The Sleeping Giant Ride continues to hold morale and self esteem hostage...
Probably close to 65 out tonight. Everyone was nice and friendly heading out to Cheshire, although Julio L was pushing the pace as the turn off route 10 came up.
It didn’t take long before Josh G was up front again, pushing the pace and looking to make it hurt for everyone else. He had help up there with Otto, Dillon P, Eric M and the Yalies. The pace was fast for the whole way to Mountain Road. That turned into a solid all out pace line going down Mountain Road with lots of guys taking turns at the front.
Coming up to the end of Mountain, as the speed was winding down, there were a couple of guys riding attentively at the front. The light was turning and a small group made it thru fair and square. Josh G, Tall John, Steve Grey, Chris C, and Hacker all made it thru and showed no signs of waiting. Also getting thru the intersection in less than law abiding manner was Julio L, Hunter P, Silent Steve, and Otto von Wedlesfast. The rest of the peloton stopped by the red light. The group of 5 took off and used all the time given them by the light. The group of 4 behind hesitated and played he “do we chase, do we wait” game. The lead group was off their rocker tho and gone up the road. The group behind, once onto Moss Farms, was a mission tho and quickly making up ground led by Special Ed Angeli, Mad Mike McG, Rondo, Eric M, and others. Going over 322 into Southington, it was the group of 5, splitting the work load pretty evenly and then the Peleton behind.
Joe K got things off to a good start on Mount Vernon Road. The Yalies were going good too…. ( with nice new bikes for the school year? ). Special Ed was up there. Koski, Ken just Ken, and Matt S from CCR, CT Coast Ben, Chris Mohoney, Otto etc…. As the front of the ride was coming up to Welch Rd, the lead group was in sight with a gap of about 20 seconds or so. Just goes to show, even with a lot of horse power up the road, with a red light gap, the Sleeping Giant ride will relentlessly bring it back. As the lead group hit the base of the climb up to West St, they turned off the gas, knowing their fate. Hacker however, bored with 7 foot skinnies, drunken dancers, and wiley lawyers, used the chance to jump off in search of solo gold. Behind, Mike McG was destroying pavement, leading everyone up thru the corner, and pushing hard past. There were guys that were there for moral support, Joe K, Crazy Chris, Hunter P, Otto etc.. Chris B was also up there as he and Ken just Ken had tried to pull off the front on the climb but couldn’t come around Mike McG for long. Hacker gets the credit for the new and improved sprint point as he stayed off till the 84 crossing on West St. Mike McG, fittingly, lead the rest of the ride up through the sprint.
The rest of the ride was good. The pace was good. Effort was good. Josh was up there a couple of times, putting twofold efforts in, getting the pace up. The Yalies were up there too, Otto, Tall John, Thomaas B, Mahoney. Etc… Coming up to the Stop n Shop sprint, everyone was going fast. Even so, Mike McG took it by a solid gap.
We’re gonna need someone to fill in what happened for the rest for the way back into Hamden.
Good ride. Relentless…. The way it should be….
One more week of the long loop???
