2011 VeloViet Climbing Clinic

OC VeloViet's 2nd Bike Clinic happened today and man it was hard work! In this session, the VeloViet's targeted one of our favorite on-bike discipline - climbing! All of our lightweight riders came out to party with clinic's instructors FedEx and BigH.

Photo - Mark, Hoa, John, and Anh Minh

Photo - Ngoc, Randy, and Long

Photo - Sarah and Uyen

Photo - Guest Paul, Toan, Tuan, Cap't, Co, and Billy

Photo - Guest Bert and Uyen

We even had a few MIA folks showed up, Mac and Trang. Mac has been busy "adventuring" around Southern California with his kids for the Summer, and it was nice to see him on the tandem with Trang. Check out his "Mac-Mobile" below.

Photo - Sarah, Trang, and Mac Daddy

Photo - The "Mac Daddy" Party Mobile

Rolling out of MSP, we did not get very far as a big pop was heard from the back of the pack. David got a flat and Tuan was fast to help. Less than 10 minutes later we were off!

Pop! and yup it is David rear wheel again as we only got as far as half way on Bushard. Again Tuan is quick to react and we had the flat changed again. Let's hope it holds this time!

Photo - Donovan Rolling Out from MSP

Photo - Pack Waiting for the Flat Repair

The wheel held up and we got to PCH. Here are some photos along Bushard and at the PCH stop.

Photo - Lilliana and Luke

Photo - Hoa and John

Photo - Uyen and Sarah

Photo - Arnel and Duc

Photo - FedEx and BigH Preping Everyone at the Stop

Photo - Pack on PCH

Ok now for some serious work. Three repeats on the tough Pelican Hills. FedEx explained first the climbing technique that he wanted us to use, a high cadence of at least 85 rpm with occasional shifting down a gear or two and standing.

Off we went. I had FedEx next to me on this first hill and he explained that I should do a throwing motion of my legs as if I was throwing them over the handlebar. I was holding consisted at 85 rpm up until teh last stretch where it was absolutely impossible for me to keep at 85 RPM. This section was way too steep.

At the top we rested for about 5-10 minutes and down we went for the second repeat. Bert, Uyen's friend, was a monster on the hills as he attacked on this repeat. Bert is training for the Berlin marathon and his endurance on the hills was amazing. This guy can climb!

Hoa and John were going nutz on the hills as well. I was amazed too how Nic climb, as he had like 30 lbs over me. He just cruized on by while I suffered on this repeat. BigH was riding up and down yelling encouragements to us all.

The third repeat had Captain Thomas going totally ballistic on the hills. It's those yellow shoes he is wearing! Billy and I snapped some photos at the top.

Photo - Kiet and Donovan Suffering

Photo - FedEx Explaining Cadence at the Top

Photo - Pack at the Top

Photo - Best Climbing Buds Tuan and Sarah

Rolling home, the Big Boys opened it up on PCH. Tuan, Luke, Thomas, Greg, Duc, John, and Hoa pressed the pedal to the metal and the pack split. This was a sudden change for everyone as we went from 8 mph climbing to like 26 mph on the flat. This first pack got to SART quickly.

Photo - First Pack back to SART: Luke, Thomas, Duc, Greg, and Tuan

A short while later, the second group came. Here we found that one of the guest had a crash as someone had turned in front of them. Luckily he was okay. The third and final group arrived.

Coming back on SART, Sarah was in mid pack and at the left turn from the wooden bridge, she slip out. Her bike must have hit some gravel and lost traction on the turn. Luckily we were going real slow and she got just a slight scrape on her arm. Everyone was real concern though as she was on the ground for a while. Sarah said she was reassessing her body, while she was on the ground, to make sure everything was okay. Sarah made it back to MSP intact.

Photo - Everyone Making Sure Sarah was Okay

Photo - Luke and Bert Escorting Sarah Back to MSP

Photo - Lilliana and Her Scrape

Photo - Lilliana, Sarah, and Uyen Safe at MSP

Now for the good stuff! Some of us decided to go out and eat at this great Vietnamese restaurant. I had a dish that I never had before. Yummy!

So after this meal, we went to get even more food! FedEx's and BigH's climbing clinic really burned calories and we were packing it all back in!

Photo - This Place Has Great Vietnamese Xoi and Che!

Photo - Uyen, On a "See-Food" Diet, Not Getting Enough Food is in Line for More!

Photo - Uyen Debating with Sarah on What Else to Buy

When I got back home, I passed out on the couch for a few hours. This climbing thing is really hard!

All who came out had a great time, especially those who hang out afterwards together. BIG THANKS to our climbing instructors FedEx and BigH for conducting today's class. We will go out and try out our new found techniques!

Out,
Phong