Rain threatening? Not if the ride stays ahead of it.....
High winds and possible T-storms didnt stop about 45 guys and girls from riding. The CCB-ers were out tonight and with a couple of fast guys ( and guys who keep getting faster ) it would show in the pace. As soon as the ride hit the backroads, the pace went up thanks to Eirc M, Tim Ratta Chris C, Guido and Hunter P. Soon after that Mike McG, Josh G, Peter P and Rondo hit the front and the ride was steam-rollin.
There were a couple potential gaps but no one was dropping the big one off the front so it stayed all together. Ciocci, Guido and Mike McG led everyone up the hill on Mountain Rd and the speed was high the entire way down. There were probably plenty of strong guys who would have been willing to contribute on the front but it was manic and fast enough so that just getting to the front was a workout. Basically the ride should be like that all the time.
Coming up to Route 68, the light was green and everyone got the go ahead. On Moss Farms the fun didnt stop as Joshy G and the CCB ers hit the front and again, the gaps started opening up and guys had to dig deep to close em. It was here that the ride started shedding guys like a 4 day old sun-burn. The CCBers actually started powering off the front by themselves as the ride came up to the Chicane but that was shut down by Hunter P and Joshy G. It eased up for just a bit as everyone hit the hill up to Marion. Hunter P jumped with Chris C in tow and the two had a small gap that would end up being the most anyone would get tonight. It was shut down halfway to the industrial park and with Eric M, Guido, JoshG and a couple of others, it was fast all the way up to West Johnson ave.
Heading up to the Reinhard sprint, Mike McG and rondo were setting up their man well with hard efforts that told everyone to stay in line or else. Chris B was trying his usual shenanigans up there but there was no getting off the front. A group of about 7 hit Reinhard in a good spot with everyone else keeping it respectable behind. Little T was able to pop out and hit the hill hard, fending off a solid challenge from Ratatataata, and was able to get to the corner first. On the backside, it came all back together as guys were happy to get a chance to shine their shoes and get out of the red zone. Once onto Peck Lane, Chris B tried again to ride off the front, but that was quick to be dispatched and everyone came up to route 10 en masse.
The tail winds helped everyone along for the ride back. Eric M was still up there, Julio L, Josh G, CCB, Larry M was up there too. Coming up to the Stop n Shop sprint, Ratta took a huge flyer from 800 meters out.
He looked like he had a chance at it, but the speed ramped up a little and again, the Zane'ys hit it hard and kept it all together. Chris B as well as up there. Little T jumped out and nabbed this one again, with Guido and JoshG putting up a fight a little way behind.
Joshy G kept on the throttle after the hill and rolled away pretty quick by getting thru a light in the center of town. Behind him, Guido, Hunter P and Little T were also thinking breakaway and started going hard with the rest of the ride waiting at a light. Josh blasted thru the light at the high school with plenty of late day traffic still on the roads in front of a cop. The cop did a NYPDBlue 180 and sped up to pull Josh over. He was already out of the car and talking it over with JoshyG while the 3 chasers decided whether or not to ride by ho-hum-we-dont-know-him style. The whole peleton kinda slowed up and re collected amidst talk and reflection of how fortunate we all are to have police professionals who care enough for cyclists to point out matters of unsafty. Hunter P however, had kept up the hard riding and was looking to cheat sneak his way to the end. The ride finally got rolling along with speed and the usual strong guys were driving it home. Yalie Adam, Larry M, Eric M, Julio L, Rondo etc... Hunter would get caught with 500 meters to go just as Mike McG was leading the ride out to a decent end. Little T gets it in the end? There were a lot of guys up there as the ride into Hamden was a little somber due to the snatching of one rider who left the safety of the Peleton.
