Closing out the year the right way
It could have been a boring night, as a re-route around the
entire length of Mountain Rd was in order due to construction. It was
decided to turn on Ward, get to Oak Ave and head down to get on to
route 68/70 .5 mile east of where we usually come out. Most were no
doubt thinking that it would be more of a casual ride but no so as
the Cheshire guys animated and attacked thruout the evening. It was
good to see Steve Suto back out on the ride. Right as everyone turned
off route10, Dillon P attacked and got a gap that we would hold for
500 hundred meters or so. Alan B was there when he was being caught
and then he went. Then, as everyone turned onto North Brooksvale,
Hunter P attacked and drove up a gap that he held onto to another 500
meters. Behind, Big Red, Tall John, Chris C, Tall Dennis and a few
others were doing most of the work to keep things together.
As the ride turned onto Ward lane, Hunter P attacked again, this time
with Big Red chasing but never quite covering the gap. As everyone
got onto Oak, it was gruppo compacto and Chris C and Jordan L did a
lot of the work as everyone barreled toward 68\70. With rush hour
traffic in full effect, there was 7-8 cars stacked up waiting to turn
in any direction. The pack got a friendly driver looking to turn off
of 68\70 and French Casey literally rolled into the path of an east
bound car to stop traffic completely for all. No doubt many motorist
friends were not made tonight. The Cheshire guys had worked their way
up to the front by then again and it proved to be big help as traffic
was stacked up for ¼ mile. Everyone had to proceed single file
toward Moss Farms and once there, Alan B and Joe K got things rolling
again. Soon after it was just Alan B off the front with a 40 meter
gap. Then Gregg F bridged up and the 2 were able to save their
breakaway all the way past the chicane. In the front of the pack, it
was Mike McG, The Sernyak, Chris C, Little T, Big Red, and a couple
of others doing the work to bring it back.
As everyone went
up the rise to Marion, it was all back together again. After the
corner, Joe K attacked and was quickly getting a gap going along with
French Casey. Then Dave Hoyle, who had been lurking in the
background, biding his time, shot up the road to bridge up to the 2
guys with a 100 meter gap. Hunter P was first to respond and that
brought a handful plus some chasing up to the leaders. It was still
strung out with a few gaps as everyone came up to the corner for the
industrial park.... Joe K was still driving 20 pound tent pegs with
50 pound sledge up front. Once thru the corner, the pace slowed
slightly, but Frnch Casey stayed rolling up front and that ensured
that no one was going to get too much rest.
With a few meters
to the corner for West Johnson, Hunter P attacked as the paced came
down a little bit. Again Big Red was there with him. Those two worked
up a respectable gap up the rise after the corner. Behind, The
Sernyak and Chris C had used the hill to springboard up to the
leaders, making it four with a 40 meter gap. Once again, there was
some traffic at the 4-way intersection for Peck lane and that brought
it all back together again. Next to go was Joe K, who not so much
attacked, but rather got to the front and just lit it up. A select
group of the usuals were there and as everyone got toward the corner
for Reinhard, there was a real-deal gap to everyone else. Just then
Hoyle shot out from the front and power opened a gap. Low n behold
though, he went straight instead of turning onto Riendhard. That
pretty much slowed everyone down, which provided a brief reset before
shooting up to the sprint point.
It looked like there was
going to be a bunch of guys ready to pounce on the sprint but it was
pretty much Mike McG, Joe K, Hacker, Little T, Big Red, and maybe one
or 2 more that had a chance. Little T got the better of all, getting
thru the corner first. On the backside, Hacker drilled it briefly but
nothing was escaping now that everyone's phasers were set to kill.
Right away on Peck Lane, Hunter P attacked again, taking along French
Casey. Those 2 were given a little bit of freedom at first amd they
build up a gap that there were able to hold all the way to the first
light on Route 10 (which was red). French Casey stayed on it going up
the hill there (sight of Cheshire CX version 10.0 / November 14
th).
There was some reshuffling up front after the climb, and a
couple of guys were looking inches from going all in toward Stop n
Shop. Instead it stayed civil and fast. Again, a few guys were in
position for the sprint, this time Hacker getting the best jump out
of the pack. Little T was able to sit in the draft for a few seconds
and then come around. It was a fight to the last couple of meters,
with T prevailing again. From there it was all together thru
Cheshire. Nice and fast to keep things safe.
Heading out of
town, with traffic stacked up at most of the intersections, Alan B
threaded the needle along with Gregg F and Hunter P to get thru a
green light ahead of the rest. Those 3 build up a small gap and held
on for a few hundred meters but the pack was breathing fire. French
Casey was drilling it, The Sernyak was going hard, Big Red and the
new guy on the BMC (name?), the Full Nalini as well. For the finale,
Chris C and Mike McG rolled out their familiar good leadouts for the
the benefit of about 6 guys. Right there was Hoyle. He timed it well
and shot off the front with enough speed to build up an
insurmountable lead.
Awesome way to end out the year
everyone. Sunday rides, for those who are not inclined to CX, are
heading out on Sunday's at 10AM (or so we hear). The rest of you are
smart to take a break from the crazyiness for a few months. See ya'll
next year!
(image dump!)
