Rainy Tuesday... Feels like Monday... Maybe people didnt get the memo.
The rain was on and mostly going off but it was enough to keep almost all the riders away from Sleeping Giant today. There were some that were not scared off by a little H2o. Mike McG, Mountain Man, Dillon P, The Full Nalini, a new guy on a Merida, French Casey, Hunter P, Rondo and a Yalie who we've seen before ( Adam T? ). Aidan and Dan-the-careening-Caridi from the Aetna / CCAP team also done show'd up due to the 'rent race being cancelled. Because everyone is programmed to hard on tuesday, the ride was pretty quick from the get-go. A couple of guys checked out before the end of Moss Farms due to the small group/hard pace. Caridi, Aidan, Mike McG, and Hunter P mostly were responsible for the nail driving. There were a couple of moves that looked like they may stick. The Full Nalini did his fair share of chasing and herding the cats, chasing down a lot of aetna+1 other moves off the front.
Mike McG once again pulled hard up the false flat on Mount Vernon, followed up by Aidan for half the distance to the turn around. Everyone stayed together on Welch until Aidan jumped at the base of the hill. Hunter P was the only one to go with him and he got a great lead-out from the "General" to get the sprint. Everyone sat-up on the backside to let the stragglers catch back on. From there it was status quo. Hunter P jumped hard again going under 84 on Atwater St, Mike McG and Aidan eventually responded and chased with the Full Nalini bringing up the rest of the remaining guys. Everyone rolled thru the light over 322 together but the motivation was still there by the uphill drag to the top of Peck ln. Aidan lit the match there and split the field with a strong pull. It would have been for good but once onto Route 10, everyone decided to spin back into Hamden and that there is how she ended.
Tuesday the 21st
The rain held off!
Southerly winds kept the rain up north but didn't help get the ride get going any faster than normal. Nothing really happened for the opening 20 minutes tonight. The pace was decent but all-together a bit boring as everyone seemed to be taking their time adjusting to the heat. Better get used to it, we're stuck with it for a while y'all.
Fast forward through the backroads... The only notable was Larry M taking a flyer that he held for most of the way to Mountain Rd. No one seemed to be in much of a hurry to catch and he was rolling with the punches and not really caring to stay away much either. The trip down Mountain was quick and there was no one, 2 or even 3 specific riders going above or beyond.
Onto Moss Farms where a small group ( Dillon P, Dana R, Nuemotion, Thomaas B, Timmy Hip, The Sernyak, and maybe one or 2 others) was allowed to ride off the front. Again, the response was lethargic and slow. The lead group had broken down to just Nuemotion and Timmy Hip by the hill up to Marion. Just as Nuemotion was jumping off the front of that, going thru the corner alone, Hunter P jumped hard off the front of the field and joined up with him soon after, making for the first "maybe-we-should-take-this-seriously" break of the day. Even still, the response was a bit slow and the 2 leaders quickly got a gap of about 50-60 meters.
Approaching the corner for the short loop, as the field was bearing down, the 2 leaders blew by a slow moving tractor and collected the dickwad move of the night award. Unbeknownst to them, the field was close behind and naturally, had more trouble getting thru the 3 feet between said farming device and the yellow center lines. It allowed for a little more life to the break and an opportunity for opportunistic bridge attempts. Young Suto and Special Ed were up to the task and quickly made their way up. It soon became just Special Ed, being chased by Hunter P and Young Suto, but it was all for naught as the light at 322 was red.
Once onto Mount Vernon, the action subsided again and it was status quo up-till about 500 meters before the false flat section. There is where Mike McG turned up the heat. Mike still puts the booties in the seats as it were as plenty of guys took note and bought tickets to the show. It became Mike McG, Chris C, the new guy on the Red Specialized ( for the love of a saddle-sore-free-taint, someone please get a name on that guy - Rusty Dave! thx), Hunter P and maybe 2 more charging up the false flat. That surge turned into a decent looking break by Chris C, Mike McG and Joe K, who shuffle-stepped his way into the move. That was allowed some room as Cheshire Cycle riders came up and rode some defense. It took some strong jumps from a new Central Wheel rider, The Full Nalini and Timmy Hip to start the process of regrouping. That turned into a brief exodus off the front by Jordan Lynn and Special Ed but they must not have felt good about the cards they were holding as they throttled back well before the turn onto Welch.
Gruppo Compacto heading toward the turnaround and boy-oh-boy was it slow. That gave plenty of guys a chance to jump when Chris C, Little T, Larry M and Jacinto took off toward the corner. Their prize for getting there first was a solid smack in the face by the headwind now popping a stiffy. That let even more guys get on board for a run to the sprint line. But the cream always rises to the top folks. It soon become a 3 horse race ( Little T, Jacinto, and Joe K ) with Little T easily taking it after Jacinto was stuck in the front too soon, too far out. Behind, Larry M got stuck in no-mans land and The Full Nalini led the peleton over the crest of the hill.
Joe K kept up the assault on the backside and got a light in his favor initially, but then was slowed by a red light, but then jumped up off the front anyway and then got another light in his favor. He rolled off the front, but in proper gentlemanly style, didn't really hit it until after the turn onto Atwater St. Once he did, he was gone out of sight. A few riders started up the pace behind. Young Suto, New specialized guy Rusty Joe, Pescatore, Thomaas B etc. Hunter P jumped hard off up the front as the ride went underneath the overpass and was allowed to go free. He would come up to Joe K waiting at the red light on 322 just as it was turning green. Behind the field was starting to chase back and this is where it gets interesting.
There was a group of about 8 or 9 with a slight gap who pushed it at the last moment when it was apparent the light was green. That surge was enough to create a gap to the peleton that forced them ( rightly so ) to stop at the light which was, by now, red. Did a couple guys go thru a red light? Yep. Were they following guys who went under a yellow light? Yep. This group was made up of Both elder and young Suto, A new yalie, Dillon P, Mountain Man, Thomaas B, The Sernyak, Central Wheel, The Full Nalini, New guy on a Calfee, and maybe one or 2 others. When they caught up to Joe K and Hunter P it completed the group that would stay away for the rest of the ride.
For the remainder of the night, up front, the Stop n Shop sprint was contested by Dillon P and Young Suto with the Youngster clawing a bit longer at the pedals to get there first for a well deserved win. During the run-in to Hamden, the shenanigans started with Hunter P and Young Suto trying to break the field up with The Full Nalini and Central Wheel sewing things back up in time for the sit n sprint. Young Suto opened that up, with The Full Nalini giving chase. Hunter P rolled thru though and got to the corner first. Up the hill went only a couple from the break, with Mountain Man gettin to the top first with little problem.
Tuesday the 14th
Who needs a parking lot crit
when we can mix it up with.... Cars!
A slightly smallish field for the night. New Yalie faces ( girls and boys ) which was nice as it was thought that once done with school for the year, they all would have something much better to do with their time then ride fast in a dangerous group of guys who were either:
A) Looking to kill time before the next race…. Or
B) Riding like this IS the race.
No one was that surprised when Chris ( every ride is a race! ) C scampered off right off route 10. Guido was the next to go, taking Hunter P with him. Then Timmy the Hipster rode across along with John Pescatore and a Yalie ( name? ). Initially it wasn’t smooth sailing for the group but after a couple of corners things were starting to click. Behind, it took a little while but soon the response to the threat up the road was real. Nuemotion, Mike McG and Jacinto were all up there fighting to cover the gap. Tall John and Todd H were up there as well. By the corner onto Mountain Rd, it was all back together again. Little T, Hunter P, Chris C and Timmy Hip would push the pace up mountain rd for a bit but it was all together for the long run to the light.
There was some stacked up traffic on the main road after the light, making for some awkwardness. The front 15 guys rolled thru easily and got a bit of a headstart onto Moss Farms. Todd H rode across the gap taking a couple of guys and that was enough to string it all back together. It was strung out for the chicane but no one took advantage of the opportunity. Chris C jumped hard on the hill up to Marion, taking along Hunter P, who took over after the corner. That was enough to get a substantial gap on the rest. Guido charged across it, along with Ciocci ( ? ) and Young Suto but the peleton was having none of it and it was all together again soon after. Hunter P would try to get a gap before the light but that didn’t go very far either with the light red.
Once onto Mount Vernon, Chris C was back up at the front, looking a little ansty, he had Thomaas B up there and a couple of others, but it was all together up till the false flat. The pace there was solid despite the road work construction mystery bag. Guido was the last up front as the hill ended and he used the opportunity to get a gap. He took along Nuemotion, Chris C, Hunter P, Young Suto and maybe a couple more but that move as well……… Didn’t last long.
The usual slowing down before Welch occurred. The field was down to maybe 25 guys by this point. Robyn, Rondo and a couple other riders slowed down when a dog was getting a little too aggressive back by the route 322 crossing. They got gapped and didn’t make it back until taking a shortcut to head south. Back up front as the field made its way up to the turnaround, guys were getting less and less daring as the corner came up. Chris C was the first to jump from a long line of the usual suspects…. No surprises here today. Chris C, first onto West St followed by Little T, Mike McG, Ciocci, Hunter P and Jacinto. Chris led out the front, now down a couple of guys due to a car in the corner, for half the drag to the sprint. Little T assumed the role of final leadout, depositing Mike McG and Hunter P with a great gap on the rest. Hunter jumped first and took it easily.
On the backside Tall John was the first to decide to push the tempo on the fragmented field. He took along Chris C, Rustic Dave and John Pescatore (?). That group caught a light by the I84 interchange and that was all they needed. The field behind got caught by a couple of lights and that was that.
Props to the group up the road who stayed away for the year's first solid breakaway right?. Chris C was able to get the Stop n Shop and herd the cats all the way back into Hamden where there was no one clear guy going for the sit n sprint cause they were all winners by that point.
Behind the field would ride the normal ride.... Pretty much unaware that the group was well past them going back over 322.
Good ride everyone. Maybe one magical day a breakaway will succeed based on horsepower alone and not on a roll of the traffic-light dice.
A slightly smallish field for the night. New Yalie faces ( girls and boys ) which was nice as it was thought that once done with school for the year, they all would have something much better to do with their time then ride fast in a dangerous group of guys who were either:
A) Looking to kill time before the next race…. Or
B) Riding like this IS the race.
No one was that surprised when Chris ( every ride is a race! ) C scampered off right off route 10. Guido was the next to go, taking Hunter P with him. Then Timmy the Hipster rode across along with John Pescatore and a Yalie ( name? ). Initially it wasn’t smooth sailing for the group but after a couple of corners things were starting to click. Behind, it took a little while but soon the response to the threat up the road was real. Nuemotion, Mike McG and Jacinto were all up there fighting to cover the gap. Tall John and Todd H were up there as well. By the corner onto Mountain Rd, it was all back together again. Little T, Hunter P, Chris C and Timmy Hip would push the pace up mountain rd for a bit but it was all together for the long run to the light.
There was some stacked up traffic on the main road after the light, making for some awkwardness. The front 15 guys rolled thru easily and got a bit of a headstart onto Moss Farms. Todd H rode across the gap taking a couple of guys and that was enough to string it all back together. It was strung out for the chicane but no one took advantage of the opportunity. Chris C jumped hard on the hill up to Marion, taking along Hunter P, who took over after the corner. That was enough to get a substantial gap on the rest. Guido charged across it, along with Ciocci ( ? ) and Young Suto but the peleton was having none of it and it was all together again soon after. Hunter P would try to get a gap before the light but that didn’t go very far either with the light red.
Once onto Mount Vernon, Chris C was back up at the front, looking a little ansty, he had Thomaas B up there and a couple of others, but it was all together up till the false flat. The pace there was solid despite the road work construction mystery bag. Guido was the last up front as the hill ended and he used the opportunity to get a gap. He took along Nuemotion, Chris C, Hunter P, Young Suto and maybe a couple more but that move as well……… Didn’t last long.
The usual slowing down before Welch occurred. The field was down to maybe 25 guys by this point. Robyn, Rondo and a couple other riders slowed down when a dog was getting a little too aggressive back by the route 322 crossing. They got gapped and didn’t make it back until taking a shortcut to head south. Back up front as the field made its way up to the turnaround, guys were getting less and less daring as the corner came up. Chris C was the first to jump from a long line of the usual suspects…. No surprises here today. Chris C, first onto West St followed by Little T, Mike McG, Ciocci, Hunter P and Jacinto. Chris led out the front, now down a couple of guys due to a car in the corner, for half the drag to the sprint. Little T assumed the role of final leadout, depositing Mike McG and Hunter P with a great gap on the rest. Hunter jumped first and took it easily.
On the backside Tall John was the first to decide to push the tempo on the fragmented field. He took along Chris C, Rustic Dave and John Pescatore (?). That group caught a light by the I84 interchange and that was all they needed. The field behind got caught by a couple of lights and that was that.
Props to the group up the road who stayed away for the year's first solid breakaway right?. Chris C was able to get the Stop n Shop and herd the cats all the way back into Hamden where there was no one clear guy going for the sit n sprint cause they were all winners by that point.
Behind the field would ride the normal ride.... Pretty much unaware that the group was well past them going back over 322.
Good ride everyone. Maybe one magical day a breakaway will succeed based on horsepower alone and not on a roll of the traffic-light dice.
Tuesday the 7th
The return of the Fantano's!
Great to see Rondo and Robyn
out on the ride tonight. Not great that Rondo broke his rear mech on
the way over and didnt really get the most out of the ride.... Cause oh-boy was it a doozy. Big group out tonight. Some decent team
representation as well. Central Wheel, Devil's Gear, Amity and of
course Stage 1 and Cheshire Cycle all seemed to be riding with their
respective solidarity. All that, plus the strong tailwind starting
out made for an interesting and enjoyable ride.
The tailwind musta given some
folks an idea or 2 too many and there was a group that shot off right
on route 10. Despite the fact that it's been repeatedly called a faux
paux, Tall John, Mountain Man, Hacker, Danbury Audi and a couple more
took off. Where's Chris C when you need him? Tonight he took the
night off, probably in anticipation for the rock n roll race that is
known as Sterling on Saturday. Anyway, a couple of guys jumped the
gap, Dillon P, Nuemotion and even Chris B made the early jump perhaps
sensing the trouble. Traffic on the corner off route 10 brought
everyone back together again or else it would have been an
interesting early chase thru the backroads.
With the tailwind, no one
was going to get away early on. The speed stayed high thank to a few
guys up front. Thomaas B, a Tall Dude from Amity ( name? ), The Full
Nalini, Paul Casey ( who needs no nickname ) and a couple of others.
Thomaas B and Tim the Hipster rode away a small gap as the ride came
up to Mountain Rd but some strong riding from Todd H, Joe K, Little T
and others brought that back. The chase + the risers on Mountain Rd
was enough to get everyone to slow it down a bit and that's when
Guido took off. He no doubt was looking to tear off a good group but
the fast first miles put protagonists like Hacker, Tall John, Mike
McG, Jacinto, Hunter P, etc buried back within the field and not in a
position to jump. Guido charged along alone all the same and stayed
out there for a couple of kilo's. Paul Casey looked to be ready to
counter once the catch was made but it stayed all together to the
light, which went green for the whole field.
Bikeshop Bob led everyone
thru the squeeze that happened at the light right after the corner,
and the subsequent bottleneck let a group get up the road. Hacker
jumped, taking along the Full Nalini, Nuemotion, a new guy on a nice
Specilized, Jacinto, Hunter P, Ciocci and a couple of others. That
put a good group up the road but it took a little while for everyone
to get together, and even then, some guys immediately checked out.
Back in the pack, the tall guy from Amity did good work getting the
gap closed for the rest of the peleton. It was all sewed up when a
car at the intersection before the chicane took away the momentum of
the leaders.
Once past the chicane,
Little T jumped, taking Todd H with him. They got off the front with
Guido, Hacker, Mountain Man, Rory D, and Danbury Audi. Hunter P and
Mike McG let the gap go and then jumped across once onto Marion. That
put another group up the road but it was never much of a threat as
the field responded to the horsepower up the road. The field once
again got the light but it only served to slow things down on the
other side. Joe K tried to ride off a gap and was mashing his way
slightly off the front for the first couple of kilo's. Then Mike McG
drove a nice pace up to the false flat section ( which we have gotten
word will be completely re-paved after the plumbing work... We may
need to divert if it means a gravel road in a week or 2 ). Midway
thru the false flat, QuadZilla jumped off the front with a strong
move. Again, the response was slow, probably due to the confidence
the tailwind was giving everyone. He stayed out for a little but was
rounded up soon after the firing range.
The chase was enough to
give Guido a chance to get in a dig up at the front, which in turn
let Hacker slowly get a gap heading into the corner. Along with him
was Gregg F. Those 2 rounded the corner onto Welch with maybe 40
meters. They traded pulls down Welch as the field was shuffling
around behind them. Gregg F dropped off coming up to the hill,
leaving Hacker with quite a ways to go for the sprint. Certainly not
impossible though given his track record of late. The headwind was
strong though. Behind, the Cheshire guys got fortunate and took
control of the chase as Chris B was slowly pulled the gap back along
with Joe K while Hunter P followed anyone coming up from the field.
The Full Nalini put in a good effort to pull everyone back but it
soon became just Chris B and Jacinto riding up to Hacker as Joe K
throttled down, letting Chris B gap Mike McG in the process. Chris
put in a pull like only he can and got up to Hacker and by sheer
attrition was the first to the sprint line.
Those 3 had a gap that
looked like it would be tough to bring back but red light going over
84 brought it all together. After the double corner, past the
descent, Guido took to the front again and set a good tempo aling
with Tall John and Mountain Man. Hacker briefly looked like was going
to go but it stayed all together to the light on 322. Tall John kept
up the off-the-front-stuff once onto Peck Ln and his efforts were
thwarted by traffic as well. Heading up Peck Lane it was Guido,
Thomaas B and Bikeshop Bob as volunteers to work into the wind were
scarce. It didnt stop Paul Casey from putting the hammer down once
more as the ride got back up to route 10 but it was all together
heading up the hill by Cheshire Park. The field went into orange
alert when Hacker pushed his way off the front once past the hill but
a red light would soon reset everything for the run in to Stop n
Shop. Once the light went grren it was full speed up front, thanks to
Jacinto and Mike McG. They were towing Little T, Hunter P, The Full
Nalini and Hacker. Little T jumped into the wind first, with only
Hunter P there to fight him. With the headwind it went all the way
down to the line and it was very close... Hunter P was benefiting
from momentum but Little T wouldn’t fade. So we're calling it a
tie.
After the sprint Guido was
there and tried to round up the sprinters for a mad dash off the
front but had no takers. He kept going solo for a while but was
caught as Mike McG, Jacinto, Thomaas B brought up the field. Once
again for the finale, there were guys sitting up and slowing down too
much. That led to some bunching up and it wasn't really a clean n
fast run-in. Guido picked up the pieces and made run in thru the
inside just as Mike McG was steam-rolling thru on the right. Guido
got the jump as Mike pulled the chute, leaving 4 or 5 guys to pick up
the pieces. Dillon P burned last matches, leaving it to Hacker and
Little T. Guido's big gap was erased by the wind and the endless
meters before the light. Little T would come up and over him and then
Hacker would come up and over T at the last moment.... So it all
depends on when you call it. Up the hill went the usuals and Chris B
dispatched Mountain Man and Hunter P on the real man's finish.
Great ride everyone!
Tuesday the 30th
Two "healthy" riders almost snooker the bunch & the McG is back
Big group out tonight for the great weather. Right from the get-go it was game on as there were a couple of guys looking to take advantage of Aidan being out on the ride and up front setting good tempo. Guido, Chris C, Pescatori, Dillon P and Thomaas B among a couple of others. The ride stayed together, much to the chagrin of Guido, who had taken a gap for himself thru thru the crap road section.
There was a small split coming up to Mountain rd as Mike McG and Chris C were hitting it along with Pescatore. That turned into Hunter P jumping on the first ramps of Mountain Rd, taking along Chris C and the young guy on a older bike with glasses. Probably from New Haven. Probably one of those hipster types. He's been drilling it the last couple of weeks so until we get a copy of his birth certificate, he will be known as the Hipster. Anyway those 3 had a gap that lasted for a little while on Mountain Rd but no one was going to let it go so early on. Ciocci, Jacinto, Chris LaSalle, Guido and a couple of others were at the front of the chase effort. Aidan went back to the front after that but it was all together coming up to the light.
Ciocci, CXC Chris, Chris C, Todd H and exactly one half of the CCB toss-up kept the pace high on Moss Farms. It was good enough to make a split in the field as the group was about 750 meters from the corner. The scramble started as guys flew across the gap like their life depending on it. The front half slowed for the chicane enough so that it came back together buy when the leaders accelerated again out of the chicane and up to Marion it was single file for a couple hundred yards. Sensing a rare moment to do some damage, Chris C, The Hipster, Hunter P, Thomaas B and a couple of others hit the throttle after the corner. That was followed up by Neumotion, Aidan and Chris B. It was enough to split the field once again. There was little let up at the front, mostly in part to Aidan jetting off with one other ( Pescatore? ) as the ride went over the highway. Chris C and Todd H were bridging up and that was enough to get everyone going. When the light on 322 went green in time to carry most of the speed thru that sealed the doom for anyone not in the front group. Probably around 10-13 guys got left behind.
Once onto Mount Vernon, Chris B jumped up and away but that was brought back. The ride stayed together until the false flat, when Guido jumped on the gas taking along LaSalle, Rory D from Central Wheel, Nuemotion and one other (The Full Nalini?). There was some construction going on on the false flat ( hopefully the whole section will be re-paved once complete ). That kept the group focused on safety and not speed, letting the break get a gap. They would hold for a ways. Chris C didnt like the odds and jumped 750 meters before the corner for Welch, which started the process of getting it all back together. Before the field turned, Rory D jumped hard off the front and was allowed a gap on Welch.
As the ride barreled toward the turnaround, there were a few guys doing most of the pace making. Guido, The Hipster, Thomaas B, Chris B etc. Rory got brought back before the corner, just in time for Chris C to attack. He took NUemtion, Mike McG and Hunter P with him. It turned into Ciocci, Chris C, LaSalle and Mike McG off the front and going away toward the spring. Mike McG easily got that over Chris C.
The ride came back together on the backside. Heading downhill on West St, Dillon P and the Gibertoni snuck off the front. The tag-teamed the descent and probably half the field never even noticed. The Hipster, Bike Doctor Ben Bruce, and one other went after them but as they were hogging up the road, a Southington Police officer came up alongside and gave them a firm chastising. The peleton had already taken to single file on the far right, giving the 2 up the road further opportunity to extend their lead.
Once everyone got thru the double corner intersection, Guido hit the front and was away. He was soon to be chased by a small group led by CCB, The Nalini and Chris C. The rest of the field was slow to respond but eventually got going and Guido was just a few feet off the front as everyone slowed for the light. Everyone got a look at Dillon P and the Gibertoni, who were through the light and getting back up to speed.
Chris C started things off on Peck Ln, tired of the lolly-gagging. Some Cheshire Cyclers were quick to get up front and try to relax the pace a bit. The 2 up front were eventually caught at the top of Peck Ln.
Gruppo compacto and the speed stayed decent up to the lead in to the Stop n Shop Sprint. The headwind buffered any shenanigans up front and by the time Chris B got up there to make a go for it, he was a marked man. Mike McG was in a good spot to come off his wheel and was able to hold off Hunter P, who jumped from a little farther back.
The ride thru Cheshire was boring and slow due to hitting nearly red light. The ride finally got going again and despite the headwind, stayed crisp into the final kilos. The squeeze section by the river\swamp crossing late on route 10 made for some cussing and yelling as wasted riders were going backwards too fast. For the finale, Dillon P and Chris B both burned their last rocket section far too early to escape gravity, meanwhile, Guido had the front 5 or 6 guys lined up in his sights like al qaeda in a soft clay hut. He drilled it and was able to hold off Chris C, Nuemotion, The Full Nalini, Mike McG and maybe one other.
Up the hill went the usuals. LaSalle, Chris B, Mountain Man, Hutner P, C-dale Rick, The Gibertoni.
Good ride everyone... Maybe in the comments we can hear some excuses about the split in the field and how those guys plan to redeem themselves.
Big group out tonight for the great weather. Right from the get-go it was game on as there were a couple of guys looking to take advantage of Aidan being out on the ride and up front setting good tempo. Guido, Chris C, Pescatori, Dillon P and Thomaas B among a couple of others. The ride stayed together, much to the chagrin of Guido, who had taken a gap for himself thru thru the crap road section.
There was a small split coming up to Mountain rd as Mike McG and Chris C were hitting it along with Pescatore. That turned into Hunter P jumping on the first ramps of Mountain Rd, taking along Chris C and the young guy on a older bike with glasses. Probably from New Haven. Probably one of those hipster types. He's been drilling it the last couple of weeks so until we get a copy of his birth certificate, he will be known as the Hipster. Anyway those 3 had a gap that lasted for a little while on Mountain Rd but no one was going to let it go so early on. Ciocci, Jacinto, Chris LaSalle, Guido and a couple of others were at the front of the chase effort. Aidan went back to the front after that but it was all together coming up to the light.
Ciocci, CXC Chris, Chris C, Todd H and exactly one half of the CCB toss-up kept the pace high on Moss Farms. It was good enough to make a split in the field as the group was about 750 meters from the corner. The scramble started as guys flew across the gap like their life depending on it. The front half slowed for the chicane enough so that it came back together buy when the leaders accelerated again out of the chicane and up to Marion it was single file for a couple hundred yards. Sensing a rare moment to do some damage, Chris C, The Hipster, Hunter P, Thomaas B and a couple of others hit the throttle after the corner. That was followed up by Neumotion, Aidan and Chris B. It was enough to split the field once again. There was little let up at the front, mostly in part to Aidan jetting off with one other ( Pescatore? ) as the ride went over the highway. Chris C and Todd H were bridging up and that was enough to get everyone going. When the light on 322 went green in time to carry most of the speed thru that sealed the doom for anyone not in the front group. Probably around 10-13 guys got left behind.
Once onto Mount Vernon, Chris B jumped up and away but that was brought back. The ride stayed together until the false flat, when Guido jumped on the gas taking along LaSalle, Rory D from Central Wheel, Nuemotion and one other (The Full Nalini?). There was some construction going on on the false flat ( hopefully the whole section will be re-paved once complete ). That kept the group focused on safety and not speed, letting the break get a gap. They would hold for a ways. Chris C didnt like the odds and jumped 750 meters before the corner for Welch, which started the process of getting it all back together. Before the field turned, Rory D jumped hard off the front and was allowed a gap on Welch.
As the ride barreled toward the turnaround, there were a few guys doing most of the pace making. Guido, The Hipster, Thomaas B, Chris B etc. Rory got brought back before the corner, just in time for Chris C to attack. He took NUemtion, Mike McG and Hunter P with him. It turned into Ciocci, Chris C, LaSalle and Mike McG off the front and going away toward the spring. Mike McG easily got that over Chris C.
The ride came back together on the backside. Heading downhill on West St, Dillon P and the Gibertoni snuck off the front. The tag-teamed the descent and probably half the field never even noticed. The Hipster, Bike Doctor Ben Bruce, and one other went after them but as they were hogging up the road, a Southington Police officer came up alongside and gave them a firm chastising. The peleton had already taken to single file on the far right, giving the 2 up the road further opportunity to extend their lead.
Once everyone got thru the double corner intersection, Guido hit the front and was away. He was soon to be chased by a small group led by CCB, The Nalini and Chris C. The rest of the field was slow to respond but eventually got going and Guido was just a few feet off the front as everyone slowed for the light. Everyone got a look at Dillon P and the Gibertoni, who were through the light and getting back up to speed.
Chris C started things off on Peck Ln, tired of the lolly-gagging. Some Cheshire Cyclers were quick to get up front and try to relax the pace a bit. The 2 up front were eventually caught at the top of Peck Ln.
Gruppo compacto and the speed stayed decent up to the lead in to the Stop n Shop Sprint. The headwind buffered any shenanigans up front and by the time Chris B got up there to make a go for it, he was a marked man. Mike McG was in a good spot to come off his wheel and was able to hold off Hunter P, who jumped from a little farther back.
The ride thru Cheshire was boring and slow due to hitting nearly red light. The ride finally got going again and despite the headwind, stayed crisp into the final kilos. The squeeze section by the river\swamp crossing late on route 10 made for some cussing and yelling as wasted riders were going backwards too fast. For the finale, Dillon P and Chris B both burned their last rocket section far too early to escape gravity, meanwhile, Guido had the front 5 or 6 guys lined up in his sights like al qaeda in a soft clay hut. He drilled it and was able to hold off Chris C, Nuemotion, The Full Nalini, Mike McG and maybe one other.
Up the hill went the usuals. LaSalle, Chris B, Mountain Man, Hutner P, C-dale Rick, The Gibertoni.
Good ride everyone... Maybe in the comments we can hear some excuses about the split in the field and how those guys plan to redeem themselves.
Tuesday the 23rd
North Winds + First Long Loop = Weird
ride.
Don't put the fleece away just yet
kids. Winter makes a comeback for the SG ride tonight. The crowd was
a little on the light side due to the weather but once the ride got
going everyone seemed to forget about it. Once the roads opened up on
the way north, the winds kicked in and slowed the ride down quick
smart. Chris C was one of the first to attack for the night along with
Guido and Hunter P, but the Yalies tracked that down faster than a
Chinese Zombie. From there the Yalies, Hacker, Chris C, the usuals.
all tried their hand at lifting the pace and getting a gap but the
rest of the ride wouldn't have it.
Moving onto Mtn rd, Little T jumped
up and away and a PCCW went with him ( Paul Casey ) Chris C
and Tall John also made their way up there but again, the gap was
closed before long. Moss Farms was again Hacker's launch pad, this
time he was joined by a couple of riders before Yalie Matt and Nicky
G started the chase/bridge. That brought the ride back to gruppo
compacto but it still managed to be strung out going in the Chicane.
Coming out of the chicane, some drifting bikes, surging riders, and
overlapped wheels made Guido pull out the cyclocross moves as he went
grass-ward to avoid going down in the high speed corner. He had to
wait for the pack to pass before getting back on the road and was
dropped in a blink of an eye. But no one got hurt....
The ride was sedate for a while
after that. Lot's of guys punching into the wind but it was like
riding thru a quicksand wall. There was no beating it. Little T tried
again on the start of Mount Vernon. Chris C was up there too. Thomaas
B could be seen along with Todd H up front. As the false flat on
Mount Vernon came up, the Bandana Bandit from Central wheel took off,
but was swallowed up after burning matches out in the wind. There was
times when the ride was getting downright slow. The gutter-to-gutter
wind dodging made for some tense moments but everyone stayed upright.
Heading to the turn-around, Hacker
lifted the pace with a few hundred meters before the corner, but was
promptly joined by everyone and their mother. He kept on it after
making the turn onto Welch and this time took a gap and went ot work
on it. Behind, the Yalies played musical chairs with the front of the
chase, trying to decide if they would chase, bridge, counter, or a
mystery fourth option. The pace stayed high, stringing the
field out as the next corner came up, yet Hacker held a 50 meter gap
as the hill kicked in. Greg Ciocci ( good to see him back on the
ride, despite the weird view he gave everyone on his wheel ) was the
first to jump off the front in earnest. Chris C was next along with Hunter P.
Ciocci was burnt up a little ways after the corner onto West St, leaving Chris C to
take over the chase. Hacker kept his gap up front. Despite a monster
pull from Chris C, giving Yalie Spence and Hunter P a great leadout,
Hacker made it to the mailbox first by a few feet, proving a near
do-as-he-pleases strength.
On the backside, the Yalies
smelled a chance, were pretty much all accounted for, and had Hacker to help,
so that made a group of about 5 racing to get the jump on the rest of
the ride. Red lights going over 84 stopped that from being the case
though.
Once past the double corner and light, it was Tall
John, Hacker, a couple of Yalies, A couple of Central Wheels, and
maybe one other that jumped with the help of the now vigorous
tailwind. Their efforts split the field for a bit with Chris C, Todd
H, Thomaas B and Joe K making the jump up on the hill going
underneath the highway. The subsequent speed was high. The front
group was going balls out for the the light, which turned green at
the last moment. There was a car waiting to go there at the
intersection, forcing the group to squeeze right. There was some
gravel in the road and when Hacker hit the brakes hard, he went over
the bars. Everyone stopped to make sure he was ok. No real damage it
seemed. The Scott Foil ( available at Cheshire Cycle ) was also no
worse for wear, despite being flipped on itself.
The ride slowly got going after
that. It wasnt until well onto Peck Ln that the pace went up again.
Chris C and Hunter P took off with a gap that they held to the top
of the hill on Route 10 by Cheshire Park. They got caught up by a red
light, giving the field a chance to erase any difference. From there it was
just fast riding up front. Hacker, apparently not phased by his
incident, tore off the front along with some Yalies ( Spence, Nick
G... The 2 most dangerous ivy leaguers? ). This time, Elm City showed
solidarity, working togother to stay off the hard charging field.
Hacker was given a great leadout and easily rung up #2 on the night.
Behind, there were a couple of guys
who tried to close the gap but it was too little too late. Little T
found himself up front enough to join the leaders and when the
peleton slowed a bit for red light in the center of Cheshire, it was
game on for the front group. They would be gifted another red light
to the peleton by the high school and it was pretty much game over by
then. 2 Yalies, the Bandana Bandit, Little T and Hacker up front with
a tail wind is pretty tough to top.
The field would try. Guido drove
hard once past into Hamden, Chris C, Chris B and a couple others as
well. But it was all in vain as up front the pace was high enough to
dispatch the Central Wheel rider en route to the final kilo, where Little T went over
the top of Hacker, keeping him from the Hat trick. A couple of guys
went up the hill for the tough finish. Blah blah blah.
Good ride everyone. Let's use a
little more care next week eh? We are all of course just riding for fun
right?.... right?...................
Tuesday the 16th
The rain clouds parted in time for the ride tonight. Attendance was light but a tailwind got everyone going up route 10 and into Cheshire nice and quick. Amoung the early instigators were Tall John, Guido ( good to see him back in action ), and Yalie Nicky G. Crowle and Hacker would also get involed ealry on. Yalie Spence would also chip in. The Yalies in general continued to leave their stamp on the ride. Getting in as much rivot-turning before the graduate and move to some loserville that doesn't have a ride like the SG.
Even when one of the Yalies got a flat on Mount Sanford ( name?) the others just kept motoring along. The hard early pace let Hacker, Larry M, Special Ed, Mike Mc G, and Chris C ride off the front on the run into Mountain rd. It took a little while but the field would eventually get their act together and start to close the gap halfway down Mountain Rd. The speed up front, plus the chase behind led to a small spit in the peleton as the light came up. The light went green in time and Hacker blitzed the front but there was enough of a slow down to let everything come back together completely. Hacker however would take a small gap onto Moss Farms. Larry M got hit with a flat and had to drop out as the field was chasing Hacker. The Professor was out for blood tonight. Frustrated with missing the podium at Battenkill, he was taking it out on the SG field. He held a gap down Moss Farms as one of the Yalies and Chris C would bridge up and join him. Behind the strong men were up front keeping tempo. Hacker and the 2 guys with him would hit the chicane and riser toward Marion with 50 meters on the rest. Yalie Spence and Hunter P jumped hard across the gap taking along Mike McG, the Full Nalini and a couple of others. Hacker wouldn't let up so that led to a trio ( Hacker, Chris C, Special Ed ) off the front and charging hard all the way to the industrial park. Mike McG and Hunter P would close the gap, but not until 700 meters into the industrial park. Behind them the field was scrambling and keeping the gap tight. It was all back together by the corner for West Johnson. But there was a window for Little T to jump. He did, taking a small gap up the risers on West Johnson.
Little T would keep on the thottle. It took a few seconds for the response to come, but soon Yalies, Mike McG, Chris C, Weaver, Guido and others were sprinting up the hills in order to close the gap. Little T would hit the corner for Reinhart with about 10 seconds. Chris B had separated himself from the front of the field, this time with Hacker right on his six. Behind those 3 riders, it was single file as guys were starting to go backwards with the hill and the headwind starting to bite. Little T sprinted, but it wasnt a full-speed sprint given the near kilo off-the-front time he just put in. Meanwhile, Hacker had been sitting on and came off Chris B's wheel with plenty of time to roll past T and hit the corner first. Well behind, Jacinto jumped off the front quickly and was able to roll round everyone else to get to the corner second.
On the backside Weaver would try to continue the assault along with Jacinto and Hacker but by the middle of Peck ln it was all together. From that point to the run-in to Stop n Shop, there was plenty of guys up front. Lot's of new strong legs in the field this year... Too many to try to ID. Given the right chance, there are a bunch of guys would could make each and every ride interesting with some well timed, go-for-broke style attacks. They no doubt will come as the spring goes on and ball-hair has a chance to grow in a bit.
Anyway, Hacker and Weaver had still managed to keep the gap going toward the run-in to the Stop n Shop Sprint. They scooted thru a green light that went red for the field and it was pretty much signed and sealed at that point. Still, within the field, no one was surprised when the 2 yalies lit it up right after the light. Mike McG also chipped in but up the road, Hacker was able to get the prize and go an impressive 2 for 2 on the night.
The regular faces were up front for the ride back into Hamden. For the final Kilo, after some shuffling, reshuffling and some more shuffling, Jacinto tore thru the final 3 guys no problem to get to the end first. Up the hill MoMoney caught Weaver with Hunter P and Chris B in tow. Chris B stomped his way past all others toward the end of the climb and takes the final consolation prize.
Even when one of the Yalies got a flat on Mount Sanford ( name?) the others just kept motoring along. The hard early pace let Hacker, Larry M, Special Ed, Mike Mc G, and Chris C ride off the front on the run into Mountain rd. It took a little while but the field would eventually get their act together and start to close the gap halfway down Mountain Rd. The speed up front, plus the chase behind led to a small spit in the peleton as the light came up. The light went green in time and Hacker blitzed the front but there was enough of a slow down to let everything come back together completely. Hacker however would take a small gap onto Moss Farms. Larry M got hit with a flat and had to drop out as the field was chasing Hacker. The Professor was out for blood tonight. Frustrated with missing the podium at Battenkill, he was taking it out on the SG field. He held a gap down Moss Farms as one of the Yalies and Chris C would bridge up and join him. Behind the strong men were up front keeping tempo. Hacker and the 2 guys with him would hit the chicane and riser toward Marion with 50 meters on the rest. Yalie Spence and Hunter P jumped hard across the gap taking along Mike McG, the Full Nalini and a couple of others. Hacker wouldn't let up so that led to a trio ( Hacker, Chris C, Special Ed ) off the front and charging hard all the way to the industrial park. Mike McG and Hunter P would close the gap, but not until 700 meters into the industrial park. Behind them the field was scrambling and keeping the gap tight. It was all back together by the corner for West Johnson. But there was a window for Little T to jump. He did, taking a small gap up the risers on West Johnson.
Little T would keep on the thottle. It took a few seconds for the response to come, but soon Yalies, Mike McG, Chris C, Weaver, Guido and others were sprinting up the hills in order to close the gap. Little T would hit the corner for Reinhart with about 10 seconds. Chris B had separated himself from the front of the field, this time with Hacker right on his six. Behind those 3 riders, it was single file as guys were starting to go backwards with the hill and the headwind starting to bite. Little T sprinted, but it wasnt a full-speed sprint given the near kilo off-the-front time he just put in. Meanwhile, Hacker had been sitting on and came off Chris B's wheel with plenty of time to roll past T and hit the corner first. Well behind, Jacinto jumped off the front quickly and was able to roll round everyone else to get to the corner second.
On the backside Weaver would try to continue the assault along with Jacinto and Hacker but by the middle of Peck ln it was all together. From that point to the run-in to Stop n Shop, there was plenty of guys up front. Lot's of new strong legs in the field this year... Too many to try to ID. Given the right chance, there are a bunch of guys would could make each and every ride interesting with some well timed, go-for-broke style attacks. They no doubt will come as the spring goes on and ball-hair has a chance to grow in a bit.
Anyway, Hacker and Weaver had still managed to keep the gap going toward the run-in to the Stop n Shop Sprint. They scooted thru a green light that went red for the field and it was pretty much signed and sealed at that point. Still, within the field, no one was surprised when the 2 yalies lit it up right after the light. Mike McG also chipped in but up the road, Hacker was able to get the prize and go an impressive 2 for 2 on the night.
The regular faces were up front for the ride back into Hamden. For the final Kilo, after some shuffling, reshuffling and some more shuffling, Jacinto tore thru the final 3 guys no problem to get to the end first. Up the hill MoMoney caught Weaver with Hunter P and Chris B in tow. Chris B stomped his way past all others toward the end of the climb and takes the final consolation prize.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
