The “S” in crash is for Sucks
Decent ride tonight, a little on the slow side but hey everyone was probably working off burgers, beer and too much sulfur inhalation. The weather was perfect and a large group was out for it. Everyone stayed together thanks to a good pace on Route 10 from Peter K and VQ Rob. Soon after, Dillon P and Tri Doug moved off the front and got things going. Peter K also was up front drilling it.... No wait, that was from last week's notes... They may get scattered in with this week.... sorry.
No one attacked through the first few miles of the ride, although Guido found himself off the front as apparently no one else was zee-zocken enough for it. Thomas B came up and bridged the gap and brought it all together mid way thru Brooksvale Ave. On the rough roads, Yel!e Snoop got hit with a flat and so did another unidentified rider. Once onto Mountain Rd the Yellow-shoe-team of Eric M and Rattatatat did a good chunk of work and from then the usual guys came up and helped. Toward the end of Mountain, as the speed dropped down, a small group got off the front ( Eric M, Ratta, Chris C, a new guy on a C'dale and a couple of others ). Guido charged up to the group along with Hunter P and Mahoney but it was a little too late and the red light brought everyone together.
The start of Moss Farms was also slower then usual. Once it got going a handful of strong guys briefly made it off the front but the peleton was attentive and the group was chased down despite some good turns from Mike McG and CCB Sasha up front in the break. It was all together going into the chicane and the speed went down again briefly before being resuscitated by Ratta, Eric M and Mike McG. That same core group pushed the pace to the industrial park along with help from Tri Doug, Young Suto, and a couple of others.
Once over 322, VQ Rob hit the front and rolled off it but no one responded right away, Guido also got involved but for the most part, it was break time in the peleton until a little ways down Mount Vernon. A lot of guys got involved up front ( nice to see Sean from Berlin Bike\Best Cleaners out on the ride ). The false flat shook things up again as Little T, Tall John and Christian Olympics hit the front hard, giving a couple of guys the chance at riding off the front toward the end of the section. Thomas B, Chris C had a decent gap which Hunter P and SashaCCB closed soon after. From there it was back to the usual for the run-in to Welch Rd turnaround.
Once on Welch, Mike McG, who has become the Mark Renshaw of the SG ride, was up there setting a solid tempo along with Bike Shop Bob and Guido. The pace making let the sprinters sort things out behind without worrying too much about attacks, and sure enough, everyone went thru the corner for West st all together. CCB, Scott Glenney, Little T, Hunter P, Eric M were up there at the sharp end with Eric M doing a chunk of work before Little T jumped with Hunter P on his wheel. T gets another as neither Hunter P or CCB Sasha could come around. Jacinto and the new guy were up there as well but so long as Little T is channeling his inner Philbert, it will take a different approach to get the best of him. Oh and Matt Sack again scared everyone with his cleat coming un-engaged, which is a feat considering he is in India right now.
Behind, the rest of the ride was close and in contact on the descent. On the the downhill we all got to enjoy the weird sight of the legendary christmas tree light recumbent rider. But like a nerdy cousin, if you ignore him, he will most likely go away to tinker in solitude. On the ride up West St, Luekens went down when he got squeezed into the curb and hit some sand. Fortunately he was ok and he had a couple of guys hang with him for the ride back.
Up front, the ride didnt get going again until Peck lane when Hunter P, Mahogany and Tri Doug ramped it up and everyone else was game. This led to a brisk pace ( Sasha, Berlin Sean, Glenney, Etc ) up the false flat section of Peck ln and decent speed in thru the new street surface section. Once onto Route 10, Mike McG came back up front and was drilling it. Yel!e Snoop, who had reconnected after fixing his 2(!) flats, got hit with another. Sux! The soft pedaling new haveners looking after Craig L were able to stop and provide another tube for him.... Cause the animals in the front of the ride certainly weren't going to stop and help. You guys are mean.
The run-in to Stop n shop was fast fast fast.... As Little T recruited CCB Sasha for a leadout, Chris C, Keltic O'Shea, Koski, Thomas B and the New guys on a C'dale were at a good clip up front. CCB's leadout wasnt the best, but Little T didnt need it anyway as he danced away with another. Eric M got a good chance at beating him but just came up short.
The ride back into Hamden was uneventful. Eric M, Bike Shop Bob, Neil Suto, Sasha and a couple of others would try to sneak off the front but nothing would have much of a chance. For the finale it was Little T duking it out with Mike McG till the bitter end. And up the hill went Tri Doug, The Mountain Man, Hunter P, Gregg F, the Bikers Edge MTB crew, MoMoney, and one or 2 others. Tri Doug gets this one, coming around Mountain Man at the very end.
Good ride everyone! Now stop yer belly aching....
