Tuesday the 22nd

Welcome to Belgium 

Another bumbakotch weather day means a low turnout means grumpy Chris C means little places to hide in the pack. 15-20 guys were out and set off. The usual suspects, a few CCR guys, the Stop n shop skeleton crew, a couple of new haveners, and a new guy from Yale. After pleasantries and a quick debate about next week’s transition to the long loop we were rolling.
   The ride started out with a proper amount of mellow in everyone's tires. On Brooksvale Chris C upped the pace just after the Gingerbread house. Mike McG and The Gibertoni joined him. It came back all together after a neutralized corner onto Mountain rd. Quite sketchy. Soon after it was vol-gas once again. With the group widdling quickly under the pressure, all the Easter prayers in the world couldn’t save them from the green light waiting at the end of Mountain.
   Joe K, Chris, and Mike hit it again on Moss Farms but not much cooperation from the front meant that an opportunity for the new Yale guy to head off the front. He was allowed 50 meters before The Gibertoni chased, caught, and went to work up front. The two rode through the Chicane and the corner of Marion together before Chris C bridged up. Soon after, with little motivation in the "peleton", Mike McG rode up soon after as the leaders rode into the industrial park. Onto the corner for West Johnson, a stalled car at the stop sign slowed the group, giving Jacinto and a few others the chance to ride thru and pick up the pace as the jockeying for Reinhard began. Unfamiliar with the route and being on the front, the new Yale guy headed straight for route 10 as Jacinto, Neumotion, Chris C, Mike McG tried to make the turn for the show down. That got the some grumblecakes out of the oven. As Chris C would say "Rule #1 - If you don't know the route, stay off the front". Sometimes it's best to keep the sand outta his shorts new guy but more often than not, it's better to try to tear his legs off. Keep up the great work! We hope the Yalie is back soon to try to up the pace.
    For the sprint, Joe K was creeping behind the front runners and hit the afterburners to go clear to the turn and take the prize. On the backside, the pace was fast down the hill and through the turn on to Peck. With the group down to just 7 (Jacinto, Neumotion, Chris C, McG, Joe K, Kurt D, Gibertoni) the ride back on RT 10 was fair-work with everyone pitching in. For the Stop n Shop sprint, Neumotion took it, jumping out from the wheels at the last moment, which got some more grumblecakes. For the finale, a final few solid pulls from Kurt D, Dillon P, and The Gibertoni left the sprint to be contested by Chris C, Jacinto and Mike McG with the big guy taking it at the end. 
   Good ride everyone. Next week, perhaps the long loop??? Let's hear your opinion in the comments.