Monday, June 14, 2010

6/13 Ride Report - Return of Fixie Girl

HISTORY...

Once upon a time, there exist a mighty fixie rider within the VeloViets. With powerful thighs and buns of steel, Fixie Girl was a powerful rider and a dominant warrior for the Fixie Legion. This Fixie Legion was led by their insidious dark lord, the Fixie Master.

War has been raging between the Fixie Legion and the Gear Riders for many years. These epic battles, over terrains like The Yorba Linda Beast and Newport Coast, were bloody and with much casualties. In the last documented battle, the Fixie Legion was beaten so badly that the Fixie Master disbanded the legion.

Fixie Girl was hurt badly from this battle and have been in recuperation, with her only appearance being at the Palm Spring Century. There, this female warrior had toyed with the idea of joining forces with the Gear Riders as she try out a geared bike for the first time.

Rumor has it that the dark lord Fixie Master have been luring Fixie Girl back into his rank. The Gear Riders sensed a fierce battle approaching and have called on their Captain, Luke “Thomas” Skywalker, to lead them through this terrible storm. Cap’t Skywalker have approached the all-knowing Master Yoda “Quang” for help, and these two will convene in a week in Minnesota to decide on the strategies, and perhaps the fate, of this war.

The next battle though will be before Master Yoda’s help, and will occur on this next Sunday. It is anticipated that the battle will be short, but fierce, as the Fixie Master will test out the strength and camaraderie of the Gear Riders. Could the Gear Riders finally come together, take turns pulling at the front, ride like the way an organized pack can ride, and drive the fixie riders off their wheels? Or will the Fixie Master dominate the front, like in past rides, to let his fixie warriors rest and attack the Gear Riders at their weakest?

The energy and pace of the VeloViet’s moving peloton will definitely change this coming weekend. Their riders must band together to survive this brutal assault. Fixie Girl and the Fixie Legion have return!

THE FEAST...

Gear Riders came out in force to prepare for the bloody onslaught. Almost the entire warrior force, 40 riders of a possible of 50 in all, came out to help Cap't Skywalker and to do battle with the dark lord Fixie Master. Colnagos, Treks, Orbeas, Giants, and Bianchis all unite today to battle the single speed legion.

To prepare for the high-energy war, a royal feast was thrown by IronLegs. IronLegs brought out a variety of carbo-loaded food, as well as strong caffeinated brew, to keep the riders’ energy and mental alertness high. Those who will do battle ate as if it was their last meal, as if they know that they might not survive this very day. A party atmosphere was apparent as everyone ate, gossip, and celebrated life and in their friendship. The camaraderie bond between the VeloViets could not have been any stronger.

7:45 AM and the Fixie Master came rolling in, but wait, where is this fixed gear? Instead of his single-speed steed, he was riding a 20-speed Cervelo? What the heck man, has the Fixie Master abandon his most trusted ride and publicly declare the battle over?

8:00 AM and Fixie Girl came rolling in. Instead of a geared bike like the Fixie Master, Fixie Girl has her most favorite pink fixie bike. Okay, so someone has enough guts to show up with a fixed bike. Now let the games begin...

Photo #1 - Fixie Girl posing with Minh as he tries to lift the very heavy fixed bike

THE BATTLE...

The ride down to the beach was uneventful. Lots of trash talking and no attacking. A quick right on to PCH, and yet no move from the Fixie Master yet.

Photo #2 - VeloViet Paceline

In a single instant, this pace changed! I don’t know who made the move first, as there was a large group ahead, but I do know the Fixie Master and The Warrior were in this group. Looking at the picture below though, you can see that it seemed the Dark Lord may have recruited The Warrior onto his side. The Warrior is our best racing member of the club, and perhaps the one who made the attack for the Fixie Legion. The battle is on...

Photo #3 - New buddies as the Fixie Master befriended The Warrior

I quickly joined forces with Sang and Martin to try to chase down the front pack. I believe Long and Rock Racers Cang were in our group also. We were the middle group chasing about 5 riders in front. The winds were strong, and it was pushing us hard, allowing only speeds of 24 mph on this flat road. We dug in hard and gave it our all. Behind, Cap’t Skywalker was pulling the next pack and shielding them from the wind.

We all re-grouped at the usual gas station. The last rider of our group, The Diesel, who was pulling a new rider name Simon, came in over 10 minutes later. Note we carry all of our own casualties and leave no man or woman behind, but next time, whomever bring out a guest have got to stay with the guest!

There was a heck a lot of bike swapping as riders try out new weapons! First it was The Gear and Duc swapping bikes, then it was IronLegs and The Italian swapping bike. Here you can see that IronLegs had a great old time trying out the tandem.

Photo #4 - IronLegs was saying the tandem was hard. Wonder why?

Okay, now onward to the continued battle...

As usual, the Fixie Master and his A1 Group took off like a rocket. Again, I stuck to the second group and was chasing along. Things were going well until...

A bunch of us hit a patch of road full of nails! I was lucky to have squeaked by but the nails must have taken down like 5 or 6 other riders. These folks all got flats at the same time and there was a mass stop to change tubes. Was this the doing of the Fixie Master to try to take down the Gear Riders? Hmmm... After a short wait, we decided to move the Group A2 out first. I moved out with this group.

Sometimes later the A1 riders caught up with us. Everyone was enjoying this ride as we were whooping and hollering when we were riding through a dark tunnel. Ironman, in a previous correspondence, had mentioned that the OC VeloViets looked like they were neighborhood kids out exploring on our bikes, and were searching for our lost youth. We certainly were feeling very young and very lively. There is something to say about riding with 30 plus other riders and knowing that they are all part of your team. It is a feeling that cannot be duplicated.

Okay, attack time. I try just that on a hill right before we hit back to PCH. It was the same hill that I attacked Fed-Ex on, and having learned my lesson, were attacking on the drop. I did pretty good until TZ passed me near the top. Darn it... but I would like to point out that TZ was the only one who passed me!

Sorry, now back to the story...

The ride back on PCH, the pack was divided into two groups. The A1 group, led by Cap’t Skywalker, would be the front small and elite attack force. The A2 group, the group that I was part of, was the larger main army and our mass would sweep out all remaining combatants. The A1 group took off first.

A few minutes later, the A2 also moved out. A few of us took turn pulling the pack, including the two tandems who acted as if they were not carrying any extra weight at all. The tandems were out-climbing the lighter single riders. At a stop, I called on the single riders and pointed this out. We kicked it up a notch and quickly after that, there was only Luke, Rock Racer Cang, Rock Racer An (or Loi), and I. Together we continue to chase down the front pack.

The four of us rotated nicely on the stretch on Seal Beach, each taking turns at the front to move this small pack. Coming into Huntington Beach, we had a small hill and I dig deep to keep up the speed. As we crested over this hill, I continued the momentum but lost my three comrades. Instead of slowing, I dig deeper and pushed the pace harder by myself.

It’s been a while since I rode this hard and by myself. Something motivated me to continue struggling, and to continue moving the bike at about 22 mph, on my own. Perhaps it was the desire to catch up with the A1 guys to say I caught up to them, or to do battle with the Fixie Master, or just the pure joy that I am out riding my bike on this beautiful sunny day. Whatever it was, it help moved me along back to MSP.

I never did catch up to the front group, but this did not matter much. After the ride and at the coffee shop, as I sat with about 15 other riders discussing about the VeloViet club, I see and hear the excitement and passion in people’s voices. Everyone is here because they WANTED to be part of the club. It’s a simple explanation why I, and others, drive 45 minutes just to ride with these folks. We associate ourselves with passionate people and we too need to exude that passion.

As for the ride, Fixie Girl worked hard but had a great time. She still have some serious muscle and have not lost it at all. As for the Fixie Master, he knows he is beat and I think we will not see his Fixie Minions for a very long time.

Photo #5 - The Return of Fixie Girl Riders

Hope you had fun reading, and please Blog away. Until next time...

Phong

7 comments:

  1. Phong nice recap!
    We were looking for you when we were headed down pch. We bumped up the pace and were probably averaging 24+

    Instead of heading back down sart, the group headed down Bushard then to Heil. We drove the paceline hard as the Animal, TZ (contador), Capt, Sang, and myself continued to push the pace. Martin was struggling to hang on but honored at the end. The Animal (Scott) took a long pull at first then Capt took over. TZ took a pull and then it was Attack from Me. We headed down Heil and the sprint was on. I knew TZ was going to follow me and thought Capt was going to push it also, but it was the battle of the road racers at the last 150 meters.

    Another fun ride and ending for a Sunday group ride.

    No pain No gain!

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  2. What a great Sunday ride. my leg still pain. it was fun testing the Tandem with Co. at each stop look like everyone having fun talking to each other. good recap Phong.

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  3. @ Fixie Girl,
    Great to hear and see you on the pictures of OC VV ride! Hopefully you will visit us here in MN this summer ... we can set up more ride for you when you get to Minnesota.

    @ Nic,
    Wow! Averaging of 24+ mph is very very fast!How many guys can hang on for how long? I heard you guys prep captain Thomas well ... he will be smoking us all by the time he get here on the 17th. But can he ride in the rain for 10+hrs? hehehe!

    Many VeloViet HPTeam riders were at the MS150 this pass weekend ... so no VV team ride here to recap ... but here is a short one from me:

    On Friday June 11th ... All riders/bikes was pick up from Century College and transport them 150 miles up North ...
    WE (7) out of 13 riders showed up @ parking lot 6:30am ... But they were all sitting in their cars and listening to thunder and watching the rain down pouring ... then 6:50 am ONE back out because his wife want to take him home!

    7:00 am We have option to go home and get on the bus at 1pm ... 6 of us rode up to Duluth from MN = 150 miles away from the city ... Actual mile = 148.2 in the 100% rain and couple of thunder ... from begin to finish! Temp = 72f down pouring @ 6:05am ... 52f in Hinckley @ noon and 45f by the time we got there 5pm and still raining + cold + windy the last 30 miles + so hungry! BUT SO MUCH FUN!

    Pics and recap of FRIDAY June 11th in the rain:
    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62327&id=1314300616&l=a7f4071f9a

    Then Sat June 12th we rode our MS Day 1:
    73 miles in 4hr 4min = NICE PACE and happy with other 3000+ riders sharing the trail! Even with nice pace but there were about 8 sets of sprinting ... and mostly won by Has!

    Pics of MS Day1:
    http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62449&id=1314300616&l=28106c9d17

    But Sunday ... Whew! 7 riders start out @ 6:08am ... ONLY 5 last in the paceline until the last 3 miles ... So who were they?

    1st 15 miles suppose to be warm up miles at 50f: We did it in 39min 56sec until 1st rest stop with Ave Sp 22.7mph.

    We only stop to clean up the chain from Friday 8+hrs of riding in pouring rain + sand + grass built up but no more stop after that! 3 bikes to clean and air our tires ... took 6 mins from 2 Bicycle Chain mechanics (our sponsor).

    The next 55.7 miles took us 2hr 32min none stop ... Ave over 22mph ... and ONLY 4 VV: Tim Sproul, Sinthang Has, Thanh Hoang, and I + one guy name John left in our paceline.

    Then we all agree to do cool down spin the last 5 miles home with Ave of 17+mph ... but then the last 2 miles Thanh Hoang attacked on one of the hill ... that got John on fire and Tim chased John ... now they left Has and I dangling in the middle ... and Thanh got drop about a min after us. WOW! 76 miles and we made it home in 3hr 21min with ONLY 6 min @ BC tent to tune up 3 bikes and air up our tires ...

    Please tell captain no more speed training but he need to ride in the rain for more than 5hrs to endure incase we get rain on our Double Century on the 19th! LOL!

    Great to see all of you in the pics! Please keep coming out and show your smiling faces event you are in pain ... cause we love to see your smiles while your ride not grinding while you ride!

    @ anh Cuong,
    Love the photos!

    Take care,
    Quang Vo

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  4. Great recap Phong...
    Every single one of the VV riders was having fun on the last Sunday ride. Even Dat freshly new rider made it all together to the MSP this time. Then Cap't and I have witnessed & surprised when young Minh made a sudden attack right after A1 group breaking away on the PCH - Seal beach trail, WOW.

    Then...after her secret training, Fixie Girl returns with her different attitude and is no longer got abandon by bunch of vicious riders no more, she was right at our tails on the Riverbed trail back to base.

    And Tony (the bravery sleeveless dude), an old timer with our VV, also was amazing...I thought he will giving up & turning back at the gas station, but because VV spirit was high & strong, his will whirled into it & finish his 55 miles journey together with us. Tony love to have you back in out team.

    Least but not last Minh Ly just got back from VN but he finished & did not get bad cramp like I did last 2 Sunday. He must got very good, special "treatment" and "preservation" over there or something... :-)

    Hey Luke! Hang around with us A2 once for a while, you hear! Thanks to you and Long for pulling the pack to base.
    I would love to see the same ride like this again and again...

    Ride On...
    Toan

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  5. Wow, big smiles from everyone who joined the ride on Sunday. Best of all, the big welcome for Fixie. If only she can make it every week.

    Overall ride was fun, fast and friendly. Well, for the most part...actually, it was hard work for me to try and catch up with everyone. Too many flats. aaaaahhhh!!!

    As I look at every picture, can't help but ponder how great it would have been if we were all in perfect match: jersey and paceline. We will continue to work on it.

    Finally, thanks for the nice support to prepare myself for an awesome weekend in Mn. Much more rides ahead. Hopefully my old pair of legs will cooperate.

    Keep smiling. I'll have quite a story to tell after 200 miles.

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  6. Oops, forgot to mention the last 150 m sprint. I took off thinking that no one will catch me with cat and mouse game. As soon as I turned around, there were 2 others riders: Mr. Warrior and TZ. These two strong racers pulled away from me as quick as I can say, #@$$. Needed to hold off for this big weekend.

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  7. Capt. good luck this weekend. Have fun!

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