Rain threatening? Not if the ride stays ahead of it.....
High winds and possible T-storms didnt stop about 45 guys and girls from riding. The CCB-ers were out tonight and with a couple of fast guys ( and guys who keep getting faster ) it would show in the pace. As soon as the ride hit the backroads, the pace went up thanks to Eirc M, Tim Ratta Chris C, Guido and Hunter P. Soon after that Mike McG, Josh G, Peter P and Rondo hit the front and the ride was steam-rollin.
There were a couple potential gaps but no one was dropping the big one off the front so it stayed all together. Ciocci, Guido and Mike McG led everyone up the hill on Mountain Rd and the speed was high the entire way down. There were probably plenty of strong guys who would have been willing to contribute on the front but it was manic and fast enough so that just getting to the front was a workout. Basically the ride should be like that all the time.
Coming up to Route 68, the light was green and everyone got the go ahead. On Moss Farms the fun didnt stop as Joshy G and the CCB ers hit the front and again, the gaps started opening up and guys had to dig deep to close em. It was here that the ride started shedding guys like a 4 day old sun-burn. The CCBers actually started powering off the front by themselves as the ride came up to the Chicane but that was shut down by Hunter P and Joshy G. It eased up for just a bit as everyone hit the hill up to Marion. Hunter P jumped with Chris C in tow and the two had a small gap that would end up being the most anyone would get tonight. It was shut down halfway to the industrial park and with Eric M, Guido, JoshG and a couple of others, it was fast all the way up to West Johnson ave.
Heading up to the Reinhard sprint, Mike McG and rondo were setting up their man well with hard efforts that told everyone to stay in line or else. Chris B was trying his usual shenanigans up there but there was no getting off the front. A group of about 7 hit Reinhard in a good spot with everyone else keeping it respectable behind. Little T was able to pop out and hit the hill hard, fending off a solid challenge from Ratatataata, and was able to get to the corner first. On the backside, it came all back together as guys were happy to get a chance to shine their shoes and get out of the red zone. Once onto Peck Lane, Chris B tried again to ride off the front, but that was quick to be dispatched and everyone came up to route 10 en masse.
The tail winds helped everyone along for the ride back. Eric M was still up there, Julio L, Josh G, CCB, Larry M was up there too. Coming up to the Stop n Shop sprint, Ratta took a huge flyer from 800 meters out.
He looked like he had a chance at it, but the speed ramped up a little and again, the Zane'ys hit it hard and kept it all together. Chris B as well as up there. Little T jumped out and nabbed this one again, with Guido and JoshG putting up a fight a little way behind.
Joshy G kept on the throttle after the hill and rolled away pretty quick by getting thru a light in the center of town. Behind him, Guido, Hunter P and Little T were also thinking breakaway and started going hard with the rest of the ride waiting at a light. Josh blasted thru the light at the high school with plenty of late day traffic still on the roads in front of a cop. The cop did a NYPDBlue 180 and sped up to pull Josh over. He was already out of the car and talking it over with JoshyG while the 3 chasers decided whether or not to ride by ho-hum-we-dont-know-him style. The whole peleton kinda slowed up and re collected amidst talk and reflection of how fortunate we all are to have police professionals who care enough for cyclists to point out matters of unsafty. Hunter P however, had kept up the hard riding and was looking to cheat sneak his way to the end. The ride finally got rolling along with speed and the usual strong guys were driving it home. Yalie Adam, Larry M, Eric M, Julio L, Rondo etc... Hunter would get caught with 500 meters to go just as Mike McG was leading the ride out to a decent end. Little T gets it in the end? There were a lot of guys up there as the ride into Hamden was a little somber due to the snatching of one rider who left the safety of the Peleton.
10 comments:
Apparently Josh got a ticket. A hole cop is the same one that always seems to bother the ride year after year.
Wow! I pull off early to get to a baseball game and look at the excitement I missed. It's a safe bet that cop will be there next week also.
Chris C.
Holy shit Crowell Nothing gets by you! Keep up the good detective work!
Why is the cop an A hole? If you blow a red you should get a ticket. I mean, I'll run a red every once in a while, but I do it knowing I could get a ticket. O well...boo hoo :(
I'm not seeking a lead role in any way in this discussion but I hope to invite a few thoughts and comments.
Background:
Hunter, LT and I had started to chase Josh and had him in sight when the cop made the u-turn just ahead of us. I can't remember seeing a red light. However, we saw a lot of cars. I later learned from Josh he was stopped by the cop for not riding on the very right of the road. Maybe he passed a car on the left that turned right. But it was nothing major.
Message:
What ever the details are does not change the message that we need to be cautious the next few weeks. If the cop had not stopped for Josh he would have likely had something to say about the width of the large pack that was 20 seconds behind. I admit I ran a red light this Tuesday and once in a while in previous weeks. Happens. I'll try to stop from now on. One pressing question, however, is what would be a good way to keep the pace line on Rt 10 organized and limited to 2 abreast? Maybe it could be verbalized throughout the group that Rt 10 should not be the place where new riders or riders that hang on for dear life for the first 2/3rd of the ride move up to the front in an attempt to test out their limits. I tend to believe I benefited from riding hard the SG ride for the last few years and I encourage anyone to ride hard and go to and beyond their limits, but maybe not on Rt 10? Is there a way we could form a consensus here?
suggestions? solutions?
I hope to see some comments before I get the 'file and folder' finger...
peace,
G
i dont think that new, or slower riders pushing up to the front just they can on route 10 is the problem.
The ride is "wide" on the road thru-out the night.
If the ride on a given night is starting to get crazy on route 10, pull off or slow down. But i agree that the place to go hard is during the whole ride, not just the end.
This problem should be minimized as soon as we start doing the long route and there is less traffic in Cheshire.
Simple solution. Keep the ride down RT-10 no less than 28mph. You could bet that would make everyone ride single file.
Chris C.
Know your rights!
There's no law in the CT vehicle code that stipulates that a cyclist must ride to the extreme right of the roadway.
Sec. 14-242. Turns restricted. Signals to be given before turning or stopping. U-turns. Left turns. Right turns when passing bicyclist.
(f) No person operating a vehicle who overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle and proceeding in the same direction shall make a right turn at any intersection or into any private road or driveway unless the turn can be made with reasonable safety and will not impede the travel of the person riding the bicycle.
Sec. 14-286b. Operation of bicycles; attaching to moving vehicle prohibited; carrying of passengers, packages, bundles and other articles restricted; at least one hand to be kept on handle bars. Operators of roller skates, sleds, skateboards, coasters and toy vehicles prohibited from attaching to moving vehicle. Penalty. (a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when (1) making a left turn pursuant to subsection (b) of section 14-241, (2) overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (3) overtaking and passing pedestrians, parked vehicles, animals or obstructions on the right side of the highway, and (4) when the right side of the highway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair.
(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast, as provided in this subsection, shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.
... So, you maniacs can ride two abreast so long as you're not impeding traffic, which is defined as more than 5 cars backed up behind, and if you do impede traffic, then you must move single file. If you're traveling at or near the speed limit, you need not even move over, regardless of whether there may be vehicles traveling faster than you (i.e., at or faster than the speed limit). Of course, we ought to -- out of common courtesy -- move over before we back traffic up, but so too should cars pass with care rahter than at 50 + mph. Best, I say, to make 'em slow down a bit to go around, but better yet not to get 'em so riled up that they try to hit you.
More importantly, Josh, you may be well within the law in whatever maneuver you pulled in front of the a-hole cop.
I just had the same thing happen out here in CA, where the law is much the same, and I had it happen in CT while I was there, as well, which is how it is have the code book handy.
Good luck!
I miss you guys!
c
Josh,
Please let me Know the amount of the ticket and I will reimburse you. We will all throw caution to the wind.
Builder Pete
Probably not the first time Builder Pete has offered cash to a good looking you man with shaved legs, for seemingly no reason
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