Tuesday the 17th

BIG crowds for the ride on an awesome day.

    Everybody and your mom was out for the tonight’s ride. Big crowds from the turn in weather. Bigger crowds thanks to there not being a race up at the ‘Rent tonight. From the get go Big Red Mike Grome was active off the front. Alec C, visiting home on a trip away from college was also pushing the pace deliberately along with the Sernyak. It stayed together and fast all the way up to Mountain Rd. Hacker, Chris C, The Sernyak, a new guy with a Pacific Jersey and older BMC, Mike McG,  and a couple of others hit it hard. That led to Hunter P and Big Red getting off the front by the second set of risers. They held a gap for a quick bit and once they were caught Dave H took off the front with great timing. There was chasers to respond to him though. Big Red, Ciocci, Pescatore, Aidan, and a couple of others. The field was single file as it came up to the light, which stayed green long enough for all to get thru.
     Once onto Moss Farms, Hunter P attacked, taking along Alan B, The Sernyak and 2 others. The CCAP boys came up to the front after they were caught, as well as Alec C and it turned into a drag race to the Chicane. Alec C stayed up front, as well as Big Red, but no one was escaping. A tire wrench in the road got thrown up and hit a couple of riders near the turn for the industrial park but thankfully everyone stayed upright.
     Once onto Mount Vernon, Cassie C, Chris C, Mike Frisk and a couple of others were near the front but once again, Big Red tore off a gap with Hunter P. It was short lived though and everyone was together for the rest of the fast trip down Mount Vernon. Getting onto Welch rd. it would end up being a record breaking night for the run into the sprint. After pretty much everyone jumped on Hacker’s heels when he jumped up, Joe K ended up nabbing the KOM for the Welch Rd segment. He also had enough in the tank to impressively sprint up to the corner as well. He carried a gap of about 30 meters thru the corner and just kept pedaling away into the headwind. Behind, there were more than a couple of Cheshire jerseys crowding out and discouraging the chasers and Joe took it all the way to the line.
    In the chase that followed, Joe would be joined by Hunter P and then a little while longer by Big Red. The pack was nearly taken out by a right turning car and slammed on the brakes. There was some additional traffic to deal with for the peleton before the downhill on West Street. Meanwhile up the road, the 3 leaders went to work building up a gap and they would not be caught for the rest of the night. Joe K would turn to head home in the center of Cheshire leaving Big Red and Hunter P to take it the way back into Hamden.

Great ride everyone. Next week, the cops get involved!