4/10 Ride Report - The SaigonTV Ride

Mission impossible completed! The VeloViet Cycling Club have just completed its first on-camera ride with Reporter Thuy Van, courtesy of Saigon TV, channel 57.5 in the Los Angeles area. Here is how it went...

Photo - SaigonTV Reporter Thuy Van

Thuy Van, Saigon TV's gorgeous reporter, and camera crew showed up a little after 6:30 AM at Miles Square Park. A small group of VeloViets, Cap't Thomas, Toan, Kristy, Luke, and Haldane were there to greet the TV crew. The Rock Racing Crew rolled in short after.

Photo - SaigonTV's Cameramen Looking for the Best Shooting Angle

After all the logistics discussion, Thuy Van conducted interviews with the VeloViet members. Here are some photos below.

Photo - SaigonTV's Reporter, Thuy Van, Interviewing Cap't Thomas

Photo - Thuy Van Interviewing Toan

Photo - Two Gorgeous Ladies Kristy and Thuy Van Having a Chat On Camera

Photo - Camera Rolling as Luke was Interviewed by Thuy Van

Photo - Thuy Van Chatting with the Rock Racing Brothers An, Loi, and Can

By this time, all of the VeloViets showed up to MSP. The parking lot was packed! I think there were around 40 VeloViets at MSP, plus another 3 or 4 members at the PCH rest stop! We lined up for the traditional group shot.

Photo - The Good Looking VeloViet Group and Reporter Thuy Van

After the interview, Toan gave Thuy Van a quick tutorial on how to change gears. VeloViets lines up and off we go. Check out the video below.

Photo - Toan Giving Some Bike Advice to Thuy Van



The first half of the ride was a steady 17 mph to let the camera crew film the VeloViets. There were a lot of chatting all around. I was doing my super sprint back-n-forth trying to capture the moment. Man we were super clean on the paceline. Even with all the talking, everyone was doing real well and keeping a nice straight line. Surprisingly, I think it was harder keeping straight going slower. Good job VeloViets!

Photo - Paceline View from the Front

Photo - Super Straight Paceline from the Back

Photo - Thuy Van Really Enjoying the Ride with VeloViet Toan

At the PCH rest stop, Cap't Thomas snuck in for some pictures with the ladies. Man he was a happy camper with all the super models surrounding him!

Photo - Fixie, Kristy, Cap't, Thuy Van, Nancy, and Trang

Here we met up with Candy, BigH, and FedEx. After a short rest, off we went to the next stop. Here more interviews were conducted and more photos were taken.

Photo - Thuy Van Interviewing Fixie as Nancy, Trang, and Kristy Looks On

Photo - Greg, BigH, Long, and FedEx Enjoying the Interview Process

Photo - Anh Minh Hamming It Up for the Camera

Photo - Duc, Mac, Trang, Can, and Tuan Having A Good Laugh at the "Over 50" Interview

Photo - Thuy Van and the "Over 50" VeloViet Members

Photo - Thuy Van Interviewing Master Racer Haldane

Here Thuy Van bid us goodbye and Cap't Thomas took her back to MSP in his car. The ride back was hard and made up for the slow ride coming here. The group splintered into two and I was in the second group, having waited for some of our slower members on the Newport Coast climb. We had Haldane, Toan, and about 6 other members and we put in all of our effort to chase the front group.

Somehow we made it back before the first group! Turns out they waited for us and also took a differnt way back. We packed up and headed to our favorite coffee shop to bond and talk over today's event.

Photo - VeloViets Enjoying the After Ride Get-together

In the end, the "Mission Impossible" turned into a successful mission! Thanks to Toan and Can for setting things up, and to all members who showed up. Special thanks to SaigonTV's reporter Thuy Van for riding with us, and to the camera crew who supported her!

Photo - SaigonTV's Thuy Van Looking Good in the VeloViet Jersey

Out,
Phong