Good ride.... No crashes... No broken collarbones... No separated shoulders....
The usual 5:30 crowd showed up for the ride plus a couple of extras. Hopefully we get some new blood injected ( read: Guido ) when we move to 6 pm.
Right off route 10 we had a trio of what we think are 2 new Yalies and Dave McCormick... Maybe Dave can shed some light on the identities of the newbies. Unless of course they are just passing thru, in which case.... Hope you guys enjoyed the ride, dont mind Rondo, he's always like that.
The 3 got things rolling as the moved off the front a bit, as the rest of the field was ok with just tempo'ing thru the harsh headwind. Things picked up slowly as the ride swept up the guys meeting up coming the opposite way.
Going up the corner at the start of Brooksvale, Chris C and a newer rider in blue (?) moved off the front. the 2 went to work and started building up a gap. Chris C was doing the lions share in what would be a night of feats for the bubble boy... The gap held up till the corner of Mountain road, where the field had to pause briefly for oncoming traffic. Chris would leave his partner and head up the intial risers on Mountain rd alone. Todd H, Eric M, and the yalies were at the front keeping pace.
Chris C kept it motoring into the wind by himself, as things went into boring-cruise mode in the pack. Craig L and Hunter P stepped up the pace a bit and Chris was finally coming back... But not before a new trio briefly formed off the front with him, but by the light all was together. At the end of Mountain, an officer of the law, squawked the ride and rolled up to the front and had some words with Chris, who was still plowing thru the wind at the front. Maybe Chris can fill us in on what was said. Perhaps the cop was counseling Chris to keep that skank holstered till Plainville. The cop drove off in front of the ride, thru the light and onto Moss Farms to no doubt spy and make sure we werent breaking too many rules.
Heading onto Moss Farms, a group formed off the front again. Mostly made up of Yalies and the rider in blue. Hunter P jumped up towards the end and that got the ride back together. In past the Chicane, Chris C went at it again, jumping on the hill before Marion. This time he took along Tall john... Good to see T.J. back out on the ride. The 2 went to work and started building up a gap as the wind was still sopping up moral in the pack like farm roads in Spain. A bunch of different guys kept up the pace making into the industrial park. Yalies, Joe K, Craig L, Hunter P, Brian Koski, Eric M, Rondo... etc.
In a showy display of bravado, Chris dropped Tall John on the 1st riser on West Johnson, and started making his way to the sprint point, again, alone. Coming up to Rienhard, crazy Chris was making his up to the front, Mike McG and Little T as well. Things were picking up as the pack turned south and let up the sails to the wind. Chris would put in a good effort to get up the hill first, but would be caught before the sprint started. Little T jumped, from a few guys back, right away taking Hunter P right along him. Hunter P stayed chained to his wheel for the very, very long drag up to the top, and was able to come around Little T for the points with maybe 100 yards to go. Eric M, had also given a dig for the sprint, and rolled over the top in 3rd with Rondo and Chris C, refusing to die, in tow.
For a second it looked as if Eric M and Rondo would use the gap to bolt up the road, but things pretty much came together by Peck lane. The craziness continued with the tailwind coming up to Route 10, with a couple of groups splitting here and there under the high speed. The field flew up the hill by the park, driven by Mike McG, Craig L and a couple of others. Between the speed, and a couple of lights, Rondo and Chris C were off the front charging to the second sprint. Rondo took this one, as Chris was happy just to flog himself. Past the sprint, Tall John and another rider (?) made it thru a light fair and square and were off to the races.
Rolling into Hamden the pace in the pack was downright enemic. even with the tailwind. The break was out of sight with about 1.5 k to go when Little T got bored and jumped up and off the front. He again had Hunter P, who was thinking the same, right on his 6. Eric M jumped a second later and the 3 were clear of the field. The 3 worked decently for the rest of the way, with Little T doing a bit more work than the others. Eric M was the one who decided to pick the low hanging fruit and jump off to roll in before the rest, and Little T & Hunter P were content to wind it down with the rest of the field led in by Craig L and the Yalies coming right up. All were greeted by a relaxed tall John, who gets credit for the "win"... Unless he has something different to say about it.
Decent ride all in all.... We're betting the farm that next week it will be better.
Everyone be sure to cheer Dillon up, buy something from the shop...
