Seattle's best group ride!
The light rain forecasted for the evening meant that the number of riders out was reduced. About 20 left the parking lot of Cheshire Cycle, and a couple of others joined in on the way. The ride started slowly. Chris C and Dan Smith were the first ones to strike out off the front, and Steffen H, Dillon P and a couple of others joined in soon after. It was all together heading onto North Brooksvale when a small group of Chris C, The Sernyak, Jason Williams, Dan Smith, Gibertoni and a couple of others pushed off the front. Alan B and Hunter P jumped across the gap, and it was all together getting onto Mountain Road.
There were no attacks on Mountain Rd. Steffen H surged at the halfway point, but there were riders there immediately to chase. Much of the same for the early parts of Moss Farms. Chris C and Kyle C jumped early but were not allowed any leeway. Chris C jumped again heading into the Chicane, Kyle C and Alan B was there too, but it was neutralized heading onto Marion Ave. Steffen H once again pushed off the front, but he'd last only a short while off the front.
Once on Mount Vernon, there was a small group off the front trying to get a gap (Alan B, Danny Dudzik, Kyle C, Mike Williams and one more). They stayed off the front for a couple of kilometers, but strong pulls from Chris C and Tom Krol brought it all back together. Then Hunter P and Alan B attacked off the front and kept a gap going up over the false flat section, but there was plenty of guys willing to put in good pulls to keep the gap to a minimum. It was all together heading into the turnaround.
On Welch, Dan Smith was at the front keeping the pace high, and then Kyle C moved up front, then John Vanstraaten, but it ended up being Chris C taking the slimmed-down pack onto West St. He'd trade pulls with Kyle C a couple of times as Hunter P, and Alan B sat in for the sprint. Alan jumped first, and then Hunter P. Hunter was on the way to getting it, when his chain jumped, allowing Kyle C to cruise past for the points.
On the backside, Alan B kept up the pressure, but a red light brought it all back together, minus 2-4 guys dropped on Welch. From there, no real attacks were had heading back into Cheshire. Hunter P jumped off the front after going by the I84 offramp but that was chased down by Chris C. Then Alan B looked to be rolling with Dan Smith, Steffen H, and Johnny V but that didn't go too far either. The pack stayed together all the way to the climb of Meriden Ave. Steffen H attacked early in the "climb" and was allowed to roll. He built up a 70-meter gap before it started winding up in the back. Mike Williams was left to set the early pace until Alan B attacked hard. Hunter P and the Crowells went with him, and it soon was down to just four chasing and then passing Steffen up front. Kyle jumped next, going under the green light, with a gap. That was chased back by Hunter P. Then Chris C punched, again Hunter P responded and then jumped for the line. Alan B gave chase but wasn't able to come around. He did try to sneak off the front from there, but the light at route 68 was red, allowing the group (now only about 8 or 9 riders) to catch back on.
Once thru the light, Alan pushed off all the same, and the complacency of the pack allowed him to build up a small gap. He bombed the next couple of corners and downhill, forcing the gap up. As everyone got close to the end, the chase was slowed by 2 cars pulling out in front. Alan B stayed out in front to take the final sprint, leaving the pack sprint to be contested by Gibertoni, Kyle C, Johnny V and Mike Williams.
