La Voix September 2022

RACING NEWS

August Racing in Pictures

 

The race season is winding down but your LG racers made the most of it by racking up some impressive results. The team raced south in Irvine, over in La Verne, and Nicole and Maya respresented up north. Congrats, Team!!

Notable Results:
Aurélia Taleb-Ahmed — 1st Cat 5 women (La Verne Grand Prix)
Renee Hagen — 1st Cat 4 women (La Verne Grand Prix)
Nicole Steinmetz — 2nd Cat 1-4 women (University Road Race)
Maya Debrouwer — 2nd Varsity women (NICA Collegiate Championships)
Peter Do — 3rd 45+ Cat 1-3 men (La Verne Grand Prix)
Morgan James — 5th Cat 3 women (La Verne Grand Prix)
Peter Do — 5th 30+ Cat 3/4 men (La Verne Grand Prix)
Dan Funk — 10th 60+ Cat 1-3 men (Irvine Grand Prix)

See the full results here…

photos: ©Island Cyclist, some unknown LGer

 

Short and Sweet: Another LG Cup Sprint!

 
 

Wow, another great event! Folks turned to brave the valley heat and go as fast as possible around the concrete oval. Special thanks to everyone who helped out: Thomas Byrnes, Geoff Loui, Bruce Tsai, Jonathan Rios, and Jan Datomi. We appreciate you all!

Notable Facts:
Fastest Woman: Aurélia Taleb-Ahmed (44.496)
Fastest Man: Makoto Okamoto (40.283)

See full results here…

photos: Rich Hirschinger and Geoff Loui

LG MTB: Colin Rose finds joy in the dirt

 
 

By Colin Rose

(TL;DR - Yes, La Grange does ride dirt. Join Colin for some fun! - Ed.)

I'm new to LaGrange, and I've been looking forward to racing cyclocross with the team this fall. I wanted to do some racing this summer in preparation for the cross season and thought this would be a good excuse to try out cross-country mountain bike racing. I have an old mountain bike and what I thought was pretty good fitness at the start of summer, so I tuned up my bike and picked a four-race XC series near Big Bear.

I borrowed a LaGrange jersey from Daniel Funk and signed up for the 40-45 Sport Category (which is roughly equivalent to a 3/4 category race on the road). I didn't figure I'd do well in my first race, and I wasn't disappointed, but I did learn a few things: 1) XC racing is NOT like cross racing -- the tactics are really different. I went out far too hard, then had a difficult time controlling my bike on the technical descents because my heart was about to explode. Which led me to; 2) I had the wrong type of fitness for XC racing. XC races are about twice as long as cross races and require better stamina than I expected. My legs didn't hurt too much, but my lungs were in agony. And 3) I learned that I really needed to learn how to descend on a mountain bike. A lot of the gains I'd make while pedaling uphill were quickly lost whenever we went downhill. But I had a great time!

So after the first race was done I started training specifically for XC races. I renewed my Zwift account and started the Singletrack Slayer training program, which is a 10-week set of rides to help with the punchy, low-cadence efforts that you encounter in a cross-country race. After that, things improved dramatically. I picked up on race tactics pretty quickly, my downhill skills started improving, and the fitness gains I got from Zwift allowed me to keep up with the best racers in my category. I did two more races in the series and got second place in both of them, and ended second overall in the series standings. I had a great time and thought it was a fantastic experience. As a long-time cyclist and racer, it was really fun to feel like a newcomer to the sport again, and it was really satisfying to work on new skills and see my efforts pay off. For anyone thinking of trying out XC racing, I would really recommend it -- let's get some more LaGrange racers out there next summer!

CLUB NEWS

“Hi, Craig!” The August LG50 Ride to Calabasas.

 

The LG50 rides into the shady respite of King Gillette Ranch. Video: Geoff Loui.

 

Our popular tradition of the monthly LG50 ride continued last month to Calabasas. We traversed some beautiful and sparsely traveled roads, taking riders to places many had never been. The lovely rest stop at shady King Gillette Ranch featured ice-cold cokes and watermelon slices. Special thanks to our new secret weapon, Craig White, for driving SAG.

Photos: Craig White, Rich Hirschinger, Geoff Loui

EPIC RIDE SUMMER!!
Lisa G’s Big Bear Ramble

 

By Lisa Goldfarb

(TL;DR - Always smile and have fun. It distracts from the misery. - Ed.)

This year I’ve made some new best friends since joining the Velo Club La Grange; Rachel Noonan and Megan Yang. These ladies are so fun and are killing it on their bicycles. All I had to do was mention Tour de Big Bear and 5 min later Rachel booked an Airbnb. She gets things done! Our friends Thomas Hass, Kristy Fleek, Alan Brunell, Alesia Gainer, and La Grange's one and only Larry Leisten joined us for a 3-day house party, some hiking, and lots of biking!

“A few of us” who dwell at sea level experience some unpleasant brain-melting, reduced lung capacity, and digestive nonsense at 6,759 ft., the altitude of Big Bear Lake. Luckily we arrived Thursday to acclimate. It was a rainy day but the cloud formations were amazing. We took some beautiful hikes and easy rides, ate delicious home-cooked food, and really enjoyed each other's company. We literally went a bit bananas with how much food we all brought.

I didn't sleep well the night before the race. Maybe it was the altitude, maybe I was just overly excited, or maybe that super steep 6-mile hike was just a little too much the day before but boy, did I feel like crap Saturday morning. My Whoop monitor was deep in the red, for once confirming how I felt! I really couldn't imagine how I was going to cycle 100 miles when I woke up at 1 am and didn't get back to sleep.

Thankfully after some coffee “we” were able to shake off the sandman's grip as well as begin the ride lighter than when “we” went to bed and then rode the 2 miles to the start at Bear Mountain Resort. The temperature was crisp and cool at 7 am. It felt nice. It warmed up throughout the afternoon but the weather couldn't have been better the entire day. We really lucked out!

Each rest stop had a different theme like Hawaiian or Pirate and was staffed with bubbly volunteers in costumes. The offerings were always fresh fruit, homemade granola balls, boiled potatoes, and sometimes bacon, pickle pops, chocolate fondue, or s'mores!

The route was gorgeous. It included the climb up to Snow Summit and back, around Big Bear Lake and up to Onyx peak, around Jenks Lake (which I somehow imagined as a flat loop and was shocked with the steepest climbing of the whole route), and back up Onyx peak.

I kept a moderate pace, took some pulls and drafted whenever I could, made some friends en route, downed a lot of Gatorade and my personal stash of cliff gels, kept trucking and nothing was holding me back!

Epic 100-mile Big Bear in the books!

Next up, Mammoth Gran Fondo. See you wheel suckers there!

(Ed - Total Mileage 104.4 miles, 8,255 ft of climbing, Historic 499 Effort Level!!! Great job, Lisa!)

 

The LG Piuma Hillclimb is Here + LG50 + Picnic!

 

The world-famous La Grange Piuma Hill Climb returns Saturday, September 24th! This hammerfest is always a highlight of the year, with 100+ members and non-members giving their all as they race up the vaunted Piuma Road. On the same day, September’s LG50 ascends the climb as well, albeit at a much more civilized pace. Racer or not, there is something for everyone. This day will be awesome! Race registration opens Sept. 10.

And the Annual Post-Piuma Picnic starts at 12 noon following the hill climb. Details coming soon. Hope to see everyone at both events.

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!

More details coming soon!

 

EPIC RIDE SUMMER!!
Joey B. in the Land of the Ice and Snow

 

By Joe Bernadello

(TL;DR - My name is Joe and I take “epic” to a whole new level. - Ed.)

The Rift - Gravel Race Iceland is over! Hardest, roughest gravel terrain I’ve ever ridden. Rocky, sandy, snowy, bumpy…we had 4 seasons in a day and at least 10 river crossings. It was a blast!

 

IN THE NEWS

New Griffith Park Road Changes Benefit Cyclists

 
 

I have always thought of Griffith Park as one of LA’s most valued outdoor gems. When I lived Eastside, I rode in the park weekly and always marveled at this bastion of nature surrounded by major urban sprawl. After the recent tragic killing of a cyclist, city officials have now closed a portion of the park roads to cars. And more changes are promised. I am a firm believer that parks like this should be havens for cyclists, pedestrians, and kids and not speeding drivers. I look forward to seeing more families and cyclists enjoying the park more safely.

Read the full article…

APEX LAW: What are Complex Legal Issues?

 

What are complex legal disputes? Who should I talk to if my business or I face a lawsuit? Who do I talk to if I want to make sure I get sound legal advice when entering into significant transactions or making important business decisions so I can protect myself and minimize the risk of litigation? Read on to find out!

 

Complex legal disputes are ones that may involve many parties in the litigation, involve multiple related lawsuits including associated insurance disputes, involve significant amounts of money or valuable real estate, involve lots of evidence in the form of electronically stored information, or involve complicated areas of law, including cases in federal court. These can arise in many business and personal contexts, such as buying or selling real property or entering into a commercial lease, developing a new business or negotiating terms with one or more business partners, buying or selling a business or investing in a business, entering into a construction contract, selecting the proper types of insurance for your business or entering into important business contracts with vendors, customers or key employees.

It is important that you seek legal advice early in the process and understand that you don’t pay lawyers to be scriveners and simply write agreements--they should understand your business and be a key resource to provide timely and insightful advice and ask many questions so you can properly structure transactions and manage the risk associated with your business and economic activity. Or they can help you navigate out of disputes successfully in the most cost-effective manner when they do arise. If you remember one thing from this article, the earlier you get your legal counsel involved, the better and more cost-effective their advice will be!

Complex matters are different than typical legal matters such as personal injury claims, simple property damage situations covered by insurance, modest-size landlord-tenant disputes, or family law matters. While those cases are important to the litigants, which is almost everyone at some point, the legal services required are typically handled by lawyers from the insurance company or lawyers that specialize in that narrow field of expertise, such as family law.

Apex Law APC is a law firm run by Tom FitzGibbon that specializes in handling complex legal matters of all types, often in (1) real estate & environmental matters for both litigation and compliance, (2) insurance and financial services disputes, and (3) corporate and technology matters including intellectual property, for litigation and advice. We work with clients to develop procedures to avoid litigation where possible, including effective negotiation approaches and contract drafting, understanding applicable regulatory requirements, and having effective internal policies and procedures.

Our practice involves thoroughly understanding the interests of the client and developing a strategy to resolve disputes cost-effectively, including through the use of technology to analyze information and budgeting to make sure outcomes are as economically efficient as possible. While legal matters can be expensive, not addressing them properly early on can be more expensive.

WE HELP CLUB MEMBERS
If club members have questions about their business activities or specific legal questions, including if litigation has already arisen, we are happy to consult with you about effective approaches to making sure your legal needs are met. We have handled a great many legal matters for club members over the years, and if we are not the right fit for your matter, we can usually point you in the right direction to find the best legal counsel for your case. Remember, reach out early for the best outcome! We look forward to hearing from you and helping you succeed!

Business E-mail: tom@apexlaw.com
Business Phone: (310) 230-5280

UKRAINE: A War and a Bike

 
 

Words and pictures by Artur Edamov

In the relative safety of the United States, it is not uncommon to consider world events with a certain level of detachment. The Russian invasion of Ukraine however, has struck a nerve with many citizens of the world. This photo essay by a Ukrainian cyclist makes the invasion feel very close to home and his modern bicycle reminds us that it is happening to people like you and me, now and not in the distant past.

Read the full article…

HEY!!!!! What are my Member Benefits?

 
 

La Grange is incredibly lucky to have such awesome partners! With our partners, you can satisfy virtually every aspect of cycling: Apparel, Accessories, Bikes, Repair, and training. We also have partners to assist you when you have to live your non-bike life: Legal, Real Estate, and Engineering. Log into the La Grange website and check out your member-only benefits.

Support Our Sponsors

 
 
 

Apex Law (Tom Fitz)

Life is complicated so everyone needs a good lawyer. We have one of the best with Tom Fitzgibbon and Apex Law. Call Tom today and get it done right.
About Apex Law…

Canyon Bikes

Whether you’re winning stages at the Vuelta or cruising the LG50, Canyon has the right bike for you. Find yourself a new ride today and use your La Grange discount.
Find a new Canyon here…

 

New and Returning Members

Please say hello to our new members who joined in August 2022!

  • New members: Jonathan M., Ryan K., Pietrangelo V., Laura M., Joe D., and Freddie J.

  • And a hearty welcome back to returning member, Michael M.

Welcome, Everyone! We are thrilled to have you.

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 10 – Mammoth Grand Fondo

  • September 14 – LG Board of Directors Meeting (All Members Welcome)

  • September 24 – LG Cup Piuma Hillclimb & Picnic (club event; All Members Welcome)

  • September 24 – September LG50 Ride (club event; All Members Welcome)

Have an event you would like to add? Send a request to Jaycee at jaycee.cary@lagrange.org

La Voix August 2022

RACING NEWS

July Racing in Pictures

 

The Manhattan Beach Grand Prix took place last weekend. Touting its 59th edition, the MBGP is arguably one of the oldest and most prominent races in Southern California. Velo Club La Grange was well represented with the team in full force while Ft. La Grange offered prime team bonding and race-watching vibes. Congrats, Team!!

Notable Results:
Claire Sterling — 1st Cat 5 women
Renee Hagen — 2nd Cat 4 women
Dan Funk — 4th 60+ Cat 1-3
Peter Do — 6th 35+ Cat 3/4 Men

See the full results here…

photos: Cara Applegate, Tina Grant, Jeff Urban, Island Cyclist

 

Another LG Cup Time Trial in the Books!

 
 

We had another great LG Time Trial this year with over 30 racers. Some racers had a good day, others had a less good day, but everyone gave their best and had fun. Huge thanks to Marco Fantone for organizing and our wonderful volunteers: Jan Datomi, Marc Thomas, Colin Rasor, Ellen Shinogle, Frank Whitelock, and Dan Chapman. We couldn’t do it without you!

Notable Facts:
Fastest Woman: Renee Hagen (34:44)
Fastest Man: Peter Dorantes (26:52)
Youngest Racer: Anika Sjoquist (13)
Oldest Racer: Edgar Burcksen (75)

See full results here…

See all photos here… photos: Dan Chapman & Jan Datomi

 

EPIC “RACE” SUMMER!!
Jaycee and Nick Attack Mt. Evans!

By Jaycee Cary

(TL;DR - Winning ain’t everything when you’re having a blast!)

Since I “retired” from active mass start racing, I have started looking for new adventures on the bike. Until I get a gravel bike, I have to find my next challenge on the road. This came along when Nick Gillock suggested we do the Mt. Evans Hill Climb. Mt. Evans is outside Idaho Springs, CO., and is the highest paved road in the US, towering to a height of 14, 130 ft. The race starts at 7500 ft above sea level and races up 27 miles with an average gradient of 4.6%. Now I love to climb but I have never done anything of this height. Hell, I have never even BEEN this high, much less riding a bike. What could go wrong? Let’s do it!

Nick and I signed up for the 50+ 1-3 category with our friend Andrew Nuckles from E-Voke Racing. Andrew was kind enough to drive our bikes out there while Nick and I flew into Denver. We had all trained and done whatever we could to ready ourselves for racing at this altitude. We really had no idea how our bodies would respond so we kept our expectations low and our enthusiasm high. We had no time to acclimate so we flew in on Friday and raced on Saturday.

Everyone in our category was from Colorado except us so we knew we were at a disadvantage but we didn’t care. We were there to do our best and have some fun! The race started and our lungs and legs were tested. I lasted about 30 minutes before getting dropped. Nick lasted a little longer and Andrew a little less. This race can be described as a 2-3 hour uphill time trial. We all found our climbing rhythm and churned to the top.

Nick finished 7th at about 2:40, I finished 12th at about 3 hours, and Andrew at about 3:18. For comparison, Lachlan Morton from EF Education won the Pro race at 1:52! The biggest surprise of the day is that we could all breathe all the way up. I figured I would be gasping for breath but it wasn’t that bad. Andrew suffered some dizziness but we all fared remarkably well. The descent was upper sections of lumpy asphalt with holes and cracks while the bottom was near-perfect tarmac with fast, sweeping turns. All in all, this is a fantastic, well-run event. If you like to climb, enjoy beautiful scenery, and are up for a challenge, the Mt. Evans Hill Climb is highly recommended. Thanks for reading.

See full results here…

 

CLUB NEWS

July’s LG50 Santa Barbara Ride + LG50 Ride

 
 

July brought La Grange’s annual Santa Barbara ride. We had our largest participation ever (38) PLUS we were joined by the monthly LG50 ride for a great day on the bike. Thanks to Craig White for driving SAG and setting up the rest stops. Also big props to Rich Hirschinger and Jaycee Cary for the planning and execution.

We took a ton of pictures! Check out all the fun.
Pictures 1 Pictures 2 Pictures 3

The LG Cup 500m Sprint is next Sunday!

 

Registration is open for the 2022 La Grange Cup: the 500M Sprint. This is your opportunity to ride laps with your road bike on an actual banked velodrome, capped off with two timed flying laps. Looking forward to seeing you all out there!

Sign up here…

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!

More details coming soon!

 

EPIC RIDE SUMMER!!
An Unplanned European Cycling Vacation

 

By Rich Hirschinger

(TL;DR - When traveling, take a chance. The rewards can be surprising. - Ed.)

My plans to lecture and then vacation in Europe changed a few days before I left since my girlfriend’s son got a part in a TV show, which necessitated my girlfriend being on set, so I would be traveling alone to Europe instead of with her. After lecturing in Italy, where I was staying for four days, I had an additional ten days blocked out on my schedule, so I decided to go cycling in Europe. I joined a Mallorca cycling group on Facebook asking for recommendations, and I ended up chatting with Paul from Cycling Tours Mallorca. He could pick me up, drive me to Cala Millor, which is about an hour’s drive from the airport, book the hotel, which included breakfast and dinner, and arrange for a bike to ride with his group. Sounded good to me but I braced for the cost. The hotel was 75€ a day, the cycling, which included the bike rental, was 60€ per day, and the transportation from the airport was 70€.

I had not cycled much before the trip, so I suffered a little bit but the cycling in Mallorca was really nice. A flat ride for them is 2,500 feet of climbing since Mallorca is hilly. On day 2, we did some small climbs, and then we took a boat ride that dropped up off at Sa Calobra, Mallorca’s version of Alpe d’Huez. The name of the climb is Coll dels Reis, which is 10km long and 2,267 feet climb with major switchbacks. It is beautiful. I did a total of 5 rides in Mallorca and began to think of Alpe d’Huez but the weather in the Alps was forecast for rain. After Mallorca, I traveled to Barcelona, where I walked the city for two days, and then decided to take the chance to climb Alpe d’Huez. This required a bus from Barcelona, then two trains, then a bus to Le Bourg-d’Oisans, the small town at the base of Alpe d’Huez. I arrived on Monday in the late afternoon and rented a Colnago for 90€ with DI2, disc brakes, and a compact with a 34-rear cog.

It was raining early the next morning, but it cleared up, so I departed my hotel just after 8 am and started the climb of the 21 corners, which count down from 21. The climb starts at 11% and the corners feel flat since they are only 4 or 5%. It was everything I thought it would be; Challenging, Beautiful, Difficult, Epic. The weather cooperated, and it took me about 1:30 to do the climb. I say “about” since I made a wrong turn in the village at the top but eventually I found the official finish and just smiled. I was very surprised since I thought I was in the 34 cog from the start but I did not realize until I dismounted that I was never in the 34. At the finish of the climb, I met a group of three British riders and had coffee with them in the village before the descent. One of them knew a different route down so I followed them, and we ended up near the start of the Col de la Croix de Fer, which they were going to be riding tomorrow, weather permitting. When I woke up the next day, it was raining so I decided to leave on the early bus to Grenoble to begin my journey home. If you ever have the chance to ride a bike away from home, take it. This was my first time cycling outside the US and I can’t wait to do it again. Thanks for reading.

 

IN THE NEWS

The Tour De France Femmes:
Women’s Sports Triumph Long in the Making

 

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

 

By the time you read this, the long-awaited Women’s Tour de France will be over. Hopefully, you were able to watch and follow this amazing event. Up against the sport’s long, male-dominated history and its masculinity-driven marquee event, the women of cycling secured the first official women’s Tour de France stage race in 33 years.

The Tour De France Femmes avec Zwift was a fantastic event. The racing was fierce, the speeds high, and the climbs steep. It’s about time that our cycling women warriors were able to test their mettle in the world’s greatest bike race.

Read the full article…

BONUS: Ex-La Granger Coryn Labecki (neé Rivera) is interviewed.

TRIFIT LA: Member’s Only Special Offer on Bike Fits and Performance Testing during August!

 
 

For La Grange Members Only: TRIFIT is offering 20% off of all testing and bike fitting during the months of July and August. Show your membership card to receive your discount. Make an appointment today.

HEY!!!!! What are my Member Benefits?

 
 

La Grange is incredibly lucky to have such awesome partners! With our partners, you can satisfy virtually every aspect of cycling: Apparel, Accessories, Bikes, Repair, and training. We also have partners to assist you when you have to live your non-bike life: Legal, Real Estate, and Engineering. Log into the La Grange website and check out your member-only benefits.

Support Our Sponsors

 
 
 

Caffe Luxxe

Caffe Luxxe brews some of the best coffee in town. And with their 7 locations, great coffee is always within reach. Show your membership card to receive your 15% discount on your next visit.
About Caffe Luxxe…

VeloFix

Jaycee just had an incredible experience with VeloFix. Harley did a killer job in getting his bike primed and race-ready. Get your La Grange deal from Velofix at your home or office today. ***** Highly recommended!
Get your deal here…

 

New and Returning Members

Please say hello to our new members who joined in July 2022!

  • New members: C. Irving, A. Quiceno, W. Tugurian, P. Farr, G. Gomez (Junior), A. Dwornik, and A. Salem

  • And a hearty welcome back to returning members G. Roman, L. Goodman, E. Monnier, and S. Stahl.

Welcome, Everyone! We are thrilled to have you.

LG Event Calendar for August

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 August. Bold events are LG Team Targeted Events.

  • August 6 – Tour de Big Bear

  • August 7 – LG Cup 500m Sprint (club event; All Members Welcome)

  • August 10 – LG Board of Directors Meeting (All Members Welcome)

  • August 17 – La Verne Grand Prix

  • August 27 – August LG50 Ride

Have an event you would like to add? Send a request to Jaycee at jaycee.cary@lagrange.org

La Voix July 2022

RACING NEWS

June Racing in Pictures

 
 

 

LGer Sean Quinn killing it
in World Tour rookie season

File this article in the “I-knew-him-when” category. Local cycling hotshot and LGer, Sean Quinn, is tearing up the World Tour, putting up world-class results in the Criterium du Dauphine. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Sean was crushing the rest of us at the Piuma Hill Climb…all at the ripe age of 15. He was so good even then! Now, still only 22 years old, Sean has a very bright future. He has paid his dues in the European Development ranks and worked extremely hard to get where he is. We at La Grange are super proud of Sean and wish him the best of luck in the years to come. Unfortunately, he wasn’t named to EF Education–EasyPost’s Tour de France squad, but he’ll be there soon. If you see his dad Diarmuid Quinn around town, be sure to give him a high-five!

Read the full article here.

 

CLUB NEWS

June’s LG50 Ride to Griffith Park

 
 

June’s LG50 ride, led by Marco Fantone, braved the heat and had a great day rolling out Griffith Park and the Observatory. Big SHOUT OUT to SAG by Jan Datomi.
PHOTOS: Marco Fantone, Jan Datomi, and Arsen Avdalyan.
Thanks for coming out, everyone!

Our next LG50 ride will roll in conjunction with the
Annual Santa Barbara Ride on July 30th.

 

Our Annual LG Santa Barbara Century is coming! This ride is always fun. Rich Hirschinger will once again be leading our intrepid troupe.

The ride starts at the Van Nuys Train Station and departs at 8 am sharp. We will be stopping at San Vicente and Ocean (SVO) for our first stop for those that don’t want to ride over the Sepulveda pass. We will roll from there around 9:15 am.

Route
https://www.strava.com/routes/8714909

Cost
$40, which includes a meal and drinks at SB Biergarten in Santa Barbara
( https://www.sbbiergarten.com ) and transportation of your bike back to Van Nuys. You must prepay via PayPal by Sunday, July 24th at 10 pm so that we can confirm restaurant reservations and purchase goods based on the number of riders. There are always people who wait until the last second. Don’t be that person. The club’s PayPal email address is paypal@lagrange.org. Please choose "send money to a friend" so the club does not have to pay any transfer fees. If you do not have a PayPal account, please send $40 to:

Rich Hirschinger, DDS
9615 Brighton Way Suite 323
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Return Train
You are responsible for your own train ticket, and most people purchase a coach seat, but you can buy a business class if you so desire. Please buy a ticket for Amtrak 11 Coast Starlight departing Santa Barbara (SBA) at 6:19 pm arriving Van Nuys (VNC) at 8:36 pm. The cost of the train ticket as of June 29th is $25. Again, book the train now. It’s a royal pain if the van driver has to wait for the lollygaggers who wait too late to take the train with the people that book early. https://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak

Bikes
Your bike will be carefully packed and returned to the Van Nuys Trains station in the LG Van.

Duffel 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 to Van Nuys but bikes take priority.

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 stop so that we all stay together. You should not be riding ahead of the group.

 

EPIC RIDE SUMMER!!
Renee’s AIDS Ride from San Francisco

 

By Renee Hagen

(TL;DR - 545 miles, 7 days, and only two legs!)

Earlier this month I participated in an EPIC event that had been on my bucket list for many years: AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC). Together with my team the Rider Dykes and about 2500 other participants, we rode our bikes from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in these cities. With the help of friends, family, colleagues, and also many LG members I raised $4751 for this cause. Thank you all for your support!

Riders from all levels participated. There were people who had barely ever touched a bicycle before they started training for ALC, and people like me who race bikes. Some participate every year (you could tell their experience from previous years’ participation tokens dangling on their necklaces), and I was among the many first-timers. 

The route took us first along the PCH to Santa Cruz, then through the golden hills of Monterey and Paso Robles, back to the coast, and down to Santa Barbara and finally LA. Our ride started at the Cow Palace at the southern end of SF County, unfortunately in the pouring rain. The SoCal riders had an especially tough time with the rain (having lived in the Netherlands for most of my life luckily I do remember how to ride in bad weather, so I made it out unscathed)! On this first day, we did not see much of the coast and the views due to the clouds and mist, but the following days were so beautiful. Every day there were special features in the landscape that we looked forward to or dreaded; a cute ocean-side village, a steep climb. One of the hardest climbs is referred to as ‘The Quadbuster’ by ALC-folk and was to be conquered in the morning of day three. Despite its ominous name, it is not so bad compared to your average Malibu climb, so naturally, I decided to go for the QOM. I did not come close, but on the way up I did meet two very strong women who became my riding buddies throughout the rest of the week. Every day our paceline sped through the field, and we gained some respect for being among the first finishers every day. 

Other highlights included: themed rest stops (think Care Bears and Drag shows); the amazing massage, sports med, and other camp services; and making friends and riding together with many queer cyclists. Another perk? This year’s ALC led to at least one new LG member (and perhaps more to come)! 

 

EPIC RIDE SUMMER!! Dan’s Birthday Ride

 

By Dan Funk

(TL;DR - Super Hard and Super Fun. EPIC!!! - Ed.)

GMR, Crystal Lake, Dawson’s saddle, Wrightwood, and the Baldy ski lifts are all epic rides in the beautiful San Gabriel mountains. Unlike the shorter climbs in the Santa Monica mountains, the San Gabriel’s offer 20+ miles of European-style climbing across varied landscape that is both remote and beautiful. Because of the remoteness, water can be an issue, and if you find yourself with a mechanical it could be a long way back to your car or civilization. Despite this, or maybe because of it, the San Gabriel’s are my favorite place to ride.

For my birthday I wanted to do a link-up of these routes in an epic loop. According to Strava routes the mileage would exceed 100 miles and gain 14,000 of elevation. To top it off there would be a 15-mile section of gravel, much of that rarely touched by bicycle tires. Recruiting a few intrepid buddies, we started at Encanto Park in Duarte, pedaled to Glendora Mtn Road, took that to Baldy Village, then proceeded to the ski lifts where the ride would enter its “epic” phase. After watering up at the bottom of the ski lifts we coasted down to San Antonio Falls Rd. for a 3.5-mile dirt climb up to the top of the ski lifts, or Baldy Notch. If you’ve hiked the Baldy summit or gone up the lifts, you’ve seen the “Top of the Notch” restaurant with its amazing views of the San Gabriel Valley and maybe even had a beer there. Because it was my birthday ride, I enjoyed a beer there, knowing any hydration would be a plus with what we had ahead of us.

From the Baldy Notch, we descended Baldy Road to Lytle Creek Valley. Baldy Road from the notch is steep double-track dirt that descends 4 miles to a gate. The road is seldom used but is maintained, which means a bulldozer occasionally removes rockfalls. On that day we encountered a lot of deep sand and freshly broken rock, which led to one flat in our group. The condition of the road is best suited to large tires on a mountain bike, and our 30-35mm gravel setup was barely adequate. We couldn’t complain, however, as one of our group was on his road bike, with 28mm Conti slicks. With admirable skill, he navigated through all the technical spots and never flatted, though at the end he swore never to ride gravel with me again. 😊 To provide perspective on the difficulty of this descent, we went from 7700 to 5000 feet in a little over 6 miles, and it took us over an hour.

The Lytle Creek Valley has a well-known shooting range, several campgrounds accessible by 4wd, and no water but lots of endless nature. The area is remote and undeveloped, and with rising temps and little water remaining, we had no time to enjoy the scenery. Ahead of us, we had a steep dirt climb out of the valley and down to the paved road that would take us to Wrightwood. That effort would see our total feet climbed cross the 10,000 ft. mark, and while the dirt was hardpacked from the 4wd traffic, the heat and exertion took us to the final swallows of water in our bottles which would not be enough for the asphalt climb to Wrightwood.

We left the dirt for the short 2-mile climb on new pavement to the outskirts of Wrightwood. This turned out to be the hardest climb of the day, however, as we had little water, the average grade is over 6% and our computers read a temperature of 117 degrees! Finally arriving in Wrightwood, we stopped at the grocery store for water, food, and rest. The checkout person was impressed by where we’d come from, but our total mileage was only 51 miles - though we had climbed over 11,000 feet. Time-wise we were way behind schedule. Too much stopping and too much faffing (talking) at each stop made it almost 4 pm and we still were only halfway! The idea of riding down Highway 39 in the dark proved motivating, as was the fact that after a 17-mile climb out of Wrightwood to Dawson’s saddle, it would be an easy 35-mile descent back to our cars, civilization, food, and cold beer.

Before that, however, the 17-mile climb had to be done first. The early evening hours came with slightly cooler temps, and thinking about breaking the climb down into four parts made the start slightly less painful. The first section is a slow 4-mile slog up an uninteresting highway 2 (the Angeles Crest Highway) past the Mountain High Ski Resort to Big Pine. From Big Pine, the ACH turns into old pine forest until Inspiration Point. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the ACH here and the views towards the valley are not only spectacular but for the next 3 miles, you’re rewarded with a descent. Unfortunately, this ends with the realization that you’ve lost the elevation gained from Wrightwood, and we’ll have to reclimb it before Dawson’s. Fortunately, however, that descent and climb to Dawson’s are in my opinion the prettiest parts of the ACH. So though every curve in the road seems to introduce only more curves ahead, the trees, views, snowpack, and rock formations do their best to make you forget the pain in your legs.

After summiting and celebrating at Dawson’s Saddle, we started our descent with the setting sun. That night there was a full moon out, but its effect was more aesthetic than illuminating, and by the time we got to the dam area it was pretty dark. A couple of kind drivers offered to pace behind us to light our way, and within a few miles, we were on the San Gabriel River bike path and minutes away from our cars.

We started that morning a bit after 7 am and returned to our cars at 8:30 pm. It was the longest day I’ve had on the bike, including the 3.5 hours of faffing. 14,472 of climbing & 105.55 miles…Can’t wait to do it again!

Want to do this ride yourself? View Dan’s Epic Route Here!

 

TRIFIT LA: Not a racer? Bike Fit and Performance Testing can benefit all cyclists!

 
 

By Moses Wolfe-Polgar

BIKE FIT
Cycling is a very repetitive motion, so a proper bike fit is essential to improving comfort, optimizing performance, and preventing injuries. In just a one-hour ride at 90 rpm, your pedals make over 5,000 revolutions. Not only that, but if you use clipless pedals, your feet are in a nearly fixed position the entire time. As a result, even small changes in your fit can have a dramatic effect. By focusing on your mobility and biomechanics, a proper bike fit will make your riding more comfortable, and more efficient, and reduce the risk of injury. This can be done on a current bike, or as a way to ensure that the next bike you buy is right for you.

VO2 TESTING
Many people know that a VO2 Max test determines your maximum capacity for endurance exercise or the size of your aerobic "engine". But did you know that it is also a great way to understand how your body is using fuel during exercise? In addition to determining your VO2Max, the test will show you how many calories you are burning at a given heart rate and power and what percentage of your energy is coming from carbs vs fat. This information gives you insight into your metabolism, how to properly fuel for workouts, and how to train more accurately for your specific goals.

LACTATE TESTING
A Lactate Test focuses on how your muscles respond to exercise. By monitoring the accumulation of lactate in your blood during exercise, the test accurately determines your threshold power, and it can help to determine what type of training will allow you to improve most rapidly. This is personalized training at its finest. Don't worry, the blood samples themselves are less than a drop each, so this test does not have a negative effect on performance!

Email moses@trifitla.com with any questions or to schedule a test, consultation, or a bike fit. He and TRIFIT are there to help!

See TRIFIT’s special deal below for La Grange members only!

Take Advantage of Valuable Member Benefits

 
 

La Grange is incredibly lucky to have such awesome partners! With our partners, you can satisfy virtually every aspect of cycling: Apparel, Accessories, Bikes, Repair, and training. We also have partners to assist you when you have to live your non-bike life: Legal, Real Estate, and Engineering. Log into the La Grange website and check out your member-only benefits.

Support Our Sponsors

 
 
 

TRIFIT LA

For La Grange Members Only: TRIFIT is offering 20% off of all testing and bike fitting during the months of July and August. Show your membership card to receive your discount.
Make an appointment today…

Rudy Project

Celebrate Independence Day with a special offer from Rudy Project. Log in with your VIP code “Lagrange” and get an extra special discount on awesome Rudy products. (Their sunglasses are the best!)
Get your deal here…

 

New and Returning Members

Please welcome our new members who joined in June 2022!

  • New members: R. Franssen, C. Gagnon, and M. Jean

Welcome, everyone! We are happy to have you.

LG Event Calendar for July

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 July. Bold events are LG Team Targeted Events.

  • July 13 – LG Board of Directors Meeting (All Members Welcome)

  • July 16 – LG Cup Time Trial

  • July 17 – Majestic Crit

  • July 24 – Manhattan Beach Grand Prix

  • July 30 – Annual LG Santa Barbara RIde with July LG50 Ride

Have an event you would like to add? Send a request to Sam at sam.selfridge@lagrange.org

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