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.

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.

Tuesday the 9th

Glorious day....Glorious day.....

    Full field out for the ride tonight. Plenty of girls ( though we still are missing Robyn ), lot's of youngsters, gents, students and punks ( though we are still missing Rondo ). The ride started off pretty tranquil and it was good to see American Casey out directing traffic once again. No one was in much of a rush. Everyone was probably too busy lathering up each others cooters with the special Battenkill Brand® Can't–Go–Too-Hard vag cream. The squirrel, the Full Nalini and Jacinto got things going with a timed attack heading into the crap raod section. Joe K, Mike McG and Dillon P were there to keep tempo and round it all back up. From there the pace was brisk up to Mountain Rd. Mike McG took a power washer to the privates on the initial hill up Mountain Rd. MoMoney and Hunter P latched on and it was a sexy 3-some up the road banging hard and going away. Neon-Boots-Yalie bridged up, making it even more dangerous. That got things going in the field and Chris C finally got to work along with Hacker., Little T and a couple of others. It was all together coming into the red light on Route 68\70
    Once onto Moss Farms, Half of the CCB Toss-up took to the front along with Todd H and a couple of others. They never got very far though and it was once again The Gibertoni sewing things back up heading into the Chicane. CCB, MoMoney, Hunter P, Mike McG, Danbury Audi and a couple of others kept the pace high going into the Industrial park. Once everyone rounded the corner onto West Johson, it was CCB, Chris C, Nuemotion and a few more punching it. That turned into Mike McG and CCB off the front and charging up to Reinhard with the peleton close behind but holding the leash. Traffic at the 4 way intersection slowed the escapees and the peleton so it was offsetting fouls. Once it was all together CCB missed the turn onto Reinhard ( doh ) but everyone was right there. Hacker jumped on the very first incline on Reinhard and was allowed to go. Chris the-Badger Butler punched it was soon up to the Hacker's wheel. Hacker led it out and Chris B was able to soundly come up and over to get the sprint as Little T and maybe 1 other tried to cover the gap but were waaaaaaay behind.
    Chris B kept up the pace of course on the backside, holding a gap till the top of Peck Lane when Hunter P jumped up to bridge. Tall John responded to that, sewing up everyone. From there it was as expected heading back onto Route 10 and up the hill.
    The group got green lights heading into the sprint. That didnt stop Mike McG from trying early on to get a gap but it didn’t happen. As the speed was slowly ramping up, but still 500+ meters from the sprint, Chris B jumped off the front. He went all-in with the small gap and hit the base of the hill with a solid gap as Jacinto jumped from the field with Little T,  Hacker and Hunter P on his wheel. Chris B clung to dear life the whole way up as Little T slowly came round. It was too close to call with Butler getting the Big-balls-brownie-points. If the line is the cross street it was Chris'. If it is the light it was T's. Good job to all as a speed record was set for the section according to Strava.
    From there the ride was normal. Heading into the finale it first looked like it was all Nalini and Professor. But Nalini faded and Mike McG hung tough, tractor-beaming Little T up to pouncing distance. Hacker gets DQ'd by a jury of his peers due to standing up aplenty in that kilo which means the sit-n-sprint goes to Little T. Up the hill went Mountain Man, Hunter P, MoMoney, Monty B, the Gibertoni, Rory D, even Little T paperboy-ed his way up after taking the second-to-the-last prize. Hunter P got to the top first and this recap has broken records for the most-dashes-ever.
Great ride everyone! Best wishes to all the Battenkillers. Don't go too hard and be too tired for next Tuesday.

Tuesday the 2nd

Who's schooling who?

The Sleeping Giant Ride rolled into its 2nd proper week with a vengeance. The winds were pouring in from every ol direction which made for some interesting opening miles. As soon as the ride turned off route Chris C was the first to jump, taking along Hunter P, Mike McG and a couple of others. The Yalies were out again, 3 or 4 of them depending on who you ask and if riding a CX bike matters to you. Early gaps started to form when the Yalies ( White Cervelo? White\blk Specialized? Names? ) would punch it after chasing down repeated pedal molesting attempts from Chris C. Def a few guys getting spit out on the run into Mountain Rd….. And it wasn’t even getting started yet.
    Once onto Mountain Rd, Chris C hit it hard again, taking with him Hunter P, the Full Nalini and the Yalies on the White Cervelo. That 4 got a gap that stuck for a little while and looked like it could take more but lack of team work let the peleton catch back with enough time to reshuffle the deck before the light.
    After the light, onto Moss Farms, Chris C hit it again, this time with Thomaas B and 2 Yalies. That group would also get a bit of a gap before being joined by The Gilbertoni, making it 5 heading into the Chicane. It would all come back together on the rise toward Marion as the other Chris ( Butler ), Mike McG and Hunter P sewed things back up. Chris B and Hunter P would try to tear off a new gap but no one was having it and it was all together heading into the industrial park. The New Haveners were still at it, trying to ride away ( sometimes down the wrong road ) and in the process, keeping the pace high as everyone was doing battle with the wind.
    Once onto West Johnson. Chris C would try again to get things going but it stayed together all the way up to Reinhard. White\blk Specialized was one of the first ones to get the sprint going along with Steve Grey ( Gray…. Whichever ). It was all soon an after thought though as Little T and Hunter P were winding it up and lighting it up. T started it with Hunter P right there and in position to come around with room to spare. On the backside, Chris B tried to sneak away on the lead-in to Peck lane, but there was plenty of bodies to pick up the slack. Up the way on Peck, a small group mashed its way of fthe front ( Yalies, Steve G, Mike McG, Todd H, Chris C, etc ) but Silent Steve, Hunter P, the Full Nalini were there to wrap it all back up by the turn onto Route 10. Chris C, Todd H, and a couple others kept it going on route 10 and there were some more small gaps that opened and needed covering. A red light before the run-in to the sprint stopped all. Well actually, 2 guys ( who usually don’t need headstarts to get gaps ) jumped the red light and got the old “Disqualified” cause of it. When the light went green, Thomaas B, Jacinto, a dude on a CX bike with tires that embarrassed the rest of us, and a Yalies or 2 jumped right on it. Even thought the peleton was pretty quick to get moving again, the group was quicker, and getting farther up the road. Jacinto jumped from his spot as the others were getting redlined and took the Stop n Shop sprint uncontested.
    From there, back into Hamden, the group had to stop at nearly every light, which made for an uneventful end. The last kilo was all Nalini and White Cervelo, as the 2 duked it out with the Full Nalini getting the last laugh. No one of note when up the hill for the real man’s finish.

Great ride everyone! Let’s be even sneakier and faster next week!

Tuesday the 26th

The CWC Kicks off with a Bang!!!

     The 6PM start time meant 20 to 25 showed up for the start. The Yalies showed up ready to fight. They brought AR-15’s to a knife fight but the old men were not about to back down. The leisurely pace down RT-10 was not a sign of things to come. After the turnoff to River Road, Chris C. jumped and took a couple Yalies along who wanted to play. A small gap was created, but guys like McGinley and Todd H quickly closed the gap. The ride Down Mt Road was strung out with equal pulls being taken by the 10 guys up front. There was a bit of a gap at the RT-68 light and the light turned green not allowing for a rest. The entire group made the light (what was left of the group anyway) but I’m sure some guys ran the red.
     The tempo stayed hard all the way down Moss Farms road. After the chicane, the pace quickened, going up the false flat on Jarvis St. Once onto West Johnson Chris C. jumped with Dave Rustico but all that did was light the fuse to the Powder Keg. The Yalies set a hard tempo turning onto Reinhardt but Mike McGinley was there to counter. Hacker and another Yalie countered Mikes move and took the sprint. Hacker got the points???
      The ride up Peck lane was hard. Little T went to the front and drilled it up the false flat stringing it out. Chris C. kept the pressure up on Sandbank which created a small gap with one of the Yalies. A red light in front of the car wash brought everybody back together. Just as the light turned green, Jacob Hacker stormed through at 30mph turning everyone inside out to catch him. The pace was high up the prison hill when one of the Yalies dropped his glasses and then made a sudden turn into the prison driveway to get them. That startled some on the front of the group. Chris C. attempted to lead out McGinley and Little T but started the lead out too early which allowed Hacker to come around and take the sprint. The pace stayed high down RT-10. With 1K to go Mike McGinley jumped hard with Hacker and another Yalie on his wheel. This strung everyone out but also allowed Hacker to roll off the front. Todd Hamel put in a hard effort to catch Hacker but could not close the gap and the early hat trick goes to the professor. Well done.
      All in all an awesome way to start the Sleeping Giant ride proper. Hats off to the "Kids" from Yale for keeping the pace high and to all of us old guys who still have a little something left in the legs.