Tuesday the 25th

More miles, more endurance, more scenery… It’s the Long Loop

Not too much excitement today on the ride. It was on the slow side.

Maybe the heat?
Maybe everyone is lazy from watching the Giro all day long?

At any rate, there was a big crowd out today for the ride.
Dave H and a couple of new timers started the ride out - the initial pace was downright anemic. Eric M started things going and then Guido got involved along with Chris C, Ciocci, Jacinto, and a couple of others. The slow pace allowed that group of 7 or 8 to roll off the front on Mount Sanford but traffic turning onto the next street brought everyone back together. The pace got going a little more after that as Mike McG, Koski, a new Zane’s rider and others got involved. On South Brooksvale, Eric M, riding hard, snuck off on the run in to Mountain road. A few seconds later, Larry M and the new guy in a Divine Electric\BH Jersey hit it to bridge up. They were just making contact to Eric when the corner for Mountain Road slowed everyone and brought it all together. The pace on Mountain rd was nothing spectacular. The usual characters were up front. The CCB guys started making their way up.

Onto Moss Farms where again, there wasn’t too much pep in the pedals. But no one was attacking so it stayed gruppo compacto. The CCBer’s were again ramping things up before the Chicane. They had Guido along for company. Eric M charged into the chicane first and up the hill to Marion. There were no attacks as CCB stayed at the front. Ciocci rolled up after the corner and got things rolling along with Eric M, Mike McG, Hunter P, Silent Steve and Yalie Adam as well. Everyone rolled along to Route 322 without incident and with those same guys setting the tempo etc. A few guys peeled off on the short loop, but all in all, everyone was of one mind regarding the long loop. Larry M had an unfortunate flat and dropped out.

The ride down Mount Vernon road was uneventful and slow. Hopefully next week the attacks will come. The false flat section shook things up…. Same speeds \ More wattage. Jacinto, Guido, Ben just Ben, led it out with CCB and CCR guys Gregg F and Hunter P punching it on the top. It was enough to shell a few guys and pull things single file, but with no monster efforts after the incline, it was a missed opportunity to blow things apart.

Onto Welch Road, where Chris B snuck off the front as the Zane guys, Guido, Jacinto, Silent Steve. Morgan from Keltic, and a couple of others were shifting around the front. Chris was able to get to the corner of West St first but Little T had jumped and passed him shortly after that on the way to top o the hill prize ( !?….. See the survey on the side ). Behind Little T was Eric M, Hunter P and Keltic Morgan. A little ways up Gregg F joined the group and as is usually the case…. The hill had forced a separation. Chances for any group at this point are slim if traffic lights are red and sure enough, that’s what brought this all back together before crossing over I84. On the backside, heading to Atwater Street, a small group had hammered out a gap on the descent. Eric M, Rondo, Guido, Chris B, Ciocci, Jacinto, Devils Gear Jeff, and a couple of others. But there were enough wheels behind that saw the gap and responded, closing it down before the corner. A small group snuck thru the traffic on West Main, but most of those guys sat up or were caught by the light on route 322.

Yalie Adam took advantage of the slow speed after that traffic light to jump off the front. Soon after, Chris C jumped off too. Chris was caught soon after the ride got back onto familiar Peck Lane territory, but Yalie Adam was still out there. Heading up the riser before Schoolhouse road starts, Gregg F hit it again along with Hunter P. That was a short lived gap though as the CCB guys were starting up again. Yalie Adam was finally caught soon after turning onto Route 10. The headwind heading back would buffet the front of the ride as there was no activity to speak of off the front. Heading into the Stop and Shop sprint, the Zane’s guys were up front along with Guido playing nice. They were setting a good tempo for their man, Little T. Little T hit the sprint hard with Dzmitry (?) from CCB directly in tow. The 2 went down to the line but Alessio was able to stay in front. Little T would keep up the pace in thru the center of town and had a gap as the slimmer, more traffic-friendly Peleton got caught at a couple of lights. Once out of town, the speed picked up, but the headwind was cutting into things. Little T was slowly getting reeled in and it looked like he may have a chance with about a kilo to go. Behind, after efforts to close the gap from Guido, Ciocci, the Divine Electric guys and a couple of others, the Orange and black were all over things. Eric M sat up, giving Little T one last chance to stay away. Chris B almost snookered them all though, jetting past with enough speed to create a gap that the trio of Eric M, Mike McG and Rondo had to close down. Having already gone over Little T, Rondo got a push from Mike and was able to get by Butler, but with Hunter P in tow, playing back up to Chris’ attack. It went down to the wire, with the 2 exchanging the lead a couple of times. Despite getting out of the saddle early on for a quick second, Rondo will get credit for this one, edging out Hunter in the final meters.