La Voix June 2024

RACING NEWS

Team Time Trial Victories for La Grange! (Race Report by Morgan James)

 

Fun weekend of racing. Monique and I raced the mixed Team Time Trial state championships with a couple of guy friends from the velodrome and we ended up taking home a state title! There was a ton of headwind on the back straight, but we finished the 23.5 mile TT in 51 minutes!

 

Barry Wolfe Grand Prix (Race Report by Morgan James)

 

Last week I raced Barry Wolfe Grand Prix. Lots of teams stacked the field, and after a break got off the front, I spent the rest of the race trying to work on chasing it down. Unfortunately, not many girls were willing to work and teammates of some girls in the break used strategic blocking to avoid bridging the gap. The race ended in a field sprint for 5th. Happy to stick out a 5th place finish in a hard race! Can’t win ‘em all, but learned a lot and had fun!

 

Edgar Burcksen Memorial Santa Barbara Century Ride

 

Please join us for the Edgar Burcksen Memorial Santa Barbara Century as we ride north to Santa Barbara. The ride starts at the Van Nuys Train Station and departs at 7:30 a.m. sharp. For those who don’t want to ride over the Sepulveda pass, we will stop at San Vicente and Ocean (SVO). We will roll from there around 8:55 a.m. See the route on Strava.

Ride Rules

This is a group ride, which means we stay together, and you should be able to ride at an average pace of 18 MPH. There will be four stops approximately every 20 miles for food and drinks from the van. If someone has a mechanical, the group will continue to ride, but a La Grange member will stay with the rider. Riders should not be riding ahead of the group. 

Cost

$40 includes the meal and drinks at SB Biergarten in Santa Barbara and transportation of your bike back to Van Nuys. You must prepay via PayPal by Sunday, July 21st at 10 pm so that we can confirm restaurant reservations and purchase goods based on the number of riders.

If you do not have a PayPal account, please send $40 to:

Velo Club La Grange, 11870 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 106317, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Train

You are responsible for your train ticket, and most people purchase a coach seat, but you can buy a business class seat if you desire. Please buy an Amtrak 11 Coast Starlight ticket, departing Santa Barbara (SBA) at 6:19 p.m. and arriving at Van Nuys (VNC) at 8:36 p.m. The cost of the train ticket as of today is $20. Again, book the train through Amtrak.

Duffle Bag

You can bring a duffle bag with a change of clothes, which will be transported to Santa Barbara on the van. Please plan on carrying your personal stuff back on the train. If there is room in the van, we can transport it, but bikes take priority. 

FAQ’s

Will bikes be transported to SVO (San Vicente and Ocean) after the ride for those that start there? 

No, the bikes will not be sent back to SVO. 

If not, what are the options? 

There are several options. You can leave a car at the Van Nuys Amtrak Station the night before and then arrange a ride home with a friend or Uber. This ensures you have a car waiting for you on Saturday night. Or you can get a ride home from other riders on Saturday night who have room in their car from Van Nuys. Or you arrange to have someone pick you up Saturday night. You can also leave your car at Van Nuys in the morning of the ride and then get a ride to SVO in the La Grange van, but you need to be on time since the van leaves Van Nuys right around 7:30 am to drive to SVO. 

How are bikes transported back to Van Nuys from Santa Barbara? 

The van can transport 24 bikes back to Van Nuys. They are protected with heavy-duty moving blankets, and no one has reported their bike being damaged during transport. 

Does my bike have to be transported back? 

No. You are free to make any arrangements you want. We need an exact count of how many bikes will be transported back. 

What's the pace? 

The pace is about 16-18 mph. We stay together, but you need to be able to keep a good pace. 

Are non-members allowed? 

Yes! We encourage non-members since this is a nice intro to the club for them. Please ask any other questions that you have.

- Rich Hirschinger and Larry Goodman

 

Special Flashback Article: Cycling Improved My Editing by Edgar Burcksen

 

Film editing doesn’t seem to be a very physical job. When we were dealing with film reels there was some kind of miniscule physicality when we had to rewind reels, make a splice, or drag a reel from the bench or Moviola to the Steenbeck or Kem for viewing. But nothing compared to all the physical work people on the set or location have to endure (ever tried to lift a camera, move a lamp, or pull some electrical cables?). The physicality of editing in connection with the handling of film has been the foundation for a lot of semi-romantic ideas about our job. Walter Murch, A.C.E., told me that the best ideas came to him when he was rewinding his reels. Rewinding reels of massive amounts of pyrotechnics on VistaVision as a visual effects editor at ILM for Die Hard 2 never gave me good thoughts—only pain. An orthopedic surgeon who examined me told me I had a “tennis arm.”

The physical part of editing, unfortunately, reveals itself mostly as ailments of the body: back problems, shoulder and neck pain, and—in the digital age particularly—carpal tunnel syndrome. Luckily there are a lot of people in all kinds of sectors working on computers today, so the prevention of getting debilitating injuries has come a long way. Editors Guild magazine even dedicated a whole article to the ergonomics of editing on computers, advising us on the proper position of the monitor, your hands on the keyboard or the mouse, the height of your chair, etc., and very helpful pointers to keep your torso and limbs moving in the editing room the way they’re supposed to.

However, the effect your physical condition has on the mental part of editing never seems to be taken into consideration. We’re in the sitting position most of the day. We sit at breakfast, we sit in our car, we sit at our Avid, we sit in the studio commissary for lunch, we sit in front of the TV when we’re home, and sit in a theater to watch a movie, a play, or musical performance. All of this might be a challenge mentally but doesn’t challenge our bodies physically. I never paid any attention to this until I found out that I had borderline hypertension. My doctor asked me when I came in for my biannual check-up if I did any exercise. My answer was no, how would I have time for that in the busy schedule that we’re facing every day? My wife Jana encouraged me to join her at her YMCA and follow her exercise routine, but I was inside all day already, and going into a sweaty room doing exercises on stationary equipment didn’t appeal to me. Running was out of the question also because of knee problems caused by a motorcycle accident when I was 27. Then a longtime friend of mine, director Bill Birrell, suggested I join him on one of his 6:30 a.m. La Grange rides. Getting up at 5:00 a.m. to do a ride didn’t sit well with me but I decided to give it a try anyway. Bill lent me one of his bikes and the apparel that goes with it and I went on the “easy” ride on Friday morning. I could barely keep up, and halfway through I thought I was going to collapse. But I finished the twenty-five mile ride encouraged by the veterans who stayed with this “newbie,” giving me advice and cheering me on. It’s more than two years now since I mounted a road bike. Now I have my own bike, all applicable apparel, and I regularly ride around a hundred miles a week, usually going uphill doing 2700 ft of climbing per ride, and my hypertension is totally gone. When I step out of the shower after my early morning bike ride, I feel energized and ready to take on the mental challenges of editing. Equilibrium seems to exist between physical and mental challenges and when that gets out of whack they seem to influence each other adversely. Mental ailments like stress dissipate like snow in the sun when you counter them with an equal amount of physical pressure. And it’s more than just the physical nature of cycling. Most of the time film editors are working in solitude, and when we’re in And the presence of others we’re almost always talking about film. Our profession seems to absorb us completely, even when we’re at the dinner table or at a party. In contrast, cyclists gather after our morning rides at Peet’s coffee shop and talk about the ride, the rude motorists, the state of our bikes, new equipment, or what kind of race is up for the weekend. Film is seldom mentioned even though there are a lot of people in the club from the “business.” The virtual absence of film in this part of my life makes more room for it on the professional side of it, with all the invigorating advantages.

My wife still thinks I look silly in my tight lycra bike shorts and my loud colorful jersey with the club’s sponsors on it, but when I climb from Pacific Coast Highway to the top of Latigo Canyon in the Santa Monica mountains it’s the silence around me, the sound of my lungs pumping oxygen into my bloodstream, and the gentle sound of the bike under me that gets me into a Zen-like state where nothing seems more important than to reach the summit. The exhilaration of the final pedal stroke and the reward of a simple drink of water out of my bottle are nothing less than the feeling of finishing the edit of a sequence where all your problems and challenges have been solved. Cycling improved my editing, even if I’m the only person who believes that.

Edgar Burcksen, A.C.E.,is the editor of CinemaEditor, the official magazine of American Cinema Editors. This editorial appeared in the 2006 Spring issue.

 

Sean Quinn Is Ready to Debut His Stars and Stripes Jersey at the Dauphiné

 

Sean Quinn, who spoke at the LG Happy Hour in January, is back in Europe, ready to show off his new US champion’s jersey at the Dauphiné.

After a tough spring, beset by a concussion and broken sternum, the American champ is approaching his best form before the important pre-Tour de France race. 

Sean grew up in Los Angeles and often joined his father Diarmuid who is a long-time club member riding Nichols, the Piuma Hillclimb, and other weekend rides. 

Read more on EF PRO CYCLING.

 

CLUB NEWS

2024 Club Photo and Ride

 

Thanks to the photogenic bunch who came out to represent La Grange for our 2024 Club Photo! Everyone looked fantastic in the new kit. Afterward, Peter Do led the group for a fun climb up Mandeville Canyon. Check out the photo album to see the official 2024 La Grange Club Photo.

 

May LG50 to Griffith Park, Led by Marco Fantone

 
 
 

Our Memorial Day May LG50 Ride led by Marco Fantone on Monday, May 27th was a great success! The ride started from San Vicente Blvd & Ocean Ave, cruised through the beautiful streets of Santa Monica and the famous Mulholland Drive, taking in breathtaking views of the city. The marine layer lifted by the time the peloton reached Griffith Park where we enjoyed a super scenic climb up trash truck hill for a mid-ride break where Marco delivered on the s—— ton of food he promised! Thank you Dan M for the home-baked cookies and banana bread, yum! We rode back through Hollywood pausing on Hollywood Blvd across from Ripley’s Believe it or Not and El Capitan Theater and back through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, some ending where we started and some celebrating the holiday at Brew Works. 

Thanks to Marco Fantone for leading the ride, Peter Do for SAG, Dan Funk and Geoff Loui for an awesome job sweeping to keep us all together and Dan Mitnick for the delicious baked treats!

 

Meet an LG Member: Tara Kreise

 

Hey LG! Meet new club member, Tara Kreise! 

Hello Tara, welcome to Velo Club La Grange! Please share a little about yourself with the club, like where you’re from, what bike(s) you ride, and/or what you do other than bikes.

Hello LG! Thanks for the very warm welcome. I’ve enjoyed riding with and getting to know club members. I grew up in Berks County, Pennsylvania not too far from where Lisa Goldfarb was raised. I’ve lived in DC, Seattle, SF, and Brooklyn before moving to LA. I’ve been riding for all of 10 months as of press time, and I am on my third bike since starting last spring. Currently, I ride a 2023 Specialized Roubaix, which is perfect for me since I prefer to feel like I’m riding a La-Z-Boy. I was previously on an Aethos, which was way too aggressive of a stance for me. Keep an eye out for the pink bar tape and come climb with me!

When I’m not riding, I am a recovering corporate workaholic who now consults startup and early-stage companies, and recently I founded my own company and I’m raising for my Seed round. I have a 21-year-old daughter who graduates from college this month, and I’m thrilled to have paid my final tuition bill! On recovery days, I can be found on the hiking trails in the Santa Monica mountains.

When did you join LG and why?

I joined LG in April of this year after riding with several LG members and learning how lovely you fine people are. I look forward to learning from everyone as I work to improve and get stronger. I’m also pretty damn excited about the Luxxe discount since I’ve spent more money there than I have at Whole Foods.

Please share a cycling story for LG.

Last August, I rode from Encantos Park to Crystal Lake for the first time climbing 5200’ in 25 miles (50 round trip). It was an unbearably hot day, and I nearly bonked ¾ of the way up the climb. Those who’ve climbed with me know the secret to my climbing technique is singing loudly into the ether to get my mind off of the data. I made it despite the flies attacking from all angles. It was 110°F as we descended, and sadly, I rode over a baby snake who slithered into my line – it was me or the snake. I did hold a moment of silence for our dearly departed friend.

Can you name an LG sponsor and tell us what you love about them?

I love Caffe Luxxe for its oat milk lattes, vegan cinnamon rolls, and vegan ham & cheese croissants! Yes, please!

What skill are you working on currently or what would you like to learn? Be specific.

Eventually, I am looking to learn to ride gravel, but first I need to find a trial bike to make sure I like as much as folks say I will! Know anyone who has a 49 gravel bike I can try?

Rate yourself, how good are you at changing a tire? 5 = under 2 minutes, main group hasn’t caught me yet.  4 = Let me help you with that… 3 = I know what I’m doing leave me alone,  2 = Got it fixed, wasn’t pretty and took a minute with help, 1= I’m calling a cab I blew through my CO2 and it's still not fixed.

I am definitely a #2. My damn hands are not strong enough to wrestle the rim away from the tire! If you think I have a sailor’s mouth now, watch out when I get a flat!

Give me your best explanation of a bottom bracket.

It serves the same purpose that an axel does in a car – it allows the cranks to turn hence making pedaling possible. Said another way, “the wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round …"

Be honest, what annoys you when other road cyclists do it in your presence?

I just don’t understand why some cyclists half-wheel when in a peloton. It’s as though they don’t understand the fundamental purpose of a peloton.

What’s your Strava account?

https://strava.app.link/CgHT1k1MpJb

 

New Members

 

Please say hello to our new members who joined in May (you can find them in our Member Directory):

Maxim T. and Rufio. 

Welcome everyone, La Grange is proud to have you with us!

 

IN THE NEWS

Training Flashback Edition: How Aware Are You? Hear me Rant! By Marco Fantone

 
 
 

By Marco Fantone, Originally published in the September 2007 La Voix

Having been in this great cycling club for over ten years now, I’ve seen my share of “what were they thinking?” maneuvers by cyclists. I’m still amazed when I see a cyclist do something that is obviously not in the best interest of either cyclists or motorists. When you call them on it you get this “who me?” look on their face.

The intent of this piece is not to rant on my fellow cyclists (I do enough of that during the week!) Rather, I’d like to focus on some of the common errors cyclists make and provide some guidance to keep us all safe on the road. 

Ride double file. Duh, really? Sure it sounds straightforward - until you get out on a Tuesday or Friday ride down to the Marina and you realize what a free-for-all it can be out there. If I had a dollar for every time I saw someone riding up the left side going three wide out into traffic, I’d have enough money for a new Cannondale Super Six! It’s an unfortunate fact that these cyclists ride with only themselves in mind without looking at the big picture. Let’s look at the impact of one “innocent” jaunt out into the traffic lane. At a time when the club is working to promote cycling as never before, the impression the motorist receives is one of carelessness, a lack of respect for the driving public and an overall disregard for safety. 

Here’s another favorite and as motorists ourselves, we should practice this one far more than we do: waving by a car that’s behind you. Mandeville is a great example of this one. We all know the road is narrow yet how many of us ever bother to wave by a car that’s sitting behind you? As a motorist, you’re often left wondering “does this cyclist know I’m here?” and, “if I try to pass will they suddenly swerve out into the road?” Upon receiving “the wave” the motorist is immediately aware that the cyclist knows there’s a car behind them. This is a small gesture yet one that works to lower the stress level of the motorist; something we should always work at while on the road.

Listening and reacting to activity behind you will not only maintain harmony out on the road but keep you safer as well. In addition to Mandeville, the climbs in Malibu are yet another example of the importance of listening for cars and motorcycles coming up from behind. We’ve all had two-wheeled canyon runners blow by us at triple-digit speeds on Piuma, Latigo, etc… By listening and reacting in a timely manner, we can continue with our climb and not frustrate others who enjoy the canyons in a different manner. 

One last thing to keep in mind (and this is easily THE most important aspect of riding, either solo or in a pack): look up the road. When you break it down, cycling is akin to a real-life video game. Objects are coming at you all the time and your job is to avoid the objects be it cars, potholes, debris in the road, etc… It’s all too easy to become fixated on the wheel in front of you. This limits your reaction time. If the rider in front decides to stab the brakes, the two of you will get to know each other probably a lot better than you ever wanted to. The goal is to look “through” the rider in front in order to see what might cause the pack to slow, allowing you ample time to react. Other things to look for are traffic lights on the verge of changing. Many systems now incorporate timers so you can see how many seconds are left until the light goes red. By processing this information, you minimize the “surprise factor.”

It doesn’t take much. Your goal should be to ride in a proactive environment. Always anticipate what may or could happen. Part of it is simple common sense. Part is an awareness of how your riding affects other cyclists and the motoring public. And there is a part that requires deep focus and attention. Ride hard, ride safe, and ride SMART!

 

Cycling in LA: Pride Ride

 

Pride Ride! To end Bike Month & kick off Pride Month, join the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition's group ride on June 2nd to the WeHo Pride Street Fair & Parade!

Meet at Hollywood & Highland Metro at 10 AM, roll at 10:30. Fair starts at 12 pm.

Details on WehoPride.com 🚴‍🌈

 

SOS - Support Our Sponsors: Lee Ziff Real Estate

 
 
 

Serving the local Los Angeles area and beyond, the team at Lee Zift provide expertise in residential and income properties. Feel free to connect with Club Member Lee and his team at https://leeziff.com (part of Keller Williams Beverly Hills).

 

Guest User

Cart (0)