A running account of the "race without an entry fee"..... The Tuesday night ride

Tuesday the 25th

Chances to impress the sponsors are waning.

    2012's SG rides are coming to a close. There were about 25 guys and girls out and everyone was feisty... Properly so. The ride may have left a minute or so early but was def still on the access road at 6PM proper. The ride down Route 10 was brisk and it continued onto the back roads. Right away, Tall John took off and was allowed to go. French Casey moved the field along as well as Nuemtion and Thompson from Keltic. Shortly after MoMoney and Alec C took off but didn't make it up to Tall John. They would be re-absorbed right after the crap road section as Eric and Nuemotion set tempo.
    Tall John continued to be a carrot up the road nearly all the way to Mountain Rd. Yelle!Snoop and Young Suto tried to get up to him and keep the break alive but by the corner it was all back together. The ride went into cruise control for the way down Mountain, as the speed was pretty good but nothing too out-of-control. Yelle!Snoop and a couple of others made a dig for the light but it was red.
     As everyone got going, a couple of guys were spied coming up thru the cars waiting for the light. Guido and Hacker had gotten to the parking lot probably no less than 30 seconds late and had to go into TT mode to get back. Their reverse breakaway was no doubt the most successful attack on the night. They latched on and with kindey's full of rage hit the front right away on Moss Farms. Hacker jumped off the front and was riding up to Tall John, who had, in the confusion of German-English curse words, rolled away yet again. Hacler took along Hunter P and soon it was 3 with a healthy gap. Only when Guido started to make the jump across did the rest of the field respond. Everyone was together for the most part by the chicane, although gravel on the road kept some guys hanging back.
     Up to Marion charged MoMoney and then Hunter P hit it, taking along Young Suto. Those 2 would get a gap and milk it for a little while, getting caught a little before the turn into the industrial park. The charge thru there was near record speed as testified by Strava. Guido was up there along with Numotion, Tall Dennis and others.
     Once onto West Johnson, Chris C attacked from near the front and quickly got a gap. Guys like Jacinto, MoMoney, Pescatori and Chris B kept the speed high and by the last kickers up to Reinhard, Chris C was coming back. He still had a decent enough gap to make a sprint by himself and quite nearly pulled it off. From behind, Eric M, with Little T and Hunter P had jumped at the base of the hill and rolled thru a handful of guys in full gallop. Eric M pulled off leaving Hunter P to try to go around Little T, which wasn't going to happen. Jacinto also gave a good chase from his front row spot and Joe K was also there, late to the party with a strong charge.
    On the backside there were enough guys way up to try to start something. Hacker got things going by charging off the front of the chasers but the corner onto Peck is never a smooth one and it gave opportunity for it all to come back. Hacker still tried to roll on Peck, along with Gary from Central Wheel, Hunter P and Benje. The headwind was starting to bite and it kept things under control on the front. And that is the way it stayed all the way up to Route 10 and toward the Stop N Sprint. The headwind buffered any attempts to ride away, although there was still a small group of opportunists who had a tiny headstart on the sprint. Nuemotion took off from among them and was able to get the points. He only had to hold off Eric M, who jumped from a ways back, outside of the lead group.
      The ride back into Hamden was standard stuff with no surprises. There were some dark horse riders who led the charge ( Literally, they were dark. It was dark. Couldnt really see who was up the way ). And so tit was the way it ended... A small group of guys who duked it out. Maybe someone can fill in the blanks as to who took the final meters. Up the hill, however, there was no doubt that Chris B takes honors. He jumped away and flew up the hill, taking along Mountain Man and Joe K. MoMoney and Hunter P were also there but out of the action.

The miles are counted down from here on out..... 5:30 start next week.... Not 5:28, not 5:29.... 5:30