The OC Gran Fondo Oct. 8th, 2011

I thought it was just like another century that I've been through, no more excitement like the very first one or second...I went to bed at 9:30PM and fell to sleep so fast that I didn't even know. Then at 1:50AM, I suddenly woke up and could not gone back to sleep again...lying on bed feel the anxiety and excitement rushing through my airway & blood stream until 4:30 AM. I could not take it any more...That was it, I got out of bed and went out to prepare...

I finally realized that it wasn't just another the century! it is happening in the VeloViet's soil, in our territory, in our own back yard...it means a lot to me, that was why my body reacted so darn quickly in the early morning!

I got to the park around 5:30 AM, I thought I was the earliest one to arrive...No, Donnovan, farther & son Lieu have already there, then a few minutes later Chanh pulled in, he told us that he was here earlier but saw no one so he drove to the church & back! We all happy to see each others...the camaraderie was building up, it was a little bit cold for the early morning of the first week of the October, but the friendship warmed up the air with hand shakes, jokes & laughter...Later Kiet, Keith...more and more VeloViet members along with guests showed up...Now, all were super excited!


1) Getting ready - Johnathan, Luke, Steve & Kiet


2) Getting ready - Tandem team (Billy & Co)


3) Sang, Sarah & Keith


4) Chatting before roll out...

Around 6:50AM we left the parking lot heading to the start line where a few more hundreds riders already lined up and ready to roll, no time for greeting, riders moving out slowly to the street. All VeloViet members & guests together riding out with an easy speed, the entire street had blocked for the peloton, police officers were everywhere making sure the peloton move freely before entering the trail.

5) Happy VeloViet riders.

The trail was full of riders in both directions you know how chaos it was...We all realized if we want to move out of there in one piece we need to pay extra careful with a slower pace. Out of the Backbay into the PCH then back into the Santa Ana River trail we were still doing around 18 – 19 mile/h no more no less...riders still all over the place, weaving in & out as expected...We continued hold our line steady. When we were about to reach to the bridge near by the golf course around the Santa Ana area, we saw 2 ambulance vehicles & 3 police cars, we immediately knew something bad had happened...sadly, 3 cyclist were down and being carried out on the stretchers, one of them must be from the Broadcom's team, their whole team gathering around the scene.

6) Peloton approaching the bridge

We moved on...the 1st group leading by Luke & Sang took off fast after that, the rest of us continue with an easy speed we just want to get out of the trail without any more incidents! Then we all met up at the 1st rest stop (Honda Center), it was super crowded for this tiny place! Man, VeloViet OC very familiar with this rest area...2 Men & 2 Women rest room for a few hundred riders...Yikes! Half of the men there decided to go “up against the wall” behind the restroom building...you know what I meant!


7) Everyone was still fully charged at the 1st reststop.


8) Red Jerseys covered the area...


9) The VV "Big Engine" Chanh, Thang & Larry

We pulled into the Jamboree/Chapman rest stop to wait for the rest...but just for a few minutes Luke & Sang just wanted to move on...perhaps, their blood were still boiling & perhaps they did not want to spare any mercies to the riders a long the way, the “Beast” needed to be release! moving on boys, moving on!....Keith, Thang & myself decided to wait for our last riders at this rest stop...however, most of Velo Viet riders skipped this one, only Tandem team (Billy & Co), Johnathan and a few V-Locity riders arrived. We re-fueled & moved on...

10) A2 Road Captain Keith & "Break Away" machine Thang.

Our last team stretched out thinner & thinner at the Santiago Canyon climb...Keith & I paired up with a strong rider from Rock & Road Cyclery on his training ride, he was very nice enough asked for permission to draft with us and gave a nice compliment about VV...3 of us rotated & working all the way through 10 hilly terrain miles...We passed by the 2nd OCGF SAG stop and noticing the Rapha group, Larry and a few more riders were about to leave, we immediately joined in & rode on. We again thinned out at the Live Oak Canyon climb...the Rapha group drifting away ahead further & further...left behind one of the Rapha's cousin & myself huff & puff through out this climb, Larry was no where to bee seen from behind. Later, I found Bao Anh by himself taking a break in the shade but I can not stop for him...sorry brother! I know myself if I stop in the middle of the climb I will not be able to pedal again...I continued on.

The end of the Live Oak Canyon rd. one of the Rapha's cousin and I together working all the way to our VV SAG stop. When I saw food on the table, I could not believe my eyes...this is not SAG it must be for a picnic party! Everyone there was so excited & happy like kids see candies on table after the Halloween's treat. Everyone open the conversation, jokes & lots of laughing...Sooo relax! (Not to mention moments ago we were so the intense with headwind, climbing...everyone heads down, muscled curling up, mouths opened wide not laughing but begging for air). Even quite a few random riders stopped by & thought that this was OCGF SAG stop they went in and serve them self at will! We also invited 5 – 6 Vietnamese riders to join us, they also commented that they could not believe how good the SAG was! Yes, indeed...It was a Best SAG of the year! THANK YOU Tammy & Kiet!


11) Karen & Queen of all SAGs Tammy.

Party was over, fully charged, fully hydrated...we moved out...and just the end of Ridgeline decent the whole team had witnessed the most heart stopping moment...Blake went down hill with full speed, he had tried to brake but somehow the braking system did not response well enough...he passed the group ran through the red light and was about ran into the wall on the other side of the street...My dear lord! luckily at that moment of life & death situation his brake system seem engaged he jumped off the saddle and stopped immediately right before he hit the wall! We were all speechless & horrified what was happened. THANK GOD! Someone was watching over him at that moment! Donovan & Brian stayed over to check Blake's brake and insisted the rest of the team to move on. It wasn't a good day for Brian & Blake, Brian himself got problem with his rear derailleur, chain came off frequently so he stopped and gone like crazy!

Fixie Girl, Keith, Kiet, Donnovan, Larry, myself and a few others head back to the same Santiago Canyon hilly, it wasn't that bad like the way in, most of the time were down hill so Fixie Girl, Keith, Kiet, Larry & myself were able to re-united at the corner of Jamboree/Santiago Canyon...However, we have seen no sign of Donnovan, Brian, Blake & others, we moved on...Later we decided to stop at the corner of Culver & Jamboree to wait for them...for a long while a couple of newbie showed up but still had no sign of Brian, Blake & Donnovan...I soon called Brian & found out Donnovan got 2 flats, he got no more tubes to spare he had to call his brother to pick him up...Brian & Blake waited for Donovan too long they decided to move on in hope that will meet up with us, unfortunately we could not wait that long we decided to roll out without them.

At the corner of Barranca/Alton Fixie got a flat we pulled over and took care of it right away while “customer” Fixie looked on and checked out the cars driving by...JK. She worried, indeed! On the other group, Ky Anh also got 2 flats & John got one, Tan got flat at the finish line, too! What was it? that was a lot of flats on this ride...I remembered on the 9/11 ride we got only one flat for entire 120 miles...


12) See what I meant...


13) Look at this, too! Steve was grinding his teeth to get thing done while Ky Anh enjoy the view...

Later we decided to cut short because it was late and everyone was exhausted. We got back to the parking lot around 1:30PM. Tan and Karen got back later, Long, Sang and Thu came in right after that then the rest Ralpha team. They all had spaghetti and called off for the day, a WONDERFUL day!

Congratulations to Blake, Larry (and others new members I forgot names) finish their very first Century with courage, strengths & spirits. Job WELL DONE you guys!