The 9/12 - The Battle of 120-Mile con't...

#1 - The preparation


#2 - The 25 VV Road Warriors

To people who were exercising at the MS Park, it was just another Sunday morning, the parking lot was very much empty it was not like a big event going to happen soon, no banners, no canopies filled with tables for sponsorship, no music and cycling fans or whatsoever, it was dead quiet. The weather more like in the middle of fall season, it was overcast & little bit chill, I was first to arrive.
The exciting of this even was that we were not really sure who is coming!…well, not exactly, we had a very short list of registered riders, the others they probably just want to surprise us. Then a few minutes later Ngoc, Chi, Thang, Dat, Duc, Minh Ly, Thanh, Loc (Orbea), Jason…one by one pulled in and then paused for few minutes…we looked around and wondered “That’s it?”. For answering our thoughts, Rock Racers brothers ridding in, quickly the parking lot started filling up with cars. Ladies and gentlemen, 25 riders…yes! The 25 warriors were about to go on a mission that they have never done it before…lets call it “The battle of 120-Mile”.
Greeting, joking, laughing…warming us up a little but we can still see the anxiety, the worries mixing with exciting, eager in each one of us on this thrilling battle. We kept on loading Gel & Power bars in our pockets as many as we can, because there will be no SAG and will be hard to find a fast food chain along the way, especially crossing the Marine Camp Pendleton.

Time to leave the base it was about 8:14 am. We rolled out together on the same route as we used to (Heil – Bushard – PCH). We did make a quick stop at our 1st restroom on the PCH as usual. From here, Tuan and TZ took off first on their TT bikes (Tuan & TZ did not join the battle, for family reason…we guessed), the rest of us rolled out together and heading south in a tight, nice pace line. The worries seem no longer exist in our eyes…the fun has begun!


#3 - Rolling out from the MS Park (Arnel had already in front of the pack

The traffic around the Laguna beach area was a little bit crowded, we rode cautiously that caused slow us down on few rolling hills…the pack started stretching out…so we need to re-group immediately, this was where we got 1st “man down” big Minh had tried to pulled over the sidewalk waiting for other folks to arrive, unfortunately, his rear wheel got caught on a kind of high driveway entry and crashed, luckily he just got a minor scratch…we later moved on and continue heading south.
Our second water stop was at the Ralph supermarket (corner of Golden Lantern & PCH), from here, Jason turned back for a good reason…to his beautiful wife waiting for him at home! (he probably begged her to let him ride for few hours with the team…poor Jason!). We finally left Dana Point behind; it was about 20+ miles under our belts. Out of the area the road was very much flat…we rode together nicely and professionally we even got few walkers standing on the side walk clapping hands cheering us up that was very flattering…I felt I was riding the Vuelta a Espana 2010 Tour.

#4 - Just can't get any better paceline than this large VV group


#5 - Then double paceline...

Thanks to Sang, he had warned us that there will be no food or water going across the Camp Pendelton therefore; we need to make sure everyone has enough water and load our self with calories & carb. We stopped at the Carl Jr’s. Speaking of Sang, he was our savior & also one of a true VeloViet warrior! He rode 100 miles on Saturday 9/11, with few other VV folks and on Sunday 9/12 he riding with us again! Way to go Sang, you are the man!

At Carl Jr’s we met a group of young Vietnamese guys & gals heading back home from their camping trip who were stopping there for refreshing. They are all living around Bolsa’s area, they very friendly and exciting when they spotted a huge group of Vietnamese cyclists (well, not exactly, 1 Philippines though) making an epic ride. We exchanged conversation, they were impressed of our commitment, they are young, outdoor type and full of ambition. Who knows one of these days one or few of them will become VV riders. We took some pictures together and some of them even posed next to the 3 lined up Dogmas for pictures...so much for that, us saying goodbye and off we went.


#6 - Potential new riders...


#7 - The troop enjoying the refreshment @ Carl Jr's

We left Carl Jr’s right around 10:30 am; we were only half way there. No problems, everyone was charged up we rode out with full speed to catch up the lost time, but not for long some of us could not hold up that long so we slowed down and kept the steady speed at 19 ~ 22 m/hr all along the way. I had noticing that, on this ride, almost everyone took turn pulling the pack that including “Rare” moment with Viet, Thang, Rock Racers, Chi or Big Minh…Can you imagine that? That was true “Brothers in Arms” we are talking here! We were sharing our pain, carrying load for each other through the long winding rough roads. Beside that we have major key players like Sang, Long, Thanh, Ky Anh, Arnel, Minh Ly, Loc (Orbea)…took turn pulling the pack hard. Thank you! Thank you all. It was not just an ordinary ride; it was a true camaraderie ride.

The road through San Onofre State beach area was so rough, tricky and full of cars, people & obstacles due to the Surfing contest. But we however managed through safely with ease and not too long to think the Marine Camp Pendleton was in-sight, we did prepare and presented the photo IDs for entering the Camp. The sun had just came out start shining hot sun’s ray on 22 brave souls…The road was nice and quiet with few cars passing by, few cyclists along the way…beside that, nothing else but sound of twenty two pair of wheels grinding on the hot pavement and the sound of pounding hearts, heavy breathing from twenty two VeloViet warriors. We were all together riding like never before approaching the “Turning Point”. The Camp Pendleton rolling hills stretching out so many miles that appeared some damaged on the tandem team Billy & Co, Big Minh, Chi & Dat. That was not sound bad enough when we heard “man downed!”. Randy went down after his front wheel touched Simon rear wheel…the hot pavement ate up a large piece of his jersey on left shoulder area. I can tell that was a heavy fall, luckily, nothing else damaged (That could had been later cost him to withdrew from the battle because his aching back).

Five miles from the “turning point” the tandem team (Billy & Co), Big Minh, Dat & Chi could not bare the hardship of the long battleground & speed of the powerful moving train no more, they had decided to wait for the entire team to come back, that was at mile 55 mark, the rest of the warriors moved on…
The “turning point” (The Train Station area). We could not locate the Buccaneer Park, though!) is a beautiful place along the beach, we rode around the block where the house Tom Cruise stayed in the “Top Gun” movie took place 24 years ago, it looks run down abandoned and un-touched (do not know why & do not care!). The beach is nice and full of fresh air and beach goers we stop here for restroom, got some water, took some pictures, without saying goodbye to this sacred place we heading back home.

#8 - At 60-mile mark (Ocean Side Beach) everyone still have big smiles on their faces...


#9 - With Arnel, still smiling...

Re-entering the Camp Pendleton we immediately confronted with strong headwind, we all knew, this going to be a long and very long way home (yes it was 50+ miles long of strong headwind). On the way back the strong headwind did some damaged on Simon (the party boy), he apparently did not do the homework & well prepare for this ride, he did not arm him self with mindset, determination…Simon was completely bonked at the 70-mile mark (not bad). Common brother, you can do better than this if you decide to throw away your “through the night” party habit!
On the way back, Big Minh, Chi & Dat (Tandem had already left and later were picked up by Mac) re-joined the team, we all together fought through the headwind again…every battle has it own casualty after we left the Camp and about entering San Onofre beach area I myself went down, I lost balance after I had tried to push Randy closer to the pack on a bumpy road. I was ok, but my left wrist hurt and swollen a little bit. That was total of 3 casualties! Later Randy & Simon could not finish their mission with us, joined the tandem team, and got a good ride home with Mac.

Duc, Long, Arnel, Thanh, Sang, Ngoc, Thang, Loc (Orbea), Cang myself and almost every strong guys in the pack took turn, long or short time pulling the pack out of San Onofre beach road, the damage had setting in, everyone was exhausted & energies drained out. We had to stop by at the same Carl Jr’s…everyone quickly loaded with big old double sided hamburgers, refilled water over and over again…seem like our bodies were just a bunch of giant sponges! We did not talk much & laugh no more like this morning, everyone sat quietly on their own chairs and staring at the sun going down on them, it was 2:00 PM and we were only at the 80 mile mark, 40 more miles to go. Unfortunately, the Mother Nature did not cooperate with us, headwind got even stronger in the evening, the pack had just able to keep up at 16 – 18 miles per hr max. I have noticed that there were no riders on the way back…only the VV “fearless” warriors poking through the thickest air ourselves.

We finally entered the Dana Point beach area…headwind was no longer matter to us, rolling hills were…We broken up here and there, then re-group from time to time. This morning we had enjoyed those rolling hills at Dana Point & Laguna beach so much, and now we cried on them that much…so many of them...Then we entered the New Port beach area we all knew we were almost home. This was where Duc went down when a stupid, ignorance women opened her Porsche Cayenne’s door without looking and almost hit him, he avoided the impact but lost his balance and crashed right in front of us, luckily no one else went down with him & even more lucky that he wasn’t hurt much, just a scratch on his elbow. This STUPID, IGNORANCE women did not even care about the victim, she just stepped out checked her car door to see if any sign of damages then jumped in her car and took off…What a horrible human being! We got her license plate number at least, just in case Duc wants to file a lawsuit!


#10 - Last rest stop at near Newport Coast before heading home...

After all ordeals, everyone got back to base safe-and-sound…we did it together 120 miles (actually 119 miles). I personally, thank you each one of you on this ride, I’ve enjoyed so much fun with you guys…whether you made it or not…it does not matter. The point here is we ride together, we enjoying every moments together, we endure, we share, we help each others trying to accomplish our goal, done or not done this moment will last forever in our memories.
Thank you Duc, Long & Sang for your incredible strengths had always in front of the pack and pulling us home.
The improvement of the two brothers:
- Loc (Pinarello) you are the man! For just only 2 months of riding, you have put 120-mile ride (with A2 folks) under your belt w/o any troubles. Way to go bro!
- Randy, even though you rode with us not frequently since you joined VV, but you had showing us that you are one tough guy. If you did not get that hard fall you could have completed the ride with us. We know that you going to the finish line with us in the next Century ride…


#11 - We got together for PHO...Do not know how much Pho going to help for "recovery" but we loved it!

Until then…Job Well Done Everyone!

Ride On...
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