The rains came and went just in time for the ride to get going. It seemed to thin the crown a little but the core 30 riders were there. The start this week was a little less mellow then weeks past and as soon as everyone got their legs wet it got going in ernest. Mike McG and Guido were early on up front. Dillon P, Hunter P, Hartmann, Thomas etc etc etc. There wasnt much by way of attacks until Mountain road when Eric M rode the first riser section hard, taking Guido and MaHoney with him. Those 3 looked dangerous up there and it seemed like Koski was playing a bit of defense for his man so the chase got going and the trio was reeled in shortly after. From there a lot more guys got involved in the rotation. Tri Guy Knee High, Yelle!Snoop, Chris C, Richy Sachs Chris, GHC Dennis, Tall Johhny, Elder Foley, etc. At some point the Robyn-ator got hit with a flat and Hubby Hunk Rondo gave up a wheel to let her carry on. So romantic!
Onto Moss Farms, where Eric M took off asap. Koski and Hunter P were right there and that got the pack going, stringing things out for most of the way down to the chicane. Tall John, looking fit as ever, and Mike McG came up and took over and it stayed fast till the corner. BikeShopBob and Jell!e Got things up the hill but it stayed compact onto Marion and all together heading up to 322. Pescatore, Chris C, Carquest Doug, Joshy G all getting involved up front. Joshy G lifted the pace as he approached the traffic light. It was red and everyone rolled thru together. Little did the peleton realize Joshy would keep on rolling the dice with the traffic lights in the hopes of getting a green.
Tall John jumped off the front coming up to Mount Vernon but no one was game so it was all together at first, Joshy G and Hunter P got things going leading to the usual mix of guys up front keeping the pace somewhat respectable. Too many faces up front to really get the rivets bent though and it stayed slower then it has been through this section. Guido moved up to get things going but some sloppy pace lining let him instead slip off the front, Yelle!Snoop bridged up shortly after and the break looked determined. BikeShopBob and Mahoney then powered up and as everyone was deciding whether to be concerned or to let it ride, the break moved up the road a decent amount. As the false flat section bit though the steam came out of the break. Eric M, Special Ed, and Mike McG drilling it up front certainly helped as well. The only other movement off the front came when a gap opened to Special Ed, Peter Kenny, Chris “I only have one cycling outfit” Crowle, and Eric M. That was short lived though and it was all together and calm for the turn onto Welch, although Larry M was at the front looking to start a fight.
Larry M at first on Welch, then Guido took over. Eddy A was near the front the whole time and that probably kept everyone alert. There was brief gap to the leading 5 but that was sewed up by Yell!e and Tri Doug. Once it was all together, the speed dropped for a bit as BSB, Thomas B and Larry M manned the front. Mike McG was the first to jump up and had Joshy G, Eric M and Hunter P right there. Mike shut it down after the corner, leaving Joshy to go it alone. He dug deep and got an immediate gap. Eric M also dug his heels in though and kept the gap to a minimum the entire way to the sprint point. A couple of times Josh would hit it, keeping the gap open, but every time, Eric would buckle down and keep him within 20 feet or so. Eric started the sprint but Hunter P was right there and came around the 2 and was able to hold off Jacinto, who had also tagged onto the leadout train.
Things slowed down as the ride moved back toward Cheshire. Heading under the underpass on Canal St, a gap opened up to a couple of guys up front. Guido stepped on it up front, taking advantage of the opportunity. Joshy G then attacked hard, thinking green-light-means-go for route 322. Guido and Joshy G had a 30 yard gap and sure enough the light was green-turning-yellow as they hit the intersection. The peleton stopped for the light and with the cycle lasting at least 30-45 seconds, everyone quickly realized it would be tough to bring the 2 back. Eric M,Thomas B, and a CVC rider snuck thru the red light to a chorus of boos from everyone else unclipped from their pedals. The 2 slowed up and waited for the pack while Eric M was turbo-ing up to the not-gonna-slow-break. He would never make it to the leaders though, even though all 3 were out of sight when the pack got onto the long straight of Peck ln.
When the peleton could,t see the break, it became evident that the catch was unlikely. Mike McG did his best nonetheless to police the chase and coax a solid pace from the front of the ride. MaHoney, Koski, Hunter P, Tri Doug, Tall John, BenGe, Chris C etc, all having a part in the chase. Stomachs full of anger as the peleton was single minded. Hell even Robyn was up there chasing hard, and soon enough Eric M was back in sight. The police led the ride slide thru some one lane road construction on Route 10 super fast ( thanks guys ).
The stop n shop sprint was negated for everyone, as Joshy G and Guido were working super good up front, despite the headwind and of course the chase behind did not sprint it out. Eric M would hang on, fighting off the front, till nearly the end. But all everyone could think of was the cheeky move thru the red light. Josh and Guido would end up with a 45 second win, despite hitting their fair share of red lights thru Cheshire.
Up the hill went Mountain Man, Dennis, Gregg F, Mahoney, Christian Olympics, and Hunter P, who got to the top first.
