New Year 2011 in Full Force ride

First of all, I am and we are all very proud for those who came out and ride on the last Sunday. It was total of 29 strong VeloViet riders and one guest (that we picked him up from the day before ride, Arnel I forgot his name!), making the club lighten up again in the beginning of this New Year 2011. Cap't Thomas could not ride with us but he showed up with his "Yellow Trekmarine", I tell you it is awesome & nice looking..."babe" I meant "bike"!

1. The Capitan's "Yellow Trekmarine"

2. Preparation


3. Look more like secret agents on bikes...


4. Fixie Girl finally decided to fight back her "Notorious scale needle"!


5. There you go guys...looking good Nic, Greg & Tuan!

The 29 VV warriors making the spirit thicken in the air...Scott, Greg G, Tuan, Luke, Duc, Nic, Sang, Minh Ly, Steve Ngo, Cuong, Big Minh, Viet, Tan Bui & Nancy, Candy, Greg R, Tan Tran, Thang, Ngoc, Chi, Danny, Fixie Girl, Mac & Trang (Tandem team), Randy, Arnel, Ky Anh, Loc (Rock Racer) & my self wheels to wheels rolling out the MSP with laughs & joy to start a great day!

On the chilly early Sunday morning seem to warmed up with a stream of Red sprinting through the Brookhurst to Warner Blvd then SA riverbed. We were all together like a tornado whirling upon northbound of riverbed then the restroom break at the Angel stadium. Everyone was intact, the restroom area was quickly filled with 30 strong cyclists.

Not for long we start rolled out one by one, the pack was picking up speed so quick, Chi, Candy & Tan Tran could not get out of the restroom area soon enough I realized that I need to wait for them then we will form a chase group, I thought. But my thought was wrong the front group kept on moving faster, Tan Tran was able to caught up with them , I got to slow down to pull Chi & Candy, we were about few seconds a way from Tan (last one in the pack) but at the same time I realized Chi & Candy already dropped way behind. I started to slow down and waited for them, that was where I noticed I got a flat! Darn, darn and more darn it!

I waved for Candy stop to help...because I know he is the 2nd fastest replacing the tube in VV. Thank you Candy! But the worse yet to come...the valve of my tube was too short for my deep wheel (the tube I carried was for my Trek's aluminum wheel). Candy tried all kind of things to get the air in but all failed, we even stop few cyclists along the way but none of them carry the extension. I thought I have to call my dear wife come to pick me up, and then one last try, we stopped another 2 cyclists, this time luckily one of them had a spare tube with 80 mm valve even though he has 2 regular aluminum wheels as my Trek. Thanks God! He was my savior of the day. And off we went...

I continued pulling Candy & Chi again that was for another thank for helping me and wasting their time because of my stupidity....but Chi has his limit he later turned back with Tandem team, Candy & Chi. Thank you brothers! and sorry I got to move on. I later met up with Thang (Buddha) was waiting for me on top of the underpass turn. Thang & I took turn pulling each other for the entire La Palma trail with all we got...

We finally re-united with the group at the bottom of Camino De Bryant street. Later, one by one dashing down the hill and rolling out of there all together again. Just few minutes later the group start stretching out quick then we found out we lost Ky Anh & Danny. I decided to turn back and find them...Ky Anh got cramp slowed down with Danny & they got lost, trying to make a call at the corner of a street. I got them all back together with our last group Tan Tran, big Minh, Viet, Ky Anh, Loc, Danny & I heading home...


Danny had trying and fighting hard after 2 months of "missing in action", but his energy ran low, he slowed down dramatically, the rest of the pack moved on. I still, would like to give him thumbs up for come out and ride with the group. No matter how out of shape, lazy or all kind of excuses you can come up with just come out and ride with us, I will ride with you from start to the end as I did promise.

Ride On...
Toan