Tuesday the 5th

Revenge of the 5th!

There was disturbance in the force and it led to bikes being torn asunder. Here's how it went down....

    There was a group of about 30 jedi out for the first 80 degree ride of year.  Great to see the usual cast of characters and the artist formerly known as ‘T' show up tonight.  Out of the parking lot, French Casey got the motor tuned up and set a solid tempo all the way to the turn in to River skipping the Jim Carey Cycling Heisman he’s so famous for and just sailing North on the headwind.  As he took the first right, Chris C and Rory shot off to bridge leaving the pack unsettled on who was going to chase past Brooksvale park.  Chris C and French got through the stop sign with Chris C keeping the pace high at the front.  The normals, Sernyak, Nalini, Ben Bruce (nice white walls!), Gibertoni, and a few others were pushing to make contact.  As they made contact with Mt Sanford Gibertoni launched up around the knoll taking Ben Bruce with him.  Those two kept on the pace and held the gap until  just past the stop sign on Mountain.  Chris C and Joe K, they actually might have been on a tandem…launched a splendid counter leaving little chance for those in back to stay on.  Those two held a gap until the light (note the theme here).

     On Moss Farms, Professor Crowell had another lesson on group cycling 101 for Burgie.  Burgie failed.  The group was mellow up Moss Farms with Gibertoni hitting the last riser hard and keeping on through the Chicane and past the Po Po at the stop sign on Marion.  Chris C and Sernyak bridged up and the three went to work until…the red light.  Groupo Compacto.  The ride out through Southington was mostly together with the Team Errace, Rob Dux, and a few others driving the effort.  The pace picked up on the turn around with Dillon P launching a solid effort to pull the best Watt/KG ratio on the East Coast; Kyle Crowell, up the left hand side.  I’m pretty sure I heard him yelling FASTER.  For the sprint, Neumotion, the Artist formerly known as ‘T’, Ben Bruce, and Joe K went for it with Joe K pushing through for the crown.  The Artist formerly known as ‘T’, Nuemotion, Crowell, Sernyack(?) snuck through the light on West St and crested the hill before the group made it through opening up a solid gap over the crest of the hill and downward.  Still on probation from last week there were a few folks erring on the side of caution in to the intersections at the bottom of the hill but the double greens meant it was go time and the guys off the front were consumed.

     As the rest of the field made its way back down Pleasant there was a small effort at the underpass, brought quickly back just in time for the next red light.  Onward to Peck, Special Ed and Rusty crested the hill with a solid pace and gapped the field.  Gibertoni and Joe K bridged up and the four came through the corner on to RT10 with a few meters gap and a green light but a small hesitation let the group latch on and come together at the next red light.  A couple of hundred meters later…someone hit the manhole cover/pothole and Nalini, Calfee, and Gibertoni hit the deck in the middle of traffic.  Hopefully everyone is alright, the bikes were definitely not. 

There were a few guys up front who unknowingly made the final selection of the night, with Joe K taking the S&S.  As for the finale…it was kind of the like the Godfather…2 was better than 3.  Ride safe everyone and see you next week.

Tuesday the 28th

Velo Fantastico!

     Great ride tonight as the long loop was ushered in with force. It was great to have John “big hitter” Harris out, along with Aidan “the Hipster” Charles. The addition horsepower definitely upped the intensity at a couple of key points. Starting out, Chris C and Hacker were determined to find cracks in the peleton's armor. Harris would power off the front a couple of times before Mountain Road and each time guys were there to jump on the train. This, combined with the pretty stiff headwind meant the pack was losing riders pretty quickly tonight.
      The ride continued to be pretty quick past Moss Farms. Gibertoni, Joe K, Hacker, Chris C, Ben Bruce, Rusty, Jordan L, Special Ed, all contributing the pace. Harris and Aidan hit it going over the highway, on the way to Route322, and that further put guys in the. The light allowed for pretty much everyone to catch up though. The pace getting onto Mount Vernon was the slowest part of the ride tonight. The road conditions there are at a new low and no one was pushing off the front.

       Joe K, along with Jordan L, once again hit the afterburners going up the false flat. Dave Maynard was there to try to capitalize as the road leveled off. Then Harris once again lit up the front, forcing guys to chase. Heading into the corner for Welch Rd, it was CCAP making it uncomfortable. Young Nick Sabatelli got involved and the pace was pretty quick for the first 300 meters or so. It calmed down ever so slightly as Hacker, Chris C and a couple of others rolled into place for the charge up to West St. Harris once again hit the jets, forcing a fast reaction. He peeled off the front as Chris C, Ben Bruce, Hunter P, Gibertoni, Special Ed, and a couple of others were right there. Chris C kept the leadout going fast which forced all but Ben Bruce and Hunter P from the front. Hacker worked hard to jump up and through to get in position. Just then Chris C pulled off, allowing a Ben Bruce to roll off a gap that his teammate behind did not chase down. Once he had a gap, with about 250 meters to go, he was all in. Hacker jumped up from 3^rd wheel but ran out of room.

        On the back side Gibertoni and Chris C pushed the downhill pace, probably a little too aggressively as the corner at the bottom of the hill was obnoxious with cyclists. Heading back toward 322, Gibertoni kept at it, Harris was up there, so was Ben Bruce. Great to see Gary Boldac as well, visiting the ride after a long hiatus. Going under the underpass, Jordan L jumped up, then Hunter P. That was enough to spring a brief gap but as Harris and Chris C responded, so did the rest of the remaining riders.
       The light at 322 was red and as soon as it tuned green, Harris did his best Lars Van Der Haar impression and shot off the line like it was January 2017 in Hartford. He quickly, no... Very quickly, got out of sight and was not seen until the long false-flat up peck lane. There were plenty of guys willing to chase hard. Chris C, Hacker, Big Red, Ben Bruce, Hunter P, Keith Mullaly, and a couple of others. By the time the corner for Route10 approached, Harris was a stones throw away. The imminent catch, along with the tailwind, made the first mile of route 10 heading south fast.

          Heading into the Stop n Shop sprint, Big Red provided the leadout in front Chris C and Hunter P. From behind Hacker jumped, this time with Dave Maynard right on his wheel and Aidan C a couple of bikes behind. Dave was able to sneak by Hacker just at the last moment. From there the tailwind helped propel everyone back into Hamden right around 32mph. For the finale, once again, it was Gibertoni impressively leading out and out-muscling the Full Nalini with what must be a 9 tooth in the back.

Great ride everyone! Let's make em all like that this year!

Tuesday the 21st

Spring has sprung!

Best group yet for the ride tonight. The weather was good, winds were unpredictable and post-battenkill spirits were high. Off we go!

   The pace seemed high right out of the parking lot. Nuemotion and Ben Bruce were perhaps finishing up unfinished business from Cambridge NY. The high pace continued once off Route 10 as Cheshire Cycle black n blue came up to the front to set pace. Dillon P, Gibertoni, Christian D, Burgiebaby and Ben Bruce, all up in the mix with the usuals such as Rob Dux, Chris C. A couple of corners in Gibertoni and Burgster took off a bit with Hunter P jumping up to grab on as well. That was short lived as the pack came charging up with the Full Nalini and Big Red Cornell taking up the slack. There was a reshuffling of the deck and another group went clear running into the corner for Mountain Rd, but there was little activity off the front once thru the corner and up the hill. Hacker tried to jet off but that was initially brought back. He stayed on the gas though and soon after got off the front with Big Red and Burgster. That trio was allowed to roll and they kept their gap at 75 meters or so for most of the way to the light.
    After a pause for the light, the peleton slowly got back going again on Moss Farms. Again, Gibertoni and Ben Bruce were up front riding hard with Nuemotion, Hacker and the Sernyak looking for openings. Ben Bruce led things off up the hill to Marion, with Gibertoni and Hunter P close behind. Hacker again jumped off the front, and this time pulled off a gap with Big Red and one other. That trio was going pretty good to the industrial park but the pack behind was going gooder. All together again for the corner. Thus it stayed for the next mile or so, with the pace actually getting almost slow before the corner to West Johnson. Once on the riser there, Ben Bruce took off with Gibertoni and The Sernyak. The chase wasn’t going to come from the black and blue, so they worked up a decent size gap.
    A tail wind was helping along the pack and by 200 meters to the corner of Reinhard the front of the chase was all over the road. Ben Bruce hung tough tho up front, giving it a good dig to be the first thru the corner. Behind, Hacker jumped hard with Hunter P right on his wheel. Ben Bruce would have to throttle back at the crest of the hill, just as Hacker was going by, now separated from the rest of the peleton. Hacker started things up the hill but couldn’t shake Hunter P, who came around and got the corner first. On the backside, Nuemotion looked to get something going, then Chris C, but it was all back together by the corner for Peck Ln.
     On the rise up Peck Lane, Gibertoni rode hard to pull off a gap with The Sernyak and Chris C. Those 3 stayed on the gas and the response was tepid for longer than usual. They hit the corner for route 10 with a 12 second gap and then got the light at the base of the hill by Cheshire Park. Hacker and Nuemotion would try to jump the gap once thru but it the response to that was quicker. Meanwhile the 3 up front were working hard to stretch out the advantage and they got to the base of the Stop n Sprint Hill with enough of a gap so that no one was going to sprint up and thru. Gibertoni waited out his breakaway companions and then jumped around to get the sprint there. The trio stayed together and got thru a red light that the pack had to stop for. That usually would be all that’s required to stay clear, but the peleton made good time thru Cheshire, benefitted from Dillon P’s aero tuck. Mike McG then drove everyone out past the lights and got the speed up quickly. The leaders had to full stop for the light at Cook Hill and that allowed the pack to catch back on.
    From there the pace stayed high. For the finale, Gibertoni was able to get back up to the front and he rolled off the rest with The Full Nalini on his wheel. Those 2 had a good long dook-a-roo and Gibertoni was able to stay on the front all the way to corner.
   

Tuesday the 14th

Favorable Meteorological Conditions!

    The ride finally was given some acceptable weather. Even still, there was only about 25-30 riders out for it. It was GREAT to see Julio L’s son out for the ride, as well as regular Kyle Crowell. The ride started out nice and controlled in honor of the young ones, even as the group made its way onto the backroads. Hunter P was the first to roll off the front and he was allowed to go up the road. A couple of corners later, Gibertoni and The Full Nalini from the pack were starting to drive the pace. It would all come back together with plenty of time to spare for the corner onto Mountain Rd.
    The pace stayed steady for a while, with the usual crew leading the ride. Great to see the Sernyak up there and riding strong. No real action off the front all the way onto Moss Farms. Gibertoni stayed near the front. Tall John and Chris C as well. French Casey would appear up the front a couple of times but there was no real attacks. Heading into the corner for the chicane, Julian Azerat, visiting from the Beantown area, was pushing the pace along with the Full Nalini and Michael Grome-a-nom-nom. Everyone was alert to make sure the new guy didn’t blow thru a corner, which is always nice to see.
    No real attacks up the hill onto Marion, a couple of strong surges but nothing that was meant (hopefully) to create separation. Once into the industrial park, Gibertoni and Chris C picked up the slack but again, the pace was just high enough to discourage attacking. More of the same onto W Johnson ave. Going thru the intersection of Peck Lane, Casey did his best impression of Jim Carrey on a bike, flying in front traffic to make sure they got the stop signal. The car probably would lose in that match up anyway.
   Heading on Reinhard, Chris C took the front along with Azerat and Hunter P. Hunter started the sprint effort, with Gibertoni, The Sernyak and Ben Bruce on his wheel. The leadout was all Gibertoni needed to come around and the sprint with much fuss from the others. On the backside, the riders behind were quick to fill in the gaps and the lead group of 4 didn’t press the issue, so it was all back together pretty quickly.
   The pace calmed down quite a bit on Peck Ln. giving Hunter P a chance to attack with 500 meters to the corner for route 10. Azerat rolled across the gap in time for the turn and those 2 throttled it up the hill by Cheshire Park. Soon after it was all back together as Grom-a-nomnom along with others were working hard to get across the gap. For the run into the Stop N Sprint, it was mostly Cheshire Cycle Black and blue, with Chris C in there for good measure. Ben Bruce lead things out AND was looking to power away with it. Behind Gibertoni, Chris C and Hunter P all hit the jets at the same time, with Hunter P threading the needle to get up and past Ben Bruce with a few bike lengths to spare. Best sprint of the year so far!
    The race to the top was enough to spring a good gap for the 4 riders. They stayed on the gas, making it through all but one light in Cheshire, which was only a minor delay. Behind the pack would get stopped at one light. For the 4 up front, that was all that was needed and Chris C, Ben Bruce, Gibertoni, and Hunter P worked hard to keep the speed high all the way to the finish. For the finale, some sat up, leaving Gibertoni to collect his second price of the night.

Good ride everyone!
(psst, it’s ok to attack)

Tuesday the 31st

Christian Duncan takes the Hardman award of the week.
Everyone else wussed out on the ride with the cold rain in the air.

Tuesday the 24th

The SG Ride.... It won't be cancelled for "weather"

    Small(ish) crowds out for the ride tonight. The cold may have kept folks away. 19 or 20 riders rolled out of the parking lot. A couple of guys charged right down route 10 but after turning off route 10, it was all together. Dillon P took off first, with Chris C and Rob Dux soon to join. Everyone else was quick to respond and the pace got going. The ride stayed together for a hot minute or 2, then Chris C jumped off the front. Hunter P went along as well and those 2 maglev railed the 750 meters or so. Mike McG jumped across the gap later on but a slow corner on North Brooksvale brought everyone back together for the most part. Gibertoni hit the front and kept the pressure on, as well as Chris C. Behind the damage was being done as riders were not too quick to cover gaps. One more fast surge up front from Gibertoni as the ride came up on Mountain rd, was enough to split the group for good.
    Once on Mountain rd, Joe K rolled off the front as the next 7 or 8 guys trickled thru the corner. Hunter P jumped up to bridge the gap to the flying Joe K and those 2 had a gap that they would hold all the way to the light on route 68/70. A chase group of 7 or so formed quickly behind them and Chris C, The Full Nalini, Rusty and Mike McG rolled hard enough to bring the gap down to 50 meters or so by the light.
    Once the group was all back together, the pace calmed down. Behind, what was left of the peleton made it thru the light and has a visual on the lead group, but was not going to make any progress on catching it.
     On the way to the industrial park, the lead group picked up Jordan L. Gibertoni took a flyer along with Burgiebaby, but it ended up being Chris C who led all up the riser to Marion. From there the pace stayed high and there was nary a law enforcement agent in sight. Once onto West Johnson, Jordan L took a bit of a flyer, but Chris C and Joe K kept the group in check. Chris C would actually do most of the work up to Reinhard. Joe K was there, The Full Nalini as well. Gibertoni would jump first and right on his tail was Mike McG. Mike pulled up as his leg was giving him problems. Hunter P covered the gap and chased down Gibertoni in time for the corner. Everyone came back together on the backside.
     On Peck Ln, riders from the peleton group who shortcut-ted were being caught by the lead group here and there. No one seemed to mind though as the same strong guys who pushed the break did most of the work up front for the return trip. For the run in to Stop n Shop, Rob Dux slipped off the front a couple of lights before the sprint hill. He gave it everything but without a sprint kick, the group behind slowly brought him back. Chris C was the only one to jump out and he caught Rob with a few bike lengths to spare.
    Heading thru the lights of Cheshire, Burgiebaby slipped away off the front and caught one or 2 more lights. He would be wrangled back by a recharged group halfway back into Hamden. For the finale, Mike McG put in a solid leadout, leaving Gibertoni and the Full Nalini to duke it out. Full Nalini gets this one by slipping around just at the end.
     It will be warmer next week... Guaranteed!!!

Tuesday the 17th

It's St Patty's Day... Cyclists clear the way for the drunk drivers!

     There was about 15 riders and a huge beeyotch of a headwind leaving the parking lot today. A couple of nearly got pushed over at the corner of route 10. It was slow head north as guys were being pushed hither and thither. Once off route 10, J Weaver Chris C and Hunter P rolled off the front. Hunter P led a group of 6 or 7 quickly off the front as gaps inevitably formed and could not be closed. Burgie nearly took out Chris C but that may have been part of the Cheshire Cycle plan... Gibertoni then took over up front along and pushed the pace up to Mountain Rd. Hunter P and Gibertoni nursed a small gap heading onto Mountain rd, but Chris C and Mike McG were riding hard to cover it. Once it was all back together, the group, also containing The Full Nalini, J Weaver, and Jordan L all worked together. The light was green at Route 68/70, erasing any chance that the stragglers would be able to get back on.
     Onto Moss Farms, where Gibertoni jumped off the front halfway down and carried that gap thru the chicane and barely onto the climb up to Marion. From there the group again went back to working together as it rolled toward the industrial park. A Cheshire PD SUV drove up to the group with lights going, telling everyone to pull over. Everyone slowed to stop once thru the corner to the industrial park. "I don't mean to harass you, but we received multiple 911 calls. People are reporting you are riding on the wrong side of the road." As is the case with such encounters, more than a few words said by the "offending" cyclists is often wasted energy. The officer dismissed us with his opinion that it was "not the right (windy) conditions to be riding". He did make sure to say that if more calls were received, "action would need to be taken". If you were on the fence about riding with a full time video camera going, now is the time to make that purchase.
    The officer (or one of his very busy partners) would go on to pull over the B-group and give the same recommendations about not using deep aero rims during 35 mph gusting winds.
    Meanwhile up front, the lead group of 7 slowed got back up to speed in single file manner. Chris C pulled hard up the hills to Reinhard, and then Mike McG chipped in as well. It gave Gibertoni a great launch pad to jump for the sprint corner. J Weaver jumped as well, but Gibertoni got the early jump needed, and the tailwind bonus, and stayed out front. On the backside, He kept on the throttle along with Hunter P and the 2 rolled off the front as the group behind delayed chasing in earnest until everyone was back together. Aided by the tailwind, Hunter P and Gibertoni stayed away the rest of the ride back into Hamden. Jeff Weaver would put in a solid effort to try to get across. Then Mike McG and Chris C wound it up in the tailwind and got back a bunch of the gap but they came up about 15 seconds short of the 2 up front.
    Good ride everyone! "Eventful" it was. It will be interesting to see how the larger groups are treated out on the roads.