Hello La Grange,
This month’s La Voix contains track racing news, a note from our LG President, a few awesome entries by club members in the form of an epic ride recap, volunteer report and new tandem training dates, updates from the LG Women’s ride, February LG50 recap, happy hour with Brian Hodes report and some promising news of a growing young generation of riders.
See you on the road.
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.
Racing News
La Grange is Back on the Track with Morgan James
Weeknight track racing has started up at the velodrome! It’s a great opportunity to get some extra race reps in. Last week, I raced in the men’s field and ended up winning the omnium! I’m looking forward to an exciting track season with UCI racing slated to come to our local Carson, California track this summer.
Club News
LG Survey/ Request from LG President Larry Goodman:
Hello fellow La Grangers
Spring is in the air- a time of rejuvenation and planting seeds to grow. I am planting a seed as a request to each of you to help us grow our membership.
Our recent survey revealed many things, including a need for more active community building both within our ranks and attracting engagement from outside the club.
LaGrange has a rich history and while our racing heritage is well known, less so are the accomplishments of members who rode their first centuries, lost weight, met their best friend and more. And there are many of those stories since most of us don’t race. Occasionally, we even have commuters join the back of the group on the weekday rides. There is a place for everyone within LaGrange. Please help spread the word and say hello, invite folks to join a club ride and offer words of encouragement or guidance.
This is your club. Let's work together to build and sustain its legacy.
Slow Ride to SLO By Amy Hutner
In the hopes of packing in a bit of adventure over Christmas break, I suggested to my partner, Gil, that we bike instead of drive to SLO to visit his son and grandson and take the AMTRAK back, and to my surprise, Gil said "sure, let's do it"! We immediately started packing and setting up our bikes to leave the next morning so we’d have time to ride, visit with family and return for work Monday. We looked at the total distance (215 total miles) and considering both of us have limited bike training under our belt (we are both primarily ultra-runners), we decided 3 days riding was manageable. We picked Ventura as the first stop and booked a hotel.
Day 1, Out the door in Mar Vista by 8am. Gil was riding his steel Salsa drop bar mountain bike with panniers, handlebar and top tube bags. I was on my Specialized Aethos road bike with a handlebar bag, a top tube bag and a backpack. We each carried a spare set of bike clothes, street clothes, tools, first aid, toiletries and some food. For full transparency, Gil carried most of my stuff in one of his panniers.
The ride to Ventura on the coast was mostly scenic and not too challenging, which was fine for our first day. We stopped at Big Rock for a snack, and a fruit stand in Pt Hueneme. I pulled over because I was looking for signs of Renee's new mural in Pt Hueneme and thought I spotted her beautiful bird theme, but turns out I was mistaken and settled for some overpriced fruit. We got to Ventura with 62.6 miles and 1500 of elevation gain. We walked along the beach from our hotel to a local brewery with a pizza place next door for dinner.
Day 2 Our plan was to make it to Solvang. We stopped for coffee and food at a Starbucks in Carpinteria. Google maps took us on an inland route through Santa Barbara on Modoc Road, which I was unfamiliar with, and then said we should take the 154 to Solvang. However, right before turning toward the 154, we ran into some cyclists who told us emphatically that the 154 was not safe to ride, and that we should continue further through Goleta and take the 101. They recommended a detour on a more scenic route past Nojoqui Park into Solvang. Riding on the 101 was a mixed bag. The shoulder was quite wide so it never felt that dangerous, but when big trucks passed the wind would push me and we had to be careful crossing exits. The views of El Capitan and Refugio State Beach were nice distractions. I ran into a racing acquaintance from back in the day also riding on this section - the famously strong, eccentric Chris Walker who used to win all the Masters Road Races and still probably rides 100 miles a day. As he passed me, I reminded him that we know each other, but he was more interested in keeping up his pace than chatting with and old "crush".
We were told the climb on the 101 up to Nojoqui was maybe 4-5 miles but "not that bad". Maybe it was because it came 63 miles into our day or we hadn't eaten enough, but the 5 mile climb along the side of a freeway seemed pretty bad! It averaged 6-8% on crappy pavement and never seemed to end. It had a shoulder with a cement divider wall and I was able to ride most of the climb. I finally crested the climb and descended a mile or so where I saw the right hand turn for Nojoqui Road and stopped to wait for Gil. Gil pulled up 20-25 minutes later still in good spirits which is amazing considering his bike weighed so much with nobby wide tires and flat pedals. The alternate route to Solvang was pretty and tree covered. We made it to Solvang with 78 miles and 3500 feet of elevation gain, arriving just before 4pm. The night before we had booked a room at "The Hamlett Inn", which was super cute and in the middle of town. It was Jan 1st and Solvang was packed with tourists and filled with lights and decorations for the holidays. We found a decent place for some burgers, fries and beer and settled in for the night.
Day 3 We rode out of Solvang on Foxen Canyon through beautiful but slow going wine country roads, climbing 2,200 feet in 15 miles. The next 30 miles were mostly downhill into Santa Maria. There, we stopped for lunch at an odd Mediterranean restaurant inside a liquor store and ate a big meal which seemed great until I got sick from the food immediately after. There were some boring miles before the scenery improved by Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach and then it was "OK" the rest of the way into SLO. We got to Gil's son's house by 3pm, with 75 miles and 2300 feet of elevation gain. In SLO, we relaxed, hiked in Montana De Oro State Park and visited the Sea Otters in Morro Bay. Sunday we woke early and rode our bikes to the Amtrak station in SLO to catch the 6:20am train to LA. From Union Station we took the train to Culver City, and were home by early Sunday afternoon. All in all, a great adventure!
Footnote - Club member Ryan K did the same ride IN ONE DAY this summer!
John Fox, La Grange Volunteer
I heard about Volunteering for our bike club so I signed up. I brought my lunch, a bottle of water, and a hair brush, in case I got into any brambles in the Park we were headed to.
We took the LG Van to breakfast! I love the LG van, and I love breakfast even better. Sadly this breakfast was mostly for the bike riders, not for me. I did get a little banana, sweet!
When the bike riders finally got on their way, I cheered for them loudly!
After we cleaned up, a guy named Frank got in the van with us, and I stood on his lap as it gave me a better view, and I was watching anxiously for the riders. I do get anxious.
When we saw them, things got busy and we had to keep stopping, getting out of the van, and helping fix bikes and things. Then we didn’t see bikes anymore and just drove around for a while.
When we finally stopped I really had to pee! Luckily we were in a pretty nice parking lot with shade trees and a strip of grass. We began to set up Lunch. I wasn’t sure what we were doing since no one else except we and Frank were there, and it was a lot of food! But then suddenly the bike riders zoomed in! and I spotted my Mama on her bike!
I got more fruit and treats and walked around to meet people with my Mama. It was awesome. Soon the bike riders were leaving again, and I cheered for them even more loudly!
I was already tired when we got everything back in the van and started driving around again. We passed a lot of bike riders. Finally we went to that same place for beer, the one with the picnic tables. A lot of dogs were there! Mama and the other bike riders made it too.
It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun. I think we did a great job, and I might sign up again.you can join the conversation on our WhatsApp “LG Volunteers” channel, where we’ll be sharing upcoming opportunities and coordinating efforts.
Drew Pedrick (left) and family
A Note of Thanks by Drew Pedrick
Thanks to all the LG members who reached out to me personally (and perhaps to other equally impacted members) and offered kind words, free kit, a guitar session, a spare bike, cups of coffee and a sympathetic ear (perhaps a wheel or two) during these very traumatic and disquieting times. I can’t tell you what all this means and how important an athletic and social routine is. LG was and is a constant during this rough patch and I want to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude.
Warmest Regards,
Drew
Tandem Training Clinic with Wayfinder Family Services and LG member Sonya Chapman!
We had our very first successful Tandem Captain Training Clinic last month!! There will be another tandem cycling event on March 8 –Register HERE
Friday, March 8
8AM – 1PM
5300 Angeles Vista Blvd
No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm. Sign up here!
Santa Monica Brew Works Happy Hour with Brian Hodes
Recap by Larry Goodman
For the February happy hour longtime friend of the club and professional cycling photographer Brian Hodes put on a one hour photo presentation where he shared the stories of each shot. The event took place at our newest sponsor, Santa Monica Brew Works where members were able to imbibe their favorite refreshment and eat pizzas from the sister restaurant EmmySquared.
During the slide show, Brian shared how he became a professional photographer, capturing a horrific terrorist attack as a teenager with a camera and then coming full circle to the start of the Giro in Israel a few years back. His photographs were a mix of the US cycling scene, Paracyclists and athletes, the Global races, and some special shots with his close friend Peter Sagan. Brian shared how he often chose the less obvious positioning to capture different and interesting angles that others missed. Often Brian would end up climbing up hillsides and even up bridges. Then there was the editing of the pictures. Brian shared that in a typical day of a grand tour he would have to go through as many as 5000 shots to produce 20-50 photos to turn over to his client, often not finishing until 18 hours after the whole process began.
We look forward to planning more events like this where we can pair the fun of a happy hour with casual, cycling related ’ infotainment’. Keep your eye out for news of the next one which can be found on the LG website club calendar, What’s App announcements and emails.
Club Rides Recap
February LG50 led by Tara Kriese and Marco Fantone, SAG by David Newcombe and Frank Whitelock
Full photo album by various contributors- here
Recap by Tara Kriese
Our February LG50 was an incredible day on the bike, with over 75 riders rolling out from San Vicente and Ocean under perfect conditions. Our amazing SAG crew—David Newcomb, Frank Whitlock and John Fox—kept everyone fueled with pastries and coffee from our sponsor, Caffé Luxxe, before ride leaders Tara Kriese and Marco Fantone led the peloton up San Vicente, across Santa Monica Boulevard, and onto Sunset. The route took us through all of West LA into Hollywood, over to Western, and up into Griffith Park, where the real climbing began.
At Griffith Park, the group splintered as riders tackled the climbs at their own pace, with a regroup at the Observatory while our fearless SAG team assisted with flats and mechanicals. We gathered for a group photo with the Hollywood sign as our backdrop before descending Trash Truck Hill, where our SAG crew was waiting once again. A few more mechanicals slowed things down, but the riders and sweep volunteers handled them smoothly.
For the first time, we officially split into A and B groups—Marco led the A group at a fast clip across Mulholland, while Tara led the B group social and steady, picking up a few A group riders who ran into issues along the way. Honorary SAG dog John Fox and his SAG crew mates, David and Frank, followed in the van to keep spirits high, capture photos and videos, and track the ride’s progress.
The ride wrapped up at Santa Monica Brew Works, where a few rounds of beers may or may not have been consumed. Huge thanks to our ride and SAG volunteers who made it all happen: ride leaders Tara and Marco, ride sweeps Jaycee Carey (who handled multiple flats and kept riders moving) and Amanda Weinstock (who made sure no riders were left behind), and our all-volunteer SAG crew of David Newcomb, Frank Whitlock, and John Fox.
Another amazing LG50 in the books—see you at the next one!
LG Women’s Rides: Growing, Thriving, and Expanding
by Tara Kriese
What started as a new initiative has now become a staple of the La Grange weekend ride lineup—our Women’s Rides are going strong! In February, we tackled a mix of routes, from the climbs of Bel Air and Mount St. Mary’s to scenic loops around Lake Hollywood and a tour of Neighborhoods East. We continue to roll three to four times a month, filling the Saturdays when there’s no LG50 with inclusive, welcoming rides for all.
Looking ahead to March, we’re planning some exciting new adventures, including a special drive-to ride route in the Valley starting in Westlake, and a dedicated ride for International Women’s Day.
If you haven’t yet, spread the word! Invite your female friends to join us. We post weekly ride details on Strava, Instagram, Facebook, and in the club WhatsApp group. These rides are open to all female riders and have already led to six new women joining La Grange—let’s keep the momentum going!
A big thank you to those who have stepped up to lead rides in recent weeks. We look forward to seeing more of our LG women leading rides in the months ahead. See you out there!
New Members
Please say hello to our new members who joined in February 2025 (you can find them in our Member Directory): Ryan K., Brian H., Andi C., Josh K., and Debbie C.
Welcome everyone, La Grange is proud to have you with us!
Cycling News
USA Cycling: “Promising Membership Trends: Growth in Young Rider Participation”
In preparation for the 2025 racing season, we took a deep dive into membership trends from the past year. We were pleased to find that our membership is growing—and it's all about the next generation.
One of the most encouraging trends we’ve seen is a 7.5% increase in members aged 23 and younger. This growth directly reflects the expansion of our grassroots development programs, local club engagement, and the continued efforts of our cycling community to inspire the next wave of riders.
Additionally, collegiate cycling membership has grown by 19.3%.
We’ve also seen substantial growth in racers competing at the UCI level, with an 18.2% increase. This rise highlights the strength of our development efforts and the growing opportunities for racers to compete on the world stage.
Another notable trend is the shift in the average age of USA Cycling members. In 2023, the average member age was 46. In 2024, it dropped to 39, signaling a movement of younger riders joining the organization.
These positive membership trends reinforce our mission to support and grow cycling at all levels. We thank our members, clubs, and race organizers for their ongoing dedication to the sport, and we look forward to building on this momentum throughout 2025 and beyond!
Follow La Grange and Stay Informed!
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