You Chase Him... No YOU Chase Him!
There was a smaller than usual turnout tonight for the sleeping giant ride. The weather was a little foreboding, which may have kept some people away despite the smaller size.
Despite the smaller group, the ride got going quickly early on. It was great to see Kieran H back out. Also Costa Rica John has rejoined us. As soon as the ride took off into the back roads. Kevin M, Dan Smith, Brian Suto, and a couple of others were pushing the pace. Leading up into Mountain Road Turner French was near the front and pushing the pace. On the first rise up Mountain Road. Kieran H pushed the pace and led a group of four or five off the front. That set off a stern chase behind and the pace was then rock solid all the way down Mountain Road.
Onto Moss farms. Dan Smith must have been getting bored, as he was messing around with everybody off the front of the pack. Since there were no major attacks on Moss Farms, he was able to get away with it, and it was all good. Going into the chicane it started to heat up a bit at the front. Hunter P lit it up going on to Marion, which dropped a few guys from the pack and spread things out single file. Once it came back together and a reshuffle took place, a small group rolled off the front, being led by Steve B and Ben Bruce. After that there was more hard chasing from those that didn't want to get left behind.
The leaders were back as the ride rolled by the industrial park. Hunter P went off the front again but the light was red at the 322 crossing. After that, Steve B stayed on it and led the charge onto Mount Vernon. For a few tenuous moments, there was a super-strong group led by Kevin M, TF, Kieran H, and Steve B off the front with 50-70 meters.
Hunter P jumped across the gap and in doing so brought the rest of the pack up to the leaders. The pace had gone out of the lead group though, so once it was all back together, things calmed down for a bit.
It slowed down quite a bit on Welch as everybody set up for the turnaround. Costa Rica John launched it into the corner with Jason Williams and Ben Bruce right behind. Costa Rica John started to fade as the top of the uphill came up. Ben Bruce was able to stay on it and nab it in front of it flying Little T, who was charging his sprint from the back. On the back side it all came back together, and despite a couple of surges from Kieran H rolling down West St the pack stayed together. Heading back up to 322 Steve B, Erin Rand and Rusty rolled off the front.
Kevin M would join them after everybody got the green light going over 322. The green light gave motivation for the leaders to stay out there. Hunter P. bridged across on West Johnson and once again, brought more than a few riders across the gap. It was all for naught as the light on route 10 was red.
Things calmed down for a little bit as everybody prepared for the greenhouse climb. Once there, Little T was one of the first to jump with Kieran H and Hunter P right behind. Then Kieran H jumped hard, taking TF. Steve B. And Kevin M. Those four were able to work up a gap as Big Red and Chris C chased from behind. The four upfront became three as TF came off the pack near the light at the top of the hill. The 3 then rolled up together to the sprint, and a late jump by Steve B sealed it, and he took it just in front of Kevin M. Those three would stay on the gas, and they got the green light on route 70 so they had a decent gap heading into the backroads.
Behind Dan Smith, Hunter P. And Little T tried to form a chase but eventually they would get swallowed up by the pack, which was now just 8 to 10 riders. The climb up the greenhouse combined with the fast chase in the backroads did more than a few riders in for the night. The 3 up front would not be caught and Kevin M got his revenge by nabbing the final sprint in front.
Great ride everyone!
