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

Tuesday the 19th


Beers, Bikes, Battlestar Galactica

It was great to see a slightly-bigger-than-last-week crowd out tonight. Even so, the ride got off to a slightly slower start. Alan B pushed off the front on Mount Sanford, and then in the next corner, Kyle C and Hunter P jumped up and joined. The trio was allowed to roll, and the gap quickly went up. Eventually, the chase formed, with Cheshire guys setting a decent pace, Little T, Rob Dux, Rusty, and a couple of others chipping in. The pack was bearing down on the break as it had to pause to get the green light on route 68/70. The chasing pack made it thru the light, and it was all together once again there. 

 Alan B and Kyle C would have another go or 2 on Moss Farms. Joe K also put in an attack. Coming up to and past the chicane, it was all together, with Dan Smith closing down a gap to a small group that had a gap after a strong pull from Chris C up to the hill to Marion. Alan B kept on it after the corner. Kyle C gave chase but couldn't close the gap down before the turn into the industrial park. It was together through there, with a couple of others getting involved up front (Rob Dux, Ben Bruce, The Sernyak, Big Red, and a new rider on a System Six (?). 

Alan B and Kyle punched it again after the corner onto West Johnson, Dan Smith and Chris C also put in a dig up front. Then Hunter P attacked to the intersection, but the light was red. Once through, the pace stayed high down East Johnson. Chris C attacked up to the corner for Cheshire St but it didn't last long and the charge onto Route 70/Meriden road was all together. Once onto the "climb", the usual suspects kept the pace up front, with Big Red putting in a move or 2 to gain position. Alan B attacked with 200 meters to the light and only Hunter P responded at first. Kyle and Chris C jumped next and pulled the shrinking pack up as everyone half-assed it through the light. Alan B stayed on it with a last-ditch effort at the sprint, but Little T was there waiting to jump and he took it easily, with Alan B and then Kyle behind. 

Into the back roads where it stayed together... mostly. Alan, Chris C, Hunter P, all had go's, but no one was able to stay out for more than 1 min or 2. The pace was high going up to the high point on Tuttle, which kept it honest for the guys eyeing up the final 500 meters. Alan led it out with an attack, to which 8-10 riders jumped onto. Hunter P snuck off with about 200 meters to go but came up short as Little T charged by to collect the second sprint on the night, with Ben Bruce in tow.