Chris C is back, let's raise his blood pressure!
The ride was spicy early on thanks to Wild Bill and Hunter P who attacked hard in the first couple miles and kept the gap going until North Brooksville. After they got caught the ride turned on to Mountain Rd and it stayed together all the way to the end. Hunter P and Aaron B tried to sneak off the front, but the two were held up at the red light. Soon after the ride turned down to Moss Farms hacker took off the front along with Steve B and a couple of others. They had a little bit of a gap heading into the chicane, but when Kieran age and Aaron B made a move to jump across up the hill to Marion, the rest of the field followed. Heading up to the light on route 322 Chris B jumped off the front and had a good gap. Everyone was content to let him take a chance at the light, but it was red as well. Onto Mount Vernon, where Rich N, Aaron B, Steve B, Nic V, and one or two others had a small gap early on. It only lasted a short time. The group started to break up and the chase was soon upon them.
To pace stayed high all the way down Mount Vernon and onto Welch Rd. The Body over bike guys, Big Red, and Wild Bill kept the pace high there. Little T jumped off the front early, before the corner, and had a small gap heading through the corner. Steve B, Hunter P, Hacker, Aaron B, and a couple of others were right there chasing. Little T was caught soon after, and then Chris C made his way through the pack and led it out. Aaron B jumped hard and was able to get the sprint uncontested. On the backside it all came together and of course there was a couple of red lights that slowed everybody down. Hunter P jumped hard with Hacker once all the lights were past but there were enough guys to respond, plus a light up the road was red. Onto Atwater street where Scala surged off the front, taking Hunter P with him. Those two created a gap that Thule Tom, Kevin Mullally, and Steve B fought hard to chase back. That group of five held the gap all the way to the light going back over 322, and they came within moments of getting it green. Hunter P and Scala held up at the last moment, with the pack bearing down on them. It was one of the few moments of responsible riding all night long.
Scala was back at it on West Johnson avenue, where he tried to attack before the light on Route 10. He drew out a couple others and those had a slim chance at the light but alas it was red. The ride ripped across East Johnson avenue and then on to Cheshire Street. Gibertoni and Steve B tried to have a go off the front but the pack goes downhill much too fast.
Onto the greenhouse climb where the usual characters jumped off the front early on. Kieran H was the first to go, and he took along Little T, Aaron B, Scala, Steve B, and a couple of others. Behind them, the response came from The Sernyak, the rest of the Body Over Bike guys, Turner French, Alex D, Rosey, and Chris C. Guys played musical chairs between the groups all the way up the hill. Some moved up, some moved back. It came down to Hacker, Aaron B, Keiran H, Little T nursing a short gap that was falling to the chase as they all came up to the light. The light was red is red gets but the group charged through all the same. Behind the chase was led by Turner French, Hunter P, Steve Grey, and a couple of other guys. Everyone went through the light as a pickup truck was heading up through the intersection.
Blatant foul on this one so no one in the front group gets credit or points for the sprint. Be careful everyone! It's one thing to go through a light that just turned red with stopped traffic aside. It's a totally different matter to lead the whole pack through a light that's been red for 5 seconds.
To add insult to injury, the next light up the road at route 68 was red, and Gibertoni and Hunter P rolled that one. In their defense, the driver slowed for the corner and waved them through.
The rest of the ride was quick but there was little activity or attacking off the front. There was a small break on something something street. Steve B, Hunter Thule Tom, and a couple of others pushed off the front but it didn't go very far. Charging down the hill to final km, Aaron B rolled off the front but that also didn't get anywhere. It all came down to the usual 10 guys jostling around for position in the final kilometer and in the end it was Little T sprinting around Aaron B for the final line.
A messy but fun ride. Next week the sleeping giant gets a bit of respite as the CCAPs Tuesday night training series starts up in East Hartford. No doubt many SGR riders will be getting their actual race on up there at Renschler Field.
