Greetings La Grange Members,
and Happy New Year! Look back on a great December with La Grange in this month’s newsletter, featuring some exciting announcements, Race Team news, three member features and save the dates for this month. Have a great holiday and I hope to see you on the road soon!
Renée Fox, La Voix Editor
P.S. Have something else cycling-related you think would be interesting or beneficial to our members? Submit here to be considered for an upcoming newsletter.
Letter from the President
Hello La Grangers,
Welcome to 2026!!!
This year is set to be an incredible year for La Grange boosted by several new relationships.
Returning as a sponsor after a short break is Gentle Jaw. The gentle jaw is a passive jaw stretching device invented by former La Grange President Dr. Rich Hirschinger. It is used for 30 seconds every 2 hours to stretch the jaw-closing muscles and help with TMJ, jaw pain, and headaches. Don’t use it if you like your pain. https://www.gentlejaw.com/
And beginning their new venture, Renée Fox and David Newcombe will sponsor the club as John Fox Fine Painting. This “Dynamic Duo” (as an LG award once named them) creates exquisite interior finishes and bespoke murals, bringing the same intensity of passion and technical focus as they do to cycling. “Free estimates while riding.”
La Grange is also entering a relationship with Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) as our charitable partner. CAF is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers people with physical disabilities to lead active, healthy lives through sports and fitness. CAF provides grants and support so athletes of all ages and ability levels can participate in athletic activities and competitions. CAF believes that involvement in sports boosts self-esteem, fosters independence, and enhances quality of life, and it has awarded tens of thousands of life-changing grants around the world.
One of CAF’s premier annual fundraisers is a multi-day cycling event where cyclists and adaptive athletes travel hundreds of miles down the California coast (typically from the Bay Area toward San Diego), building community while raising significant funds for their grant program. Each year the goal is to raise at least $1 million (and often they raise much more) to help remove financial barriers to adaptive equipment, training, and competitive opportunities for challenged athletes.
While there are plenty of worthy causes to choose from, CAF matches well with our mission of promoting cycling racing, sport, and lifestyle. Throughout the year we will hold several events to help promote their cause, fundraising and establish a stronger bond and community of our able-bodied community of cyclists and those challenged with physical disabilities.
As the year progresses, please continue to stay involved with La Grange and support our sponsors. And if so inclined, volunteer to help with our socials, rides and other activities.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and safe new year with plenty of riding.
Vive La Grange,
Larry
Racing News
Morgan James’ race schedule for 2026!
The Los Angeles races will be really fun to spectate so save the date for Track Nationals, raced right here at our local velodrome in Carson!
Bromont, Canada UCI C2 - January 6-7
Summer Slam, UCI C1 - C2 Los Angeles, July TBD dates
USA Elite Track National Championships, UCI C2 Los Angeles, August 20-23
Morgan will also be racing either of these 2 events:
Carnival of Speed, Trinidad UCI C1 , June 19-21
OR
Bahnen-Tournee Oschelbronn Germany UCI C1 may 21-24
Club News
Velo Club La Grange Membership Dues Increase Notice
For the last 20+ years, individual adult membership dues for La Grange have remained $72 despite the costs of everything increasing and the loss of large dollar sponsorships for local cycling clubs. La Grange leadership has tried to insulate the members from this, but it no longer is responsible, and the board has elected to increase the annual dues to $95 per year.
Keep in mind that through your membership you will be:
Supporting a legacy of grassroots So Cal cycling and community racing.
Gaining access to exclusive member only discounts from local sponsors.
Enjoying curated and SAG supported routes and adventures beyond solo rides.
Supporting riding at every level — from beginner to elite, on gravel or road.
Meeting a diverse and passionate cycling community who provide encouragement and accountability for your fitness goals through regular group rides and social events.
Elevating your riding skills and learning to be a safer rider through dedicated skills rides and clinics.
Updated Dues for all categories are:
Adult membership $95
Student membership $33
Lifetime membership $2,500
Family membership $141
Junior membership $33
For perspective, a $72 membership from 2006 would cost approximately $115.71 today due to inflation. This is roughly the cost of 4 cappuccino drinks before that wonderful discount we get from our sponsor Caffe Luxxe.
Should this increase present a true hardship for anyone, please reach out to a board member.
January Save the Dates:
Saturday January 17 LG Women’s Ride led by Amy Hutner, Route TBD
Saturday January 27 January LG50, Route TBD
Club Events Recap
December La Grange Women’s Ride
Led by Renée Fox and Philippa Moore with special guest Morgan James
A dozen strong women showed up Saturday December 20 to ride a new route to all of us, provided by La Grange member Veronika Spierenburg with edits by Philippa Moore. It was a great route, 51.75 miles with 4166 feet of climbing. We began in Santa Monica and rode through the morning quiet city to Griffith Park where the route wound through the park in an unexpected direction to descend some fun gravelly roads… thanks Veronica! Around the back we escaped a busy Barham Blvd, to climb steep La Suvida Drive and cross the freeway riding Mulholland back. By Philippa’s clever suggestion we opted for Roscomare instead of Sepulveda for more climbing and fast descents on our return. In the end we had a fantastic day with zero flats:) Special thanks to Morgan James for joining this one!
Member Features
The Ride That Brings Me Back
By Jason Dodge
Sometimes it takes leaving and coming back to fully understand what a community provides you. I recently rejoined LaGrange and attended the annual banquet last month. Surprisingly, I was honored with the “I’m Back” award. Who knew such an award existed? In the days after the banquet, it got me thinking and reflecting on my long relationship with cycling, LaGrange, and everything it has given me over the years. After being active with the club in the previous decade, I drifted away for about twelve years, pulled by work, family, and the realization that I no longer had the racers edge necessary to finish mid pack in an industrial park crit. I stayed in touch with several members, but when it came to riding, I became something of a lone wolf. I still appreciate the solitude of solo rides, yet I knew something was missing.
In recent years, I have thrown myself into a variety of events, including gran fondos, organized gravel rides, and out of town challenges like the Mammoth Tuff gravel race in Mammoth Lakes each September. To prepare, I would show up to the Nichols ride a few Sundays beforehand, mostly as a practical exercise: get comfortable in a pack again, sharpen my legs, and push the pace beyond my comfort zone.
But Nichols did not stay a tune up ride for long. Somewhere between the early miles, the familiar roads, and the faces I had once ridden with week after week, it became clear that this ride was offering something more. What started as preparation quietly turned into reconnection, and before I realized it, Nichols was the reason I kept coming back.
Returning to the Nichols ride reminded me just how much I love everything about that route, but even more, it reminded me why riding with others matters. Years ago, my goal was to stay on Marco’s wheel all the way back to the Skirball Center, a benchmark I never quite reached, though in the end it hardly mattered. What mattered was the collective experience: an unparalleled tour of Los Angeles and the energy that moves through the group as the city wakes up around us. As an LA native, the ride feels like an homage to the city itself. Rolling through Westwood, Beverly Hills, the Sunset Strip, the Hollywood Hills, and back to the west side, there is simply no better way to watch Los Angeles come alive on a Sunday morning.
But it is within the pace groups where the ride truly comes to life. Settling in, sharing the work, swapping stories, and feeling the endorphins build mile after mile creates bonds that go far beyond the ride. Over time, I have learned about lives growing and changing, heard plenty of stories about careers and families, laughed through conversations ranging from the latest bikes and kits to the ever evolving world of plastic surgery, and even witnessed a few unfortunate crashes that remind us all of the risks we willingly accept for this shared passion.
I am always struck by the dedication of the longtime Nichols regulars who show up week after week without fail. You can count on Mike Kludjian to bring his trademark positive energy to the start line, and Rick Friedman, another stalwart, is always there pushing a steady, honest pace while somehow managing to tell hilarious stories at what has to be a zone five heart rate.
In the end, what keeps drawing me back isn’t a finish line, a fitness goal, or preparation for the next event. It’s the people and the sense of community that surround the ride. Nichols is a reminder that cycling has always been about more than miles or speed; it’s about connection, shared effort, and showing up for one another week after week. It’s also a reminder of Los Angeles itself—a city that can feel overwhelming at times, yet reveals its best self in the quiet light of a Sunday morning. For me, that’s what being “back” truly means.
LATourist
By Amy Hutner
4 times a year, Lets Ride Cyclery bike shop out of Burbank hosts the "LA Tourist Ride". The week leading up the event, entrants receive 4-6 GPS coordinates from which they plan their own route to as many points as they choose in whatever order they choose. At each GPS point, a paperback book is hidden, usually off a steep, overgrown, hard to reach single track trail. Your job is to make it to as many of these points as you want, tear out a page from the book corresponding to your bib number, and continue on to your next point. Video clues are also provided. Depending on what route you came up with, you might be approaching from a different direction than other riders.
Most people were on gravel bikes but maybe 25% were on mountain bikes, which would have come in handy on most of the trails. GIl and I got to the first single track and were told it was private property so had to find a new route to the first point up Lopez Canyon Road (we found out later we got bad information and there was a public way through). We backtracked a few miles down a single track to our first book. We then had to climb back up and proceed on the same long rocky climb (Lopez Canyon Trail) to the second book, which was up a long steep unrideable climb, so most people left their bikes and hiked up to get that page! We descended the single track to the road and decided to take the road instead of the single track descent back to Sunland/Tujunga and make our way over to Little Tujunga Canyon and climb to another trail to get to books 3 and 4. That’s where we saw Doug Sparr who said he lost Dan Funk, took a wrong turn and got kicked off of private property trying to get to book 3. We decided to take our chances on the private property, made it through with no issues and proceeded up another seemingly endless climb to book #3 (Herres Truck Trail and Oliver Canyon) . This was only after attempting to hike our bikes up Ken Burton Trail (which said no bikes allowed) where we gave up shortly and turned around. We descended Doty Road to Rattlesnake Single Track for our last book. Finally, we made our way back through Sunland/Tujunga and Burbank to the shop where we turned in our pages and reported our times, and enjoyed beer, burgers and shots of whiskey chased by pickle juice, while checking out all the cool bikes and chatting with the other riders. It was great seeing a few other La Grange Riders out - Dan Funk, Doug Sparr, Katie and Daniel Marsh. We ended up riding 44 miles with around 4200 feet of gain, getting all 4 pages and finishing just under 5 hours riding time (one of the last people in), with all 4 pages! A super fun event I highly recommend to anyone who loves riding off road and an adventure!
Bike Insurance
By Trish Bakst
I’m here to talk about bike insurance. I know, sounds boring. But its really not; Its exciting!! A few years ago, I had a gigantic loss on my bike – the airlines broke the bike while in transit and would not reimburse me fully for a new bike. My homeowners and auto insurance were inapplicable. And it got me thinking. What if I crash on the bike while on a ride and the bike is damaged? What if my bike is stolen while I’m at the coffee shop? It happens, right? But auto and homeowners insurance don’t cover such losses. So I started researching insurance specifically for the bike. After several months, I was not finding anything affordable until our dear President, Larry Goodman, suggested that USA Cycling might offer a policy. They do and you don’t have to be a member of USA Cycling to buy their policy. So I called and guess what? It’s a mere $24 a month ($244/yr) to insure the bike up to $10,000 for theft or damage. There’s a $100 deductible for damage and $200 deductible for theft. It’s a no-brainer, imo. Go online to bikeinsure.com and see for yourself.
Follow up story – the morning after I bought the policy for Larry’s and my bikes, Larry had a mishap on his bike and cracked his frame/damaged his rear wheel. The cost of repair/replacement for the frame, damaged wheel, replacement handlebars, and labor was a whopping $10,000. And although I thought bikeinsure would balk because of the timing, they didn’t blink an eye. Bikeinsure covered the entire loss, immediately. All I had to do was submit a claim, talk to the insurance agent (to tell what happened), provide photos and provide the invoice from Helens Bike shop. The policy paid for itself right then. A month later, I damaged the frame on my bike. Repairs (including shipping and boxing) were approximately $900. Bikeinsure covered me, immediately.
Bottom line: If you’re not insured, your bike is at risk. For a mere $24/mo, do yourself a favor and insure your bike.
Happy riding,
Trish
Members:
Please take a moment to ensure your contact information is up to date. Visit https://www.lagrange.org/member-dashboard#myaccount to confirm that your phone number is current, and double check that your emergency contact name and phone number are accurate. This helps La Grange improve vendor access to membership verification and ensures that, in case of an emergency during a ride, a board member can quickly notify your emergency contact. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at membership@lagrange.org.
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About Gentle Jaw
The gentle jaw® was conceived and developed by Dr. Rich Hirschinger. He is a dentist who is board-certified in orofacial pain, which means he does not treat teeth. Instead, he specializes in helping patients who struggle with acute and chronic pain symptoms related to the mouth, jaw, head, and neck.
Dr. Hirschinger’s focus on pain management began when he was badly injured in a car accident and needed a spinal fusion to quiet his back pain. A few months later his mom was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia. The urge to learn more about chronic pain led him to a two-year, full-time residency at UCLA's Orofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine Clinic.
Most of the patients seeking care at Dr. Hirschinger’s private practice in Beverly Hills, California, come in with complaints about their temporomandibular joint or “TMJ.” More often than not, he found that complaints about TMJ were actually related to muscle pain. From his experience treating patients with this type of pain, Dr. Hirschinger knew there was a simple solution for them - regular passive stretching of the jaw muscles. But there wasn’t anything available that gave people an easy, accurate, and affordable way to do these kinds of jaw stretches during the day.
That’s when he set about bringing the gentle jaw mouth stretching device to market to give people full control over their own jaw pain treatment. It makes jaw stretching easy, and it only needs to be used for 30 seconds every couple of hours. It's "yoga for the jaw®."
About John Fox Fine Painting
With over 35 years of experience working in high end contemporary and historic homes, this meticulous team can concept, assist with color and product selection and paint your interior walls, ceilings, doors and trim. Our offerings include beautiful interior paints and more exotic finishes such suede-like Italian lime wash, textured or refined lime plasters, scenic murals with traditional or visionary motifs, fine metal gilding and trompe-l’oiel. Our team at JFFP knows how proper preparation and material knowledge yields lasting results. Our vision is to build a reputation for projects that stand the test of time with equally enduring relationships and repeat clients. Free consultations and scheduling priority to La Grange members.
THANK YOU to our sponsors!
ACTS Law, Personal Injury Lawyers
APEX Law, Real Estate and Business Litigation
Caffe Luxxe, Artisanal Coffee Roasters Gentle Jaw, A passive stretching device for acute and chronic tmj and jaw pain John Fox Fine Painting, Exquisite finishes and bespoke murals Helen’s Cycles, Local Community Bike Shop
Lee Ziff, Real Estate Pedal Mafia, Killer Cycling Apparel Rudy Project, Italian-Made Helmets and Eyewear The Feed, #1 Source for Performance Nutrition TriFit LA, Fitness and Performance Center
4iiii Powermeters, Harness the Power Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa Monica’s First and Only Brewery
