was able to catch up to the group and finish the ride. The group had the usual small regroups near the start of Mulholland near the temple and also at the 101 freeway where Mulholland ends with the main regroup/ SAG stop at Travel Town just inside Griffith Park. Renée & David provided quite the spread with the usual fare plus sandwiches that fueled the cyclists for their final climb up to the observatory. A large group made their way to Santa Monica Brew Works after the ride for some well-earned beer and snacks.

Member Features

Mallorca 312 Bicycle Race

By Tom Hill

It was the end of April 2023 when my nephew Marcos from Argentina contacted me about a bicycle race on the island of Mallorca in Spain. He said I should come to Mallorca and do this race the Mallorca 312.

Marcos left Argentina twenty one years ago and moved to Mallorca to follow his dreams and passion for sailing. After earning his education in the boating industry he became a Captain and found work sailing private yachts owned by wealthy foreigners. Mallorca is a beautiful island and has attracted many famous people. Some of the homeowners on the island include Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas, Sir Richard Branson, Pierce Brosnan, Claudia Schiffer, Rafa Nadal and many others including Bradley Wiggins a winner of the Tour de France.

After a little research I was excited to enter the race the following year in 2024. Registration opens in October for the following year race. You have to be fast on the computer because once entries opened up they sell out 8,000 entries within ten minutes! I did not get my entry in time so I hooked up with a British Cycling Tour company that had some extra entries and got in.

There are three distances offered. The short version is 104 miles and 8,100 feet of ascent, the medium version is 140 miles and 13,000 feet of ascent and the longest version is 193 miles with 16,500 feet of climbing. I did the short version in 2024 finishing in 6 hours and totally drained crossing the finish line.

I registered in 2025 and was looking forward to the race again until I got a knock on my door January 7th at 10:15 a.m. by a neighbor who told me there was a big fire heading our way. I climbed on the roof of my house, made a quick video of it then came back inside. At that moment I froze deciding what I could get out of my house before the mandatory evacuation. After loading up my car with all I could take, Clyde (my dog) and I headed out to Sunset Blvd. to sit in bumper to bumper traffic to escape the fire as it kept getting closer and the smoke became thicker. Needless to say I missed the race in 2025 as it was a lost year relocating many times and living out of my car. I promised myself I was not going to let anything get in my way so I could return in 2026.

This year I chose to challenge myself and signed up for the longer distance race of 140 miles and 13,000 feet of climbing. I put in some longer early season rides to prepare for the longer race. Most of my rides were 5 to 6 hours long, though this race would be about 10 hours long. At 5:30 a.m. 8,500 riders lined up for a 6:30 a.m. start of the 16th annual Mallorca 312. It was a cold morning and I was shivering waiting in the dark for the gunshot start. The field of riders were mostly all Europeans with the majority from Spain, England and Germany. Every year the event draws top racers and some famous ex pros. This year brought Jan Ullrich from Germany and Miguel Indurain from Spain both past Tour de France winners. Indurain is the most famous Spanish racer having won the Tour de France 5 times.

I was placed in the last group of 5,000 riders and did not cross the start line until 18 minutes after the official start. The pace was fast once we got going on the flat section of about 10 miles before reaching the first major mountain pass. I tried to hold back knowing it was going to be a long day but it was hard not getting caught up with all of the others and adrenaline running high. There was also a time cut at mile 60 which I did not want to miss. Having started in the back and losing 18 minutes at the start made it that much harder. I rode steady and fast passing hundreds of riders over the first two major climbs and thankfully arrived 15 minutes before the time cut so I could continue on the longer course. It was a beautiful day, sunny and temperatures in the low 70’s most of the day. The mountain passes were very scenic and great ocean views. My goal was to break 10 hours. After 13,000 feet of climbing and 140 miles I crossed the finish line in 8 hours and 55 minutes and finished 4th in my age category.

It was my longest race and required all my effort. I was happy to beat my goal of breaking 10 hours. My finishing time will allow me to move up to another group next year so I can cross the start line sooner.

I would highly recommend cycling on Mallorca, it is truly the Mecca for road cycling and should be on your bucket list!

Until next year!

Cheers, Tom

Springtime Portland West Hills Ride

By Ryan Schmidt

Warning: If you bring up an epic ride in conversation with Renée, you may end up writing it up for La Voix.

Last April, I traveled to Portland on the first flight out of LAX on a Thursday, hoping to get a bike ride in that afternoon. I knew that I needed to get going as soon as possible as I was attempting the route for the De Ronde PDX 2024 ride. This ride occurs annually as part of The PDX Classics - Chasing Lions series (http://www.RondePDX.com and The PDX Classics - Chasing Lions Club on Strava). It is an open road event that is intended to mimic a Belgian classic, such as Liège-Baston-Liège, that is challenging for its up and down profile that is never flat.

I skipped lunch to head over to the Cycle Portland bike shop and start riding, relying solely on The Feed nutrition (orange Skratch gummies, blackberry pie bar, SIS Beta strawberry lime gels). The bike was ready to go thanks to an easy online reservation process, and I was able to store my shoes at the shop. I got a Giant carbon road bike with tubeless 32 mm tires and subcompact chainrings allowing for a 1:1 gear ratio for the smallest gear, which turned out to be perfect for the combination of rough pavement, gravel, and steep sections ahead of me.

The ride took me up and down the West Hills, which is a small mountain with panoramic views overlooking downtown Portland and the surrounding areas. They say that you can see around 4 volcanoes within the Cascade Range from the West Hills on the right day. I didn’t look that hard, but I could easily make out Mount Hood in the distance.

The route took me through an industrial area to enter Forest Park for some shaded gravel climbing punctuated by funky art installations. From there, I rode through beautiful neighborhoods built into the hills with well-kept landscaping that was in full bloom. Navigation was challenging as there must have been around one hundred navigation points. One eye was kept on the road, and the other on the Garmin. Apparently, you can follow lions painted on the street, but I only saw them once. The developer of this route was a true master operating at the level of a symphony orchestra conductor. I went past major landmarks (Pittock Mansion, the Zoo, and the Rose Garden), through parks and small paths connecting streets in unexpected ways, and even a cemetery! There was one set of antennas at the top that I approached from every possible direction. In the end, it may have been too much for the Garmin to handle. In the neighborhood that includes Portland State University, I entered a Bermuda Triangle where I lost the route and kept doubling back on myself. Apparently, I was supposed to climb a steep one-way street that is the width of a single car against traffic for approximately 600 feet (SW College St). Maybe this would be have been more obvious on the top-end bike computer models. Who knows?

At this point, I was low on energy, nutrition, and water, so I decided to head back to the bike shop. I was satisfied with my 37.7 mile ride with 5,935 feet of elevation gain in around four hours. I quickly downed a Mexican Coke, which was conveniently available at the shop and bought some socks for my daughter. From there, I headed to an outdoor food cart pod and ordered a sope de carnitas and a beer.

Life is good on the bike!


Members:

Please take a moment to ensure your contact information is up to date. Visit https://www.lagrange.org/member-dashboard#myaccount to confirm that your phone number is current, and double check that your emergency contact name and phone number are accurate. This helps La Grange improve vendor access to membership verification and ensures that, in case of an emergency during a ride, a board member can quickly notify your emergency contact. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at membership@lagrange.org.

Follow La Grange and Stay Informed!

Keep-up with LG Rides, News & more on our Social Channels

  • LG Club on Instagram 

  • LG Race Team on Instagram 

  • LG on Strava 

  • LG on Facebook 

  • LG exclusive What’s App community for LG members only

    Join HERE and become part of the legacy of Velo Club La Grange, one of the oldest and most respected cycling clubs in California.

Support Our Sponsors

La Grange members receive a 20% discount on all retail Pedal Mafia clothing and accessories. Please see the PM membership benefits page on our website for the member only discount code.Thank you for supporting Pedal Mafia.

Created in Collaboration with Caleb Ewan, this signature series is a reflection on a career defined by speed, precision, and years at the highest level of professional Cycling. Designed alongside the PM team, the collect6ion acts as both a celebration of Caleb’s journey in the sport and a representation of the next chapter, moving beyond the intensity of professional racing while still maintaining a strong connection to the bike, family, fitness, and the lifestyle surrounding cycling, keeping a connection to cycling long after racing itself.

We encourage you to support our clothing sponsor of the last two years, Pedal Mafia, provider of high quality, performance oriented cycling wear for men and women. Stop by their shop conveniently located on Santa Monica Blvd and check out the newly released Caleb Ewan range and ride in the kit of the world tour!


La Grange members receive a 20% discount on non-mechanical components (ie: chain lube, bar tape, etc.) and a 10% discount on bikes, frames and components.

La Grange rides often meet and start from Helen’s in Santa Monica. Be sure to go to Helen’s for all of your bike maintenance and gear needs!

THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!

ACTS Law, Personal Injury Lawyers
APEX Law, Real Estate and Business Litigation
Caffe Luxxe, Artisanal Coffee Roasters Gentle Jaw, A passive stretching device for acute and chronic tmj and jaw pain John Fox Fine Painting, Exquisite finishes and bespoke murals Helen’s Cycles, Local Community Bike Shop
Lee Ziff, Real Estate Pedal Mafia, Killer Cycling Apparel Rudy Project, Italian-Made Helmets and Eyewear The Feed, #1 Source for Performance Nutrition TriFit LA, Fitness and Performance Center
4iiii Powermeters, Harness the Power Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa Monica’s First and Only Brewery




La Voix - May 2026

Greetings La Grange Members, 

Happy first of May and thanks for reading La Voix. I had a lot of help from Any Hutner in gathering content this month so a shout out of thanks to Amy! This month’s newsletter includes information on our rescheduled Safety Course (Amy, Mandy and I will all be helping with this fun event and encourage you to come out:), La Grange event and ride recaps, a nice member feature by Trish of her and Larry’s cycling trip to Cambodia and Vietnam, some new info about our sponsors, a few save the dates and our new Spring Special Edition 1970’s Peugeot inspired kit. Make sure you purchase one before the portal closes May 4!

Enjoy the May flowers and ride safely,

Renée Fox, La Voix Editor

P.S. Have something else cycling-related you think would be interesting or beneficial to our members? Submit here to be considered for an upcoming newsletter.

Letter from the President

Hello La Grangers,

May is an awesome time for cycling in Los Angeles. The weather is perfect and the summer tourists and related traffic haven’t yet arrived en masse. As president of the club, I receive lots of inquiries from members and those looking to join. A regular topic is safety. At a time when we are starting up our monthly Safety Course and Skills Clinics I want to share my thoughts with you about the shared responsibility of a group ride.

In a cycling club and on group rides, everyone helps set the tone—whether you’re an official leader or a rider in the group. Leadership isn’t just about board meetings, routes or directions; it’s about modeling safe, respectful, and predictable riding so others can follow with confidence and have a great time with others that share the cycling passion.

A great ride starts with everyone feeling safe. That means reinforcing good habits—steady pacing, proper spacing, and clear communication about hazards and traffic. What you do on the bike influences the whole group. Small actions matter. Riding a straight line, staying predictable, and keeping your hands on the bars all set a strong example—especially for newer riders who are learning the group’s norms.

One rule we must all follow: Avoid distractions by giving the ride 100% of your focus. This means: Leave your phone in your pocket while riding. Do not listen to music when riding in a group. Keep your hands on the bars, look forward and watch in your periphery for hazards, holes, sand, upcoming traffic controls, other riders. Make sure you are prepared to see distractions by wearing clean, unscratched glasses, prescription glasses if you need them, showing up with a well maintained bicycle when you are feeling healthy and ready to participate in what can be a dangerous sport. Where you look is where you go, and distractions put everyone at risk.

In a group, consistent predictability is key. Sudden movements—like drifting, surging, or braking unexpectedly—can create confusion and danger. Smooth, steady riding helps everyone stay safe. Cycling should always be enjoyable. Good leadership and predictable riding doesn’t take away the fun—it supports it. A safe ride today means many more great rides ahead. Everyone plays a role. “Protect your front wheel” is important—but so is being mindful of riders behind you. When cyclists support each other—sharing knowledge, helping with mechanicals, and reinforcing good habits—the whole group benefits. At its core, safe riding in a peloton is about making thoughtful choices that prioritize the group’s well-being. When riders see that commitment, they follow—and together, we build a stronger, safer cycling community.

Vive La Grange,

Larry

Club News

La Grange Skills and Safety Course

Join us for our first Skills & Safety Course! For new and seasoned riders, this course is designed to sharpen your bike handling and elevate our club’s group riding culture.

When: Sunday, May 24 @ 8:00 AM

Where: Helen’s Cycles on Broadway

What to Expect: Skill drills and riding in a true double pace line. Learn techniques you can practice to be more like “The Pros”


Save the Date:

Saturday May 16 LG Women’s Ride Route TBD

Saturday May 30 LG 50, Sponsored by John Fox Fine Painting with Renée, David and John Fox on SAG, Route TBD

Lee Ziff winning in the 70’s La Grange Peugeot kit

New Special Edition Spring LG Tribute Kit!!

The Pedal Mafia Spring Order Portal is Open until May 4th!

We’ve been busy here at our top-secret LG clothing skunkworks working on our next niche Spring offering, much in the same vein as last year’s mega-successful French National kit! This has always been a labor of love; trying to find just the right ingredients to craft an awesome kit. We think we’ve come up with a good one. We have often heard from longtime members just how simple, yet cool our mid-1970s Peugeot/La Grange kit was. Classy and racy with a mid-70s vibe. We considered what this kit should celebrate. While we highlighted all things French last year, this go-round, our “Tribute kit” pays homage to the man who founded La Grange: Raymond Fouquet. On the front and back of the jersey, you will see the name of a French town with a red coat of arms next to it. This is the actual suburb of Paris where Raymond was born in 1920. To complete the look, the club will offer BLACK bibs for the first time in close to 30 years! We can’t think of a more appropriate way to celebrate Raymond and 57 years of La Grange!

In addition to this kit, the current club and race kit clothing items will also be available to order for those of you who missed the December order. In order to receive these kits by late June, the clothing portal will only be open for a short window, closing end-of-day on May 4th.

~Marco Fantone

Contact Marco Fantone if you need the members only link to purchase.

Club Events Recap

April La Grange Women’s Ride

Led by Amanda Beesley

Images by various contributors

On April 18, 2026, the La Grange Women’s Ride kicked off at 8am for a 30 mile journey that started on Ocean Blvd.  Amanda Beesley lead the group inland and up several steep climbs up including Bellagio, Chalon, and Stradella.  The riders consistently regrouped at the top of each climb.  When Lisa’s rear wheel punctured, she calmly spun it to seal the leak.  They rode Mulholland and down Franklin.  The views were amazing.  The road was pristine.  They made their way back through UCLA and ended the ride with coffee at goodboybob coffee roasters in Santa Monica.  Women who started out as friends and strangers now shared a common experience, a sense of accomplishment, the rush of endorphins, and the anticipation of gathering again the next third Saturday of the month.  Thanks to Amy Hutner for designing the route and to Lisa Goldfarb for the photo.


April La Grange LG 50 Malibu State Park and Paramount Ranch

Led by Dan Mitnick | SAG by Dan Funk
Images by Dan Mitnick

Saturday’s LG 50 ride followed a spectacular route along PCH, turning right at Cross Creek and up Malibu Canyon to Las Virgenes. The peloton took a left turn on Mulholland Highway, continued onto Cornell, right on Agoura Road, right on Lost Hills, and went back the way they came to PCH. SAG was held at the corner of Mulholland & Cornell road, with views of the historic Paramount Ranch, an iconic setting featured in over 500 film and tv productions. The main SAG and restroom stop were at Juan Bautista Park. Dan Funk drove the LG van, and Geoff Loui was the sweep. Thanks to the wonderful volunteers from our community for making this ride happen!

CAF Partnership Kick-Off
Great to see you all at Lee Ziff’s Taco Night! We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership between Velo Club La Grange and the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), with CAF proudly serving as the club’s official charity partner. CAF’s mission is to provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. CAF believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence, and enhances quality of life.

Together, we’re creating more opportunities for members and athletes to connect through shared events, cross-promotion, and meaningful collaboration. This partnership is all about expanding access, growing both of our communities, and engaging Velo Club members more deeply in CAF’s mission to support athletes with physical challenges. We’re incredibly excited about what we can build together—bringing people together through sport, creating more inclusive opportunities, and doing real good in the world.

Below are a few ways you can start to get involved as we begin to grow CAF’s presence across Los Angeles and kick off this incredible partnership. Please feel free to reach out to CAF directly with any interest, questions, or for additional information.

Morgan Cronin Development, Los Angeles
Challenged Athletes Foundation morgan@challengedathletes.org

CAF Update: Miles that Matter

We’re excited to give the La Grange community a glimpse into what’s coming with the CAF Cycling Club and our 2026 Miles That Matter campaign.

This year alone, CAF awarded over 4,033 grants totaling more than $7 million and surpassing a major milestone of more than $200 million awarded in our 33 year history! This is made possible by the generous communities that support our mission and help athletes with permanent physical disabilities access adaptive equipment, training, and competition. When you ride for CAF, you help someone else ride too.

The CAF Cycling Club is donation based. Ride wherever, whenever, however you ride, and know that every mile helps create opportunity for another athlete. Kick off your campaign by donating to your own ride, invite others to pledge per mile, or share your story and rally support along the way. The more you raise, the more you unlock exclusive gear, unforgettable destination ride experiences, and other exciting rewards!

A unique QR code for Velo Club La Grange members is coming soon. In the meantime, you can learn more HERE.

CAF is always in need of sighted captains.  Please reach out if you are interested in tandem cycling and learning to become a sighted captain.

Save the Date: CAF LA Defying Limits Gala 2027
Please save the date—CAF’s LA Defying Limits Gala will be held on February 20, 2027, at the Skirball Cultural Center. Last year marked our inaugural gala, welcoming more than 400 guests and raising over $600,000 to support CAF’s mission, athletes, and community here in Los Angeles. A formal save-the-date, along with table, ticket, and sponsorship information, will be shared soon.

Stay tuned for more Challenged Athletes Foundation updates!

Member Features

Our Bike Trip To Cambodia and Vietnam

BY TRISH BAKST

This past February, Larry Goodman and I took a two-week bike trip to Cambodia and Vietnam.  It was nothing like we imagined.  I brought my road bike shoes and cleats and quickly discovered that I had the wrong gear.  We were riding on mountain bikes.  Larry was smarter than I was and brought his mountain bike shoes and cleats which, in Cambodia, was the right move because all of the roads were dirt, often wet, or chopped up dirt and cement.  So within a day or so, my bike cleats were covered in wet, red dirt and I could not clip in.  Eventually, I solved my problem by switching to sneakers and flat pedals.  But my white sneakers are still tinted pink.  Lol.  

Besides that minor snafu, we had a really great trip.  We traveled with a British based company called Redspokes who organized every aspect of our trek, from start to finish.  We started in Siem Reap, which is where Angkor Wat is located, and then rode our bikes through Cambodia to Phomn Penn where we boarded a barge that took us on a six hour very slow “cruise”  (that’s a joke) to Vietnam.  We traveled with 11 Brits and 3 other Americans for a total of 16 people, including me and Larry.  Everyone was really nice and we had a great time traveling together over the two-week period.  Once we got to Vietnam, we again rode our bikes from Chau Doc to Saigon, also called Ho Chi Minh City by no one except the government and the airlines.

Going from Cambodia to Vietnam by water was an interesting experience.  The barge stopped at the buffer zone between the two countries where we disembarked to show our passports to customs.  But customs did not give the passports back right away.  After handing our passports over to some guys in uniforms sitting at a computer in a shack, we re-boarded the barge, without our passports and cruised another 45 minutes until we were across the border.  I was rather nervous about leaving my passport behind, but our guide assured us this was SOP.  After another 45 minutes of cruising down the river, we disembarked again and then waited about an hour while a customs official motorcycled our passports from the buffer zone to the border where we were waiting.  We were told afterwards that it does not usually take so long, but there were 6 Israelis on board the barge with us, so the Vietnamese were being especially careful to make sure they were not terrorists!  TBH, that really pissed me off.  

I would characterize this trip as less of a biking trip and more of a sight-seeing trip, although we did ride anywhere from 30-60 miles daily, with a 1 day stopover in Phomn Penn.  Among many sites, we toured Angkor Wat, several fishing villages, the killing fields, and more.  It was very interesting and we had fun.  

Redspokes was great –In Cambodia and Vietnam we had local guides who toured us through the country, explaining where we were and what we were seeing.  They also fully supported our every need - food, restaurants, hotels, water, bike support, etc.  We had to ride at a very slow pace tho because it was 90+°.  We literally had to stop every 10K (6.6 miles) to drink water and spray water on ourselves to cool down.  Twice, I became completely overheated and could not ride, once holding up the group for 45 minutes while I put ice on my head, drank coke and tried to cool off in the shade.  Kind of embarrassing.  Except for the heat, the rides were not difficult as they were all totally flat.  But, needless to say, with all of that stopping, including lunch, it took us 7-8 hours every day to ride from start to finish and then get on a bus to be transported (sometimes for 2 hours) into the cities where we stayed overnight.  By the time we arrived, it was at least 5pm.  We only stayed one night in each accommodation, except for PhomnPennn and Saigon where we stayed two nights.  Efficient packing was the name of that game.  

As we pedaled along what are essentially country river roads, we rode through village after village and saw lots of interesting things.  Twice, we rode through a wedding.  Not around, but through.  This is because the villages are made up of simple roadside shacks filled with food, wares and goods, often without proper sanitation or electricity.  We knew the fresh chicken offered for purchase had only been killed hours before.  

Transportation throughout these countries is usually via mopeds stacked with food, wares and other goods.  Everyone has a lot of chickens, water buffaloes and lots of dogs that were too heat exhausted to chase us or even lift their heads.  When we stopped to cool off, we interacted with the locals who were all super friendly and nice.  I can’t think of any country I’ve been to that is poorer than Cambodia.  Vietnam is not as poor, but still, it’s a third world country.  I was struck by how many mopeds and bicycles the Vietnamese have.  In a country of 11 million people, it seemed as though everyone had a moped. The cities were literally a sea of mopeds.

White people are certainly not the norm in Cambodia or Vietnam.  According to our guides, most Cambodians have only seen a white person on TV.  White people in biking clothes is so crazy that one woman asked our guide what planet we were from.  We were such an oddity that when the children saw us, they always came running to the road (which we would call a bike path) and screamed our their “helloes” to us.  That’s all the English they know.  If I said “hi” back to them, they didn’t respond because “hi” in Cambodian means “ocean.”  Doh.  That stuck with me.

All in all, this was a really fun and interesting trip that I would recommend to anyone hearty enough to withstand riding bikes in 90° temps.  


Members:

Please take a moment to ensure your contact information is up to date. Visit https://www.lagrange.org/member-dashboard#myaccount to confirm that your phone number is current, and double check that your emergency contact name and phone number are accurate. This helps La Grange improve vendor access to membership verification and ensures that, in case of an emergency during a ride, a board member can quickly notify your emergency contact. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at membership@lagrange.org.

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Support Our Sponsors

La Grange Members receive a 15% discount on your entire purchase, excluding gift cards, when you present your La Grange membership card.

Did you know, in addition to delicious coffee and pastries, Caffe luxxe gives back to the community. Leran more HERE


La Grange members receive a 10% discount on beverage tabs during official, pre-scheduled club meetups, happy hours, and events.

Santa Monica Brew Works is the first and only independent craft brewery in Santa Monica, California, known for its California-inspired beers and "Beach Brewed" lifestyle. It features a tasting room and beer garden with ample indoor and outdoor seating, often with rotating food trucks or an adjacent pizza restaurant (Emmy Squared). The brewery offers a wide variety of beers, including unique styles, and provides amenities like free parking and is accessible via the Metro.       

•    Amenities: Free parking, bike racks, dog-friendly, and wheelchair accessible. 

•    Events: Hosts private and semi-private events, accommodating groups of various sizes. 
In addition to providing some of the best coffee in Los Angeles, did you know that Caffe Luxxe also gives back to the community? Read more HERE


THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!

ACTS Law, Personal Injury Lawyers
APEX Law, Real Estate and Business Litigation
Caffe Luxxe, Artisanal Coffee Roasters Gentle Jaw, A passive stretching device for acute and chronic tmj and jaw pain John Fox Fine Painting, Exquisite finishes and bespoke murals Helen’s Cycles, Local Community Bike Shop
Lee Ziff, Real Estate Pedal Mafia, Killer Cycling Apparel Rudy Project, Italian-Made Helmets and Eyewear The Feed, #1 Source for Performance Nutrition TriFit LA, Fitness and Performance Center
4iiii Powermeters, Harness the Power Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa Monica’s First and Only Brewery




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