Tuesday the 24th

Fight Club Resumes at SGR

The ride returned to some decent weather and the group size was up again. Great to have Mike McGinley out again along with Jason Lupke. 

The real action started when the ride turned right into the industrial park. Steve B and Turner hit the gets and along with Hacker, tore off a gap that was holding through the corner onto West Johnson. Hunter P went to jump across the gap and Sean Maher grabbed onto that quick smart. That got enough of a rush-reaction from the dwindling pack that it stayed together. A few were be dropped and popped on the night though, unable to reconnect by the light on route 10. 

On the intial downhill of East johnson, a group of 7 established itself and kept the pressure.on enough to carry a gap through the corner on Cheshire St. Sean M, Little T, Turner French, Jason L, Hacker, Daniel Carbonella and Ben Bruce making it 3 Cheshire guys. That meant that a couple of strong remaining guys at the front of the pack were not chasing. The gap went out heading into the greenhouse climb. Steve B jumped late across the gap and was able to make the connection with a couple hundred meters left to the start of the climb. Shortly onto the climb Ben Bruce dropped and it was back to 7 up front. The group was rotating well and sharing the work load.

Going into the sprint, Sean Maher turned on the gas just past the light leading to the line, creating a gap with Hacker. Little T jumped around the rest to latch on but the surge was was a bit short, rolling in 3rd behind Hacker and Sean Maher, who ended up taking it (seated the entire time, like a freight train whose legs resembled pistons)

After that the group was splintered a bit but regrouped for the fast rip into Hamden. FF to the ending, where Steve B opened up a gap going down Tuttle, then Sean Maher pushed off the front with Hacker and Lupke. Little T eventually had to put in a big effort down the hill to catch on to the trio. A couple of haymakers later. Everyone is heading into the finale but Steve B was in the best position. He came off Little T's wheel to hit the sprint first but T was able to come around just at the last second, with Hacker rounding out the podium. 

 

Great ride everyone! 

Tuesday the 17th

 Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Winter

If last week was a summer tease, this week was a winter bitch. One of the coldest SGR in memory. Just 9 or 10 dudes out for this one. Hearts were warmed though by seeing the legendary Mike McGinley out on the ride, looking every bit the same as he has for 105 years now. 

Smaller group was slower to get going. Steve B attacked a few times in the fisrt half but was reeled in each time by Turner French and Hunter P. Those three would do most of the work. Turner French lit the after burners turning into the industrial park and with the tailwind, was able to separate with Steve B and Hunter P. They stayed clear all the way to the light on route 10. It was red there so it all came back together. 

The Greenhouse climb was started by Turner French and Chris C. Those tow rolled off the front and then Steve B jumped the gap at the top and was able to come around for his third straight. The reduced pack could not bring them back after the sprint and those 3 would close out the ride off the front, with Steve B doubling up again at the finale. 

Tuesday the 10th

Soft Opening Featuring Pothole Patrol

Welcome to the new school year everyone.
New faces, new craters, new challenges (physical, spiritual and meta).

70 degrees in early March was a treat. Big crowd out for this one. One highlight was having Yale Women's Team Rider and standout, Tatum Brown out there mixing it up like she's been riding the route for years. She impressed a-plenty in her SGR debut. 

On the Greenhouse climb, it was Steve B coming around an attacking Turner Frnech to take the points, with Sean Maher in third. 

For the finale, Steve B struck once again. Sean Maher took 2nd and Stefano P was able to nab third.  

Tuesday the 9th

 Long Loop No More

The medio loop was back tonight, with it's right turn onto Jude Lane. 

Sprint Points:

At the Greenhouse climb it was Sean M ahead of Chris C and then Dan Smith. 

 For the finale it was Steve B ahead of Stefano P and then Little T 

Tuesday the 2nd

 POINTS:
Steve B got the first one after a group went clear late on Mount Vernon.

Going into the Greenhouse Climb, Dan Smith attacked early and held on for it in front of Little T and then Noah Black in 3rd. 

For the finale it was:
Noah Black
Little T
and then Aaron Black rounding out the top 3. 

Tuesday the 26th

A group breaks clear and the ride gets all weird.... 

Turn around: 
Little T got it
Joe K took second
Sean Maher there for third 

Then heading toward the second time over 322, on the way back into Cheshire, a group of about 5 or 6 of the stronger guys went clear and got the light. From there, George Elias took off and was allowed to go clear. 
 
Greenhouse climb:
George in front
Hunter P next over the line with Turner French right there.

Dan Smith would then push on and catch Goerge and those two finished the ride our front. Little T would nab the field sprint front the rest. 

 

Tuesday the 19th

Back to Your Normal Programming 

Solid group out for the ride tonight. It was a normal-sized crew, eager to crush it with the nice weather. Early on, it was the New Haven Angels show, with Dan Smith and George E hitting the front and pushing the pace.

Not to be outdone, Sean Mayer from CVC accelerated several times, putting himself on the front “in harm’s way” for multiple sets of poles to get the job done for the rest.

Heading onto Mountain Road, a small group formed: Sean Mayer, Hunter P, George Elias, and Dan Smith. That move drew a reaction from the pack, and Noah Black jumped up to join, along with Chris C. The light at the end of Mountain Road turned red, which brought it all back together.

Apparently, George had had enough and weirdly shortcutted across traffic, probably disappearing up Route 68 into Prospect (?). Maybe next time. 

After that, it was standard steady-going, with Sean Mayer again taking some key pulls heading into Southington. Little T was up there too, attacking through the chicane and onto Marion. Steve B launched a couple of big attacks both before and on Mount Vernon, and he also went for the prize on the Turnaround Sprint.

Onto Welch and then West for the sprint, there was a big headwind pushing everyone back. Steve B attacked early and was looking like he'd take it, but Sean Mayer put in a massive dig on West Street that splintered the pack. Hunter P managed to hold his wheel and kicked off the sprint, with Noah Black also winding it up. Noah came around for first, Hunter P grabbed second, and then Steve B.

From there, the ride mostly stayed together. Stefano P and Sean Maher tried to hit it hard on East Johnson, Steve B attacked a couple of times as well, first late on Atwater, and then at the before the Greenhouse climb. Also, Brent de la Bee.... He was near the front up the hill looking to suss out another strong run into the sprint. 

In the end, Hunter P jumped, and nobody was able to mount a serious challenge. Behind him was Dan Smith and Brent de la Bee.

After that the ride back into Hamden was standard, with no one putting in any big attacks. Little T got the final Sprint with Brent and Stefano P behind him.