Tuesday the 12th

The Days are Numbered
 

September is here to to stay and that means that this week was time foe a shortened loop. NHGP is this Friday which meant it was dress rehearsal for a couple of the SGR riders that are taking to the start line in Downtown New Haven. 

After the ride left route 10, Jason Williams at the front pushing the pace. Turner F and Sean M as well. The ride proceeded on though without much incident and the pace was normal. At one point there both Tom K and Tom C were out in front by few meters. The two Toms were brought back by Turner F, Hunter P and Big Red.  

Halfway down Mountain Rd, Dan Smith attacked and got a gap. Turner went to the front and brought it back over a minute or two. When the catch was made, Hunter P counter-attacked and created a gap going towards the light. 6 or 7 reacted quickly enough that they were close, and closing in, by the intersection. The light was green for the approach, then yellow with 30 meters to go. Hunter P had a (shrinking) gap and went through just after it turned red. Behind Matt Z was a bike length or two off the front of the chase and 4 or 5 bikes behind HunterP. Sensing what was about to happen, he had jumped to get across, or at least jumped to make some room from the Rest. The Rest slammed on the brakes. The remaining 10 or so riders of the peleton were 2 seconds behind and everyone had their foot down in a few moments. 

Matt Z and Hunter P held their gap all the way to the Greenhouse Climb.

Behind the pack had some good efforts, but occasional attacks hurt the rhythm of the chase. Chris C would drop his chain near the industrial park. Sean M stopped with him, and those two would shortcut back on to the ride as it came back south.

As everyone hit the Greenhouse climb, from certain angles the two up front could be seen off in the distance. Little T attacked right from the bottom. Sean C went with him initially. Soon Sean M and Turner F bridged up, making it 4 on the early slopes. The pace was pulling back Matt and Hunter P.

Everyone in the chase traded attacks and the gap steam-rolled shut. Sean C attack. Turner attacked, then Little T jumped the last bit to close it down. Up front. Hunter P was pulling all the way to make sure the two would make it to the sprint line. They did, and Matt Z rolled through the line first, followed by Hunter P and then Little T. It all came back together after that, including the rest of the peleton.

From there on in, it was hard riding all the way in. Little T gave Sean C a lead out for the final sprint. T jumped from the last intersection, up and over the first riser. Sean Cahill was able to jump to take it. Behind, TC 2nd, and Big Red rolled over the line in 3rd.

Great ride everyone!

Tuesday the 5th

"Up! Up!" (I need to get my self-esteem up)

Summer is on it's way out as evidenced by the smaller field out tonight. Just 16 or 17 depending on when you took role call.

Once the pace got going off route ten, Humble Paul was all over the front of the ride, attacking a couple of times and holding a gap for a several hundred meters at a time. Behind, the guys what would normally be attacking were not. Towards the end of Mountain Rd Turner F and Dan Smith would push off the front but no one was letting that get very far. Hunter P also had a dig for the light, but it was red which brought it all togehter for Moss Farms.

Things picked up a bit on Moss Farms, with Little T, Turner, Jason Williams, Hunter P, Dan Smith, Humble Paul, and a couple of others pushing the pace off the front. Running towards the light on 322, Hunter P attacked hard, taking Sean Cahill with him. The light was red though so it was all together heading onto Mount Vernon.

Turner F and Sean Maher were pushing the pace on Mount Vernon early on and it looked like they would inspire a breakaway but there was enough push from the pack to keep it together. Onto Welch and the turnaround where there was not too much pressure on the front. Sean Cahill pushed off the front 400 meters from the hill and he carried a decent gap through the corner. Behind, Little T launched it at the base of the hill, taking Hunter P with him. Turner F also jumped off the front shortly after in chase. Little T and Hunter P would catch Sean C halfway to the sprint, and soon Turner was there to make it 4. The light before the sprint turned red and stacked a couple of cars up, so the sprint was negated.  

The surge was big enough against a peleton depleted enough to make for a huge gap. The four stayed on it, caught a light and, pushed thru another near the I84 exchange and was gone. Dan Smith pushed off the front charging to the sprint and stayed on it on the downhill to get into the break.

So 5 riders were off the front and would not be caught again. Back in the " peloton" it came down to six or seven guys working but they were pretty beat. Sean M and Jason Williams were doing a fair amount of work with Humble Paul, Dillon P.  

Up front, the break was growing the gap. Sean C attacked a couple of times, only to be brought back by Hunter P or Dan Smith. Heading onto Cheshire St after West Johnson, Turner attacked off the front and was allowed to go. He would make it the entire way back into Hamden alone but was in sight nearly the whole way.

Turner was first up the Greenhouse climb, with Hunter P coming in next. Past that there were no friendships being made in the small chase group.

Small attacks and surges were the norm. Dan Smith got popped going up that little rise on Boulder. Sean C attacked hard up Tuttle, and from there it was cat and mouse between Sean and Little T. T took it to the line, but of course it was all behind Turner F, who made it solo but within sight the entire time.

Tuesday the 29th

He Spit On My Shoe!

 The rich tapestry of life continued with this week's SGR. A medium sized group left the lot and was in for treat tonight, as the long-loop nears the end of its run.

Once again it was Steve B and CW leading the early charge. The first attack of the evening came from Turner F, who snuck away on one of the early corners and was allowed to roll. Turning onto Mountain Rd. Little T jumped across the gap using a car to tow himself halfway up the gap, but it wasn't enough to get all the way. That lit the chase up behind and soon it was all back together again for the rest of Mountain Rd.  Brian O had another dig at the front in a counterattack, but that didn't last long.

As the group came up to the light at the end of Mountain Rd, It was green. Everybody was correctly anticipating it turning yellow, and sure enough, it switched as the ride came up to <100 meters. In famous do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do fashion, Chris C rolled through the yellow light just as it was turning red. He was the only one from the front. Close behind, Steve B, Turner F, Dillon P hit the brakes bringing the group to a stop. Or, so it would seem.....

From 10 guys back, Little rolled through thru at an angle with Hunter P on his wheel. Everyone with a foot down started cursing the trio out.

The light ran it's course and it wasn't too long before the group got thru the intersection but the escapees were well gone so it would seem.

Up the road, it wasn't smooth sailing for the breakaway.
Hunter P: "I'm not working, the entire group has no business being there, passing others who stopped at the light"
Little T: " I thought the front was rolling thru the light. It looked like guys were accelerating (just before they slammed on the brakes)"
Chris C: "It was yellow! F you and your principles (and safety.... and manners... and the reasonable use of a recognizable American dialect... And for god sakes, stop at the lights when you're leading 30 other guys through (wink wink)"

Hunter P let Chris roll away, and Little T agreed. Everyone (except for Chris C) was back together by the light on 322. The pace on Mount Vernon was steady but unimpressive as it seemed no one was in a hurry to chase down Chris C. In about a kilometer he was in sight, and in another kilometer it was all back together again. Then the attacks started from Turner F, and Tri-Guy Fecik, Dan S, Brian O and others.

At some point, Turner and Chris C had words about what had happened eariler at the light. There may or may not have been some saliva-sliders pitched from Turner F in Chris' direction. Crowell went (low-grade) nuclear at this. At a certain point, he admitted he was speechless at the action (to which everyone within earshot prepared their finest loogies)

Onto Welch where Steve B launched it off the front early on. Then a trio led by Sean Maher and Jon Fecik took off in chase. Steve B had a solid gap but was slowly coming back to Sean M and Jon Fecik. Behind, the rest of the pack was going slow, with Turner F setting steady pace into the slight headwind. Then, USAC official and vintage SGR rider Bruce McG came roaring through the front of the chase on his e-bike. That got things going real fast, and soon it was strung out. Steve B was not going to be caught. The other chasers would have been caught by the top of the hill, but for a bit of traffic, and some stern words behind Bruce to not sprint off the wheel of the e-bike.

So, the question is how to approach the electrical assist when it's around? Being the purist group of dickheads that the SGR is, ebikes have not been a topic yet. But the future is electric, so leave your vote in the new poll.

It all came back together on the backside, and the ride back towards Cheshire was uneventful. The next attacks were from Dan S, Sean M, and Jon Fecik. They hit it on Atwater St and rolled off the front. The light at 322 was red though. That trio kept on it a couple of times. Surging after the light on route 10 as well. By then, everyone was wise to it, and it was altogether heading into the greenhouse climb. Big Red had a dig, Chris C pushed the pace up the climb, Turner F sat near the front. Brian O was the troublemaker this time, and he rolled off and built enough of a gap to take it. Little T, locked in with the chase that didn't happen jumped late and just missed coming around Brian O at the end. Steve B also sprinted and was third through the line.

The e-bike was back for the final few miles, and Bruce surged hard up the climb on Tuttle, which broke off a small group containing all the strong guys. From that, Little T took the finale, with Turner F and Brian O following up.

Tuesday the 22nd

As He Says, Not Does

Good weather meant the return of the 25-plus crowd for the sleeping giant ride. The pace getting going was average until Steve B and Erin Rand hit the front trying recreate the breakaway of last week. Chris C and Sean M were wise to to the early moves, and it stayed together. Steve B accelerated a couple more times, and each time Turner F and Erin R were there to play defense. The most successful early break came when Steve B and Chris C rolled off the front through an early intersection, in a  questionable move that put the rest of the pack into the path an on coming car. The irony of it being Chris C was easily found by even the dullest of SGR regulars, and many in the pack spent the next 20 seconds cracking jokes.

With Turner patrolling the front like a mako, the two up the way had a gap the entire time into Mountain Rd and through it. Behind it came down to Dan Smith, Joe K, Hunter P, Rich N, Cedric and maybe one or two others putting in the chase work. The gap was coming down by the end of Mountain Rd and the red light sealed the deal and brought it all back together.

 Onto Moss farms where Hunter P, Turner F, and J Fesik the Tri guy all had solid pushes on or off the front. Going into the chicane Little T hit the front and he had TCC and Fecik up there pushing the pace, but it stayed together all the way to the light.

Through the detour, Hunter P attacked, and AlejetHuber took off with him. Then Turner F hit it hard and by the top of the climb, a small grenade had gone off the pack, and riders were everywhere. Hunter P led down back toward Marion on the way and a handful of riders close to the front followed. Another handful of riders took the Roseanna Rd shortcut, which dumped them out onto Mount Vernon 5 seconds in front of the strongest riders (who were no-doubt thinking they had a gap). The "break" turned into a chase and in kilo or two it was back together, however a few stragglers who went with the leaders but could not close the early gap to them would get caught out and dropped for the night, or have to shortcut back on West St.

The run down Mount Vernon was standard stuff. Steve B attacked once more halfway to the turnaround, and then Sean Cahill timed his jump across perfectly. Those two hit the corner for Welch with a 7-8 second gap and had a good chance for the sprint. There was not much of an early chase, and the gap was up as the hill and corner loomed. Behind, Little T jumped hard at the base of the climb and was able to get to the two leaders. Sean C jumped along and those two went to the line with Little T nabbing it. Steve B was between the duo and the pack, and it would all came back together on the backside.

The next action was on Atwater, where Justin Hardwick jumped hard before the hill under the highway. Then Hunter P jumped hard on the hill and those two went to work holding a gap to the light. The light was red, but Hunter P slipped thru between cars, Justin held up and the pack was right there. The red light lasted for another 30 seconds. That, plus the ramp back up to speed gave Hunter P a cushion up the road. The chase was slow moving through to the next light on route 10, but it picked up after that.

Too little too late though, as Hunter P was able to hold the gap (and slip through lights) to the end and finish in front by that same 30 seconds.

Little T cleaned up the sprints from the pack.



 

Tuesday the 15th

The Break Gets It

We had a few guests of honor out tonight. Matt A from Greenwich ride fame, John Daut, and the return of Damien the French Wonder Roy! They were treated to a steady ride today because all the 'stangs were up the road in a break.

Hunter P attacked as soon as the ride turned off route 10, Big Red went with him, and the Steve B and Little T surged up. Then Turner F came up. The last to join was Dan Smith. Big Red dropped back early on, and that left 5 up the road. 

The gap hovered at 7-10 seconds for a less than km. Up hill onto North Brooksvale, the leaders hit it hard and were gone. They rolled through the light at the end of Mountain Rd and that was all that was needed. 

Turner F went for the first sprint, but Little T ended up getting it. For the greenhouse climb sprint, Little T and Steve B fought it out. Little T got it by less than a bike length. The leaders stayed together. Behind, the peleton was moving steady. Unimpressive pulls from a bunch of riders and no one was interested in the sprints. Many red lights slowed it down. Even still, it was down to just 12 or so by the end. 

Up front, Steve B had chain issues and dropped back after the sprint, leaving four to finish it up. Hunter P took the final sprint in front of Little T.

Tuesday the 8th

Smaller field as the final Tuesday Night Crit at Rentschler Field was going on.

Points run down:

Turnaround sprint:
Little T
Sean Cahill
Tri Guy Fecik

Greenhouse Sprint:
Little T
TK
The skinner Sean... Sean Maher

Final Sprint:
Little T
Rich Nadeau
Sean Maher

Tuesday August 1

 (Recap)

Tuesday the 25th

 Rained out!

July the 18th

Steam Rollin Thru Summer! 

Tonight's ride was made fun and interesting by a new guy, Sebastian Silberman. He impressed all by hitting the front on Mountain Rd and holding what had to be 450w as the pack strung out single file behind him. He gave notice for sure, and it led to things being a bit more conservative on Mount Vernon.

That didn't stop Steve B and Sean Maher from attacking going into the turnaround sprint. They would end up having a huge gap by the time the turn onto West St came up. Sean M launched it first for the sprint point, but Steve B chased him down Sean to beat him at the mailbox. 

Fast forward to route ten crossing, Little T and Big Red were nursing a breakaway on West Johnson, but they got the light going across route 10. That meant that Steve B, Turner F and Brian O had to go into chase mode. They would catch them in time for the Greenhouse climb but Little T was able to sneak off before the light at the top of the climb. The rest held up slightyl waiting for green and that was enough for Little T to take the points. Steve B was second jumping from the group. 

After that Little T had an issue he had to deal with, which meant he dropped out. That left Steve B and Sean Cahill to team up and go two-man breakaway style for the rest of the ride. They would end up finishing over 1 min up on the fractured chase.

Tuesday the 11th

The Predictable Version of SGR

Slow Start:
The ride kicked off with a slow start, as everyone settled into their positions and got into the rhythm. Everyone was chatty as they geared up for the exciting ride ahead.

MTN Rd Stretch Out:
As the pack hit Mountain Rd, the pace started picking up, and the group began to stretch out. A few riders, including most of the New Haven Angels, CW and Steve B, took charge at the front, setting a reasonable pace for the rest of the group. Steve B shot off the front and held a gap for nearly the entire run to the light at route 68.

Breathtaking Attacks and Chases:
Suddenly, the peaceful stretch was interrupted by an explosive attack from Joe K. He made a daring move, and Chris C was quick to respond, chasing him down with all his might. The adrenaline was pumping, and it seemed like everyone was on the edge of their seats.

Brian O's Bold Move:
Not long after, Brian O and Turner launched a surprise attack, catching everyone off guard. The pack struggled to respond to the unexpected move, and some riders found themselves fractured at the chicane.

Hunter P and George E Bridge the Gap:
Amidst the chaos, Hunter P and George Elias managed to bridge the gap, taking advantage of the moment to surge forward and stringing out the group all the way.

Quad Z and the Mysterious Rider:
At the base of Mount Vernon, Quad Z made a bold jump, pushing hard to gain some distance. Another rider, whose name eluded the AI, also took a chance, making the climb an exhilarating spectacle.

Joe K's Tenacity:
Joe K wasn't done yet, as he once again initiated a chase, with Chris C attempting to keep up. However, Chris couldn't sustain the effort and stalled out, leaving Joe to forge ahead.

Welch Hill Climbing Battle:
The next challenge was Welch Hill, and Joe K was back at it, taking off up the incline. Turner was right behind him, and Little T closely followed, creating a thrilling hill-climbing battle. Little T took the prize less than a bike length ahead of Hunter P. Brian O got the final points place.  

Group Cohesion and the Angel's Effort:
On the backside, a group came together and collaborated to shut down any attacks before the road went uphill again. The Angels, and Rusty worked hard to bridge the gap and put in an impressive effort.

Henk's Uphill Power:
As we hit the uphill section, Henk displayed incredible strength, accelerating and leaving others in awe of his prowess.

Accelerations up East Johnson:
The ride concluded with a few more accelerations up East Johnson, leaving everyone breathless and exhilarated after an action-packed adventure.

Turner and Brian O Take Charge:
As the ride progressed, Turner and Brian O continued to showcase their dominance on the challenging Greenhouse climb. They surged forward, leaving other riders in their wake. Vlad Z tried to keep up with the powerful duo, but they were a force to be reckoned with.

Quad Z's Sprint Jump:
As the ride approached the anticipated sprint, Quad Z made an audacious early jump, hoping to catch others off guard. The rest of the group quickly followed, each rider vying for the top spot in the final dash to the finish line.

Hunter P Secures Second Place:
In the thrilling sprint, Hunter P displayed incredible speed and determination, securing second place just ahead of the tenacious Steve B.

Tom-Foolery at Route 70:
A strong group of riders, including Hunter P, Steve B, Little T, and Quad Z, continued to push on, engaging in a bit of light-hearted tom-foolery as they approached the light for Route 70.

Breakaway Efforts:
Hunter P and Steve B took charge in the breakaway, shouldering the workload as they maintained their lead ahead of the rest of the pack. Little T and Quad Z collaborated (sort of), adding their strength to the mix.

Brian O Leads the Charge:
With a flying Brian O at the helm, the main pack charged relentlessly, determined to close the gap and catch up to the breakaway. Brian O displayed remarkable tenacity as he drove the pace.

Brian O's Sneaky Move:
As the group approached the uphill section of Boulder Rd, Brian O attempted to sneak away, hoping to gain a crucial advantage. However, the rest of the riders were quick to react, preventing him from creating a significant gap.

The Final Showdown:
With the ride nearing its end, the entire pack bunched together for an intense and fast finale. Tensions were high as riders jockeyed for position, each eager to secure a coveted podium spot.

Little T Takes the Win:
In the last few meters, Little T found an extra burst of energy and skillfully maneuvered to the front, crossing the finish line triumphantly, claiming the well-deserved victory.

Hunter P's Consistency:
Hunter P showcased impressive consistency, securing yet another second-place finish, showcasing his tenacity and skill throughout the ride.

Steve B Clinches Third:
Not to be outdone, Steve B displayed a strong performance, earning a commendable third place in the fierce competition.

In the end, this unforgettable cycling adventure saw exhilarating sprints, daring breakaways, and impressive teamwork. The riders' passion and camaraderie were evident throughout the journey, making it a truly remarkable and thrilling experience for all involved. It's safe to say that all participants had an unforgettable and adrenaline-fueled experience on this cycling journey!

Tuesday the 4th

 The redcoats are coming! The redcoats are coming! (also, it's raining on the 4th of July, and so there is no ride today)

Tuesday the 27th

 Another Smallish Group Lays Waste  

It was a fast night headlined by CW crushing it at the front. They drove the pace FAST on Moss Farms, which split the field and spit out riders. Steve B took advantage of Little T (Club Med holiday) and Hunter P (the 'Rent) being away from the ride on this night, and he racked up all three sprints.

Turnaround!
Steve B
Brian O
Turner F

Greenhouse!
Steve B
Sean M
Erin Rand

Finale!
Steve B
Rich Nadeau
Turner F

Tuesday the 20th

MidSummerDoldrums

Wild Bill started the evening off by surging off the front on Mount Sanford. A combo of Angels and CW up front, increasing the pace, eventually rounded him up once again. There was the usual separation taking place as the ride got to Mountain Road but it was all together with no one attacking on Mountain. George from New Haven was up front looking to attack at a couple of spots but there were plenty of guys (Greg the XC guy, Sean M, Noah B, Turner French, etc) keeping it close. Also helping out was the strong tailwind from the south, which kept the pace high without anoyone needing to crush themselves.

Things got going harder for the start of Mount Vernon, where Turner F, Hunter P, George M, and a couple of others ramped up the pace and drove a gap into the front of the group. That led to Brian O and two others off the front pushing hard with a gap going onto Marion. Sean M came up and thru, closing the gap with Hunter P and Noah B on his wheel.

It the chase was on and everyone would be caught soon after, and the pace reset as it came up on the light for 322. On the otherside of the light, heading to Mount Vernon, there were a few accelereations but nothing that was going anywhere. Once things settled down on Mount Vernon, the pace dropped down quite a bit. Either everyone was tired, being aided by the tail wind, or was thinking about the inevitable hammerdrop to come at the turnaround.

CW moved to the front at Welch and set a quick pace into the crosswind. Erin R, then Brian O, then Turner F. That drove the peleton into an unfamiliar single-file formation heading to the climb and the corner. Brian O took the front the corner, then Turner F took over halfway to the sprint. There were 4-5 cars lined up at the traffic light. Even though the light turned green before the sprinters arrived, getting safely around the slowly accelerating cars meant slowing down big time. The sprint to the mailbox on the right at the very top of the rise was negated.

On the backside, Steve B was using his postion at the front to get a look at pushing off the front. George M was moving up to the front as well, but red lights by the highway shut that down. From there, the group reset, came all back together, and went slowly as it headed back into Cheshire. The pace was downright leisurely at times. This allowed XC Greg to roll off the front getting onto Atwater and he held that gap for a km or so.

The ride crossed over 322 again without action. The next to attack was Grumpy Paul, who pushed off the front with Big Red chasing as the ride got up to the light on Route 10. Steve B also tried to sneak off close to thle light but it was red which killed that. On the other side, Tom Krol and a couple of New Haven Angels took off the front and got to work on a gap as the rest of the pack lazily got going toward the greenhouse. Then another group, with Tim Cormier and more angels got into the gap chasing. Behind, CW massed at the front, with Erin R once again making the early push to ramp up the speed.

CW controlled the front up to the base of the Greenhouse Climb, which set up Turner F and Brian O to lead the field up the hill. Vlad Z also chipped in with a pull. For the sprint, Steve B jumped, along with Little T and Hunter P. Hunter P came around with a few meters to go, with Little T, then Steve B 3rd over the line.

There were plenty of surges heading back into Hamden, but nothing that stuck. Little T got the final sprint again, with Brent DB just staying in front of a charging Steve B, who got third.

Tuesday the 13th

 

Tuesday the 6th

Turnaround!
Little T
Cahill
Hacker

Greenhouse!
Little T
Hacker
Cahill

Finale!
Little T
Cahill
Tom K

Tuesday the 30th

Turnaround!
Little T
Sean Quadzilla Cahill
Sean M

Greenhouse!
Little T
Sean Quadzilla Cahill
Sean M

Finale!
Little T
Rich Nadaeu
Maher

Tuesday the 23rd

Eyes Bigger than his Balls

Another great turnout for ride as everyone is training for the 62.5 miles race disguised as a fundraiser, the CCAP's Breakaway Benefit. More new faces were out, (Great to see Sean Cahill out) as well as a couple of the stronger riders from the last couple of weeks. 

Soon after route 10, Hunter P jumped off the front and took along Steve B. Those two were going hard for a couple of streets worth, but some traffic in a corner gave the pack the chance to come back up. From there the pace stayed high as guys like Rich N, Jon Fecik, Sean M, and TCC were rotating through the front, keeping the pace high. The start of mountain rd saw a few guys looking like they were getting ready to gun it but it didnt amount to much. Hunter P and Steve B launched it again off the front as the light on route 68 came up. The light went green at the last second, giving everyone the pass. 

On Moss Farms, Steve B wasn't done. He stayed near the front and that turned into an attack with Hunter P and Chris C. There wasnt much of a gap from that. Just a hard push that drove the pace up. 

Tom K and Sean M lit it up going up to Marion, and with Hunter P attacking the gap, then Steve B, it looked for a moment something could be developing but enough guys responded and filled in the gaps before the ride went by the industrial park. Tom K was still working the front as the ride got close to route 322. He had a couple of guys with him. 

The light was green as everyone approached. The leading 3 or 4 guys made it clean. There was a 10-15 meter gap to the next group of 18-20 riders. Then another similar gap to approx 10 riders making up the third group. The first group was fine going under light. The next group, if it was adhering to what certain loud mouths on the ride bitch and moan about, should have slammed on the brakes and stopped for the safety of all those behind them. They didn't. No one rider can be blamed or penalized of course, but this was another illuminating instance that shows the reality of the ride.

We're going to do what we're going to do. Some moves will be considered dumb or unsafe, but in the end rarely anything is done that is truly dangerous. Everyone wants the ride to be as safe as possible, however we ALL are going to break the "rules" at some point. Anyone that complains about specific actions but shows a double standard is not to be taken seriously.

The group that got held up continued on after the light and reportedly had a great time working hard as a smaller group. "Way harder and better than with the entire pack"  

Up the road, Steve B continued his assault off the front with repeated attacks. Sean M was up there as well. Steve went all in for a big attack halfway on Welch and was able to take it all the way to the sprint. Little T was second over the line. 

Back into Cheshire, Steve B and Chris C slipped off the front on East Johnson ave after the light on Route 10. Seeing an opportunity up the road, Little T bridged up to that group on the hill before the corner for Meriden Rd. That made 3 up the road cruising toward the greenhouse climb. Out of nowhere like Batrman, Sean QuadZilla Cahill was spotted charging across the gap. He came up a bit short and would latch on after the sprint, which Little T took from the breakaway. Cahill still gets old-man points 

Steve B stayed on the gas after the sprint, and managed to just barely catch a yellow/red light as the rest stopped. This also gave a chance for most of the group to get back together. The group got organized to chase Steve B but lots of tired legs made for a slow ramp-up. TK got to the front and pushed the pace higher just after Half Moon rd, then Sean C pulled up the riser to the corner. Chris C stayed on the front up the hill to the stop sign, where Steve B was back in sight.

 

On the descent of Tuttle, Sean C attacked to get across the gap. Those that made for two opening up a gap until Alex DS and a few others put in some work to limit it. Coming around the final turn bend through the stop sign, it was nail-biting tight, but a big surge up the second-to-last riser from Little T and Sean C ended it. Little T was able to get the final sprint, with Steve B next across the line. 

The "first half" of the year ends with a good ride, albeit with some drama. Next week, a good number of guys will be up at Rentschler Field pinning a number and actually racing bikes, so the ride could change flavor. Or, you know, it could be the same ol same ol SGR.

 

Tuesday the 16th

A couple more weeks of All-State Action at SGR!

A few new faces were out today, which was awesome. Great to Karel C and Nuemotion out on the ride. Once the ride turned off route 10, Steve B tried to sneak off the front but was tracked down soon after by CristianV and Dan Banana. The pace settled down from there, it was steady heading thru Cheshire. Dan Banana was back at the front pushing the pace before Mountain Rd. That got some attention from guys in the pack. Mike Hons was active on Mountain Rd, and Steve B tried to get off the front again before the light came up. The reaction was there, and the light was red anyway.

On Moss Farms, Cristian V and Hacker were up at the front pushing the pace. Hons took another flyer going onto Marion with a strong move, but in the end, it stayed all together. The pace was high as guys like Dan Banana and CristianV were at the front setting a strong tempo.

Across the light heading to, Cedric B, Steve B, Hunter P, and a couple of others jumped off the front to get a head start onto Mount Vernon but there were a few cars at the lefthander there which shut it down.
From there, no surprises heading north. CristianV was at the front plenty. Jeff Scala, Dan Banana, and new guy Jon Fecik. Plenty of rotation up front, no big attacks, all together for Mount Vernon.

Heading onto Welch, a couple of guys were pushing off the front. Steve May, Ben Gram, and Brent DLB with one or two others. It all came back together on Welch though. Heading to the corner, once again there were several riders accelerating to the corner and quickly turning onto West St. There was a bit of a headwind which made guys seek shelter heading to the sprint. Little T led it out and was able to stay just ahead of Hunter P and Dan Banana a bit farther back. Dan would try to keep the pressure on after the sprint, but no gaps.

Later on West St, Dan would get another chance with Steffen H but heading downhill it would be really hard to keep a gap. They kept at it though, and on Awater St the break looked like it had a chance. Behind, Steve B attempted to jump acriss the gap before the light. The light was red though, which ended everyone's breakaways.

From there, across route 10 and towards the next climb, the pace stayed steady and there were no big attacks. Heading to the Greenhouses, Scala was up there again with teammate Bill C. Once the climb started, it wasn't long before Turner jumped off the front, taking Ben Gram and Evan Woodford. Those three were allowed to get a little gap and then rolled with it. Behind Chris C chased, then VladZ, but the gap was holding. Up front Evan Wood came off the group near the top of the climb but was able to stay between the leaders and the muted chase. Turner led Ben Gram over the top and those two stayed on the gas. They slid thru the light, whereas the pack stopped and waited for 20 seconds or so. That was enough for the two up front to it back to the start all alone. 

Back in the pack, Little T jumped off the front earlier than usual, and was able to just hold off a charging Steffen H, who just came up a bit short.

Tuesday the 9th

The Tired Legs Edition of SGR

Big crowds are out as the season is in full swing, and then CCAP's Tuesday night Criterium in East Hartford series has yet to start. One bummerspot was Dan Feldman getting hit with a flat and having to peel off just a few moments into the ride. The early pace was steady and fast. Matt Zaleski was out of the blocks and riding hard. Same goes for Alex De'Souza and Esteban S. Noah B was the first to try to get off the front, and once again, it fell on everyone but CW to do the chasing. The pack was up to speed and up to the challenge, though. It was a little crowded up at the front for the corner of Mountain Rd. Cristian V was upfront and consistently ramping up the speed at the front and brought things back together. Traffic at the corner Mountain slowed it all down and reset the pace.

Over the rollers on Mountain Rd, Joe K and Chris C pushed off the front and got a gap. They went to work and held for a while. Behind, the pace was high, and the chase/counter was sorting itself out. Again it was Cristian V doing a good share of the work to bring it back.

On Moss Farms, Noah B attacked off the front, setting off a chain reaction of surges, attacks, and counters. Turner F got involved, and Hunter P was pushing through to try to see if a gap could stick. Going thru the chicane, there were plenty of guys up front ready to punch it. Little T hit it going up to Marion, followed by Brent DB, hunter P, Jeff Scala, and Evan W. Ben Grameje from New Haven was up there as well and for a short time there was a group with a gap flying toward the industrial park. The peloton got it's act together, again behind a good push from Cristian V, to get it all back together soon after. Little T stayed on the gas though, and had Brent DB along for company. Those two nursed a small gap going over the highway. Then Hunter P jumped hard and quickly joined them just in time for the light and 322 crossing, which was green - turning yellow. Behind the back was chasing hard at about 50 meters, and even though everyone could see the timing of the light, and knew it would be bright red, cruised under it. When there is a strong break up the road, good decisions (and the noisy mouths) get muted.
With it all together, the pace reset, and there were no big attacks heading down Mount Vernon. A couple of newer guys saw action near the front as the ride climbed the false flat section on Mount Vernon. TC Chioffi, Billy T, Steve May, Matty Z,  VladZ, and Monte Frank were among those pushing the pace before the turnaround.

Noah B hit the front for Welch Rd. He had Ben G up there for a while. They chase and response was quick. Hunter P pushed across the gap and wheels filled in the gaps. Joe K attacked on the hill and took a gap thru the corner. Traffic at the intersection brought the speed way down for the first 5 chasers, and that split the group a bit as the front rocketed off after the corner. Joe was brought back, and that left the sprint to come down to Hunter P, Noah B, and Little T. T came off Hunter P's wheel was able to get it cleanly in front of Hunter P and Brent DB.

It all came back together on the backside and there were no opportunities for attacks taken heading back into Cheshire. Once over 322 again, Cristian V was back at the front ramping up the pace. Again, no attacking. That's the way it would go all the way to the Greenhouse climb. Turner F, VladZ and Body Over Bike were amassing at the front leading into the climb. Right at the base, Evan W launched it. No one responded immediately and he got a gap. Turner F came to the front and rolled it most of the way. Hunter P was watching out for Evan W's gap and refused to come through, leaving a space for VladZ to take a pull. Turner was back at the front before the light, as Evan W's gap came down quickly on the flatter section. He hung tough thro and made it to a couple hundred meters, and the start of the sprint. Hunter P was able to come around and get it in front of Noah B and Little T.

One thru the light. Turner F looked like he was going to keep attacking but instead dragged it out single file for a fast run through Talmadge and Coleman Rd. The pace stayed high, and there were no attacks. A couple of guys, Evan W, Dan Dudzik, Steve May, and Chris C pushed the pace up Boulder, but not enough to keep a gap.

On the fast run down Tuttle, everyone had a chance to reset, and there were no flat tires this week in the last 500 meters. TC Chioffi was in great position and attacked/sprinted off the front, but was going for the top of the rise after the farm. Too early. Behind, Little T launched it among a lot of guys who were in position and ready on the hill. Once the traffic sorted itself out, it was Hunter P and Brent DB who emerged chasing, but still off the pace, and that was the order of finish to the speed limit sign that is on the far side of the left-hand turn onto River Rd. It's WELL past the top of the rise there, which requires a LONG sprint All this makes for a HARD  sprint to time correctly.

Great ride everyone!

Tuesday the 2nd

Spring Season was Short at SGR

The rain held off or stopped in time for the ride, depending on what part of the state you were coming from. It ended up being a normal-size crew out for the ride tonight. As soon as the ride started properly, Steve B put his head down and got to work. Once he had a gap, he put it into the next gear and sped away. Within a couple of streets, he had three for 300 to 400 m.

Behind him, his CW teammates did nothing to close the gap down. With everybody else seemingly content to settle in for the evening, the gap went up even more by the time the ride hit Mountain Road. Steve was well out of sight, and he would stay away for the rest of the evening. Kudos on scoring the first solo breakaway of the year. Behind him, it took until the intersection of Mountain Road to really get things going. Hacker tried to get a chase going along with Rusty and Sean Maher.

Later on Moss Farms, Turner F rolled off the front along with Hunter P. They held a gap until the route 322 crossing. They got the green and the pack just nabbed the red light, bringing it all back together. The ride down Mount Vernon was uneventful. Brian O, fresh off winning Battenkill the weekend prior, made a couple of attacks along with Steffen H and a couple of others.

Hacker led a group, including Steffen H, off the front in search of the sprint point, but Brian O was in there and was able to get across the line first to pick up a few points behind the solo breakaway of Steve B.

The ride regrouped on the backside despite a couple of guys trying to get in a position to get a chase group split off the front. Hunter P tried that as the ride came to the route 10 crossing. He attacked hard on West Johnson and got a gap with Evan W and VladZ. Those 3 made it under the light, and the chase had to stop for red, but then snuck thru when the coast was clear after 20 seconds or so. Up front, the three were working together. Behind, once the downhill on East Johnson was done, CW came to the front and chased hard. Turner and Aaron B took long hard pulls and brought the trio back to within sight by the Greenhouse climb. The chase was hard enough to split the peloton, with 5-8 guys not even starting the greenhouse climb with the pack. The break was absorbed with a hundred meters to the light, and from there, Little T was able to get to the line first from the pack.  

The finale into Hamden was fast but steady. A few guys were up front looking for redemption with the final sprint, but Chris C hit a hold on Tuttle in the final km and flatted. That took a couple of guys off the pace, leaving the Black brothers, Little T and Hunter P in place for the sprint. Aaron and Noah B led it off early, and Little T was able to come around safely, with Hunter P hanging on to third on the day. It was all behind the solo breakaway though.

Tuesday the 25th

Screw NP and CTL, it's SGR Time!

It was great to see a few new faces out tonight. Hacker was back (although he would get hit with a flat early on). Good to see Hill-Billy Dave Hildebrand out as well. Moto Cross Pro Brian Dussault was back out again, getting comfier with the route and group. Right from the get-go, Hunter P snuck off the front as soon as everyone turned off route 10, without much response from the pack. In a couple of corners, he had 100 meters and rolled off the front from there. It took a while before everyone got going on the front. The chase got started with Turner F & CW leading the way. Hunter P would hold on to the gap all the way to the end of Mountain Rd, where a red light forced a stop for all. The gap was down to a couple of seconds anyway.

Onto Moss Farms, where the pace calmed down a bit. After a brief reset, there were guys going for it as the chicane came up. Hons, Noah B, and Dave H pushed off the front. They would be caught on the climb out to Marion. There was a brief moment where Hunter P, Steve B, and Noah B up at the front made a group that looked like it could move, but it was all together going onto Mount Vernon.

The ride down Mount Vernon was uneventful. Every move that went off the front seemed to be chased down by Brian Da-salt (On gravel tires BTW). Brian gets a judges' point or two for his balls out riding. A real rooster that one is. There were a couple riders off the front going towards the sprint point, but that was erased quickly by Little T and Hunter P attacking up the Welch Rd hill. CW was next to go, and Turner F launched with Noah B and Steve B to come by and get a good jump on the sprint. The others were looking at each other and that let the CW trio snag all the points.

It was all together on the backside and into Cheshire. The Body Over Bike boys tried surged a bit here and there but it no one was letting anything go. There was a brief moment turning onto Atwater where Steve B, Hunter P, Turner F and a couple of others were going hard to get a gap, but the pack rode hard, and coming off the descent of West St, were able to cover the gap.

Little action off the front from there to the start of the Greenhouse climb. No big attacks. Heading into the climb, Jeffrey Scala went off the front while everyone behind was thinking "Great rider, sh$T bloke." He was caught as the climb bit. Turner F was again at the front, setting tempo up the entire climb. VladZ from CCB and Hunter P was sitting on his wheel the way up. VladZ pulled the rip cord near the top, letting Turner get a gap. Steve B then surged from behind, and then started his sprint soon after. Hunter P jumped onto his wheel and came around with a few meters to go. Behind, Little T was caught behind a couple of guys, started late, and rolled thru next.

The combination of Steve B surging, VladZ coming off, and the big sprint up front split the group, leading to a select group rolling thru the light on 68/70. Steve B, Hunter P, Chris C, Steffen H, and Little T. Steve B and Hunter P got it going and then the group was rolling. Behind, the chase was lazy getting going. Turner F spent a little time dangling off the front but no one else was super-motivated to chase. The break was working well together and stayed away. Little T was able to pop out to get the bonus point.

Tuesday the 18th

 The Long Loop is back!
 

The traditional route returned tonight, and it seemed as though most were ok with taking it a tad easier on the first night of the long loop. About 30-40 guys were out tonight. There were a couple of new faces out there to spice things up. Brent DLB and Evan W were out adding to the strong riding that TC Chioffi and Valesquez have been laying down in recent weeks.

As soon as the ride turned off Route 10, Even W rolled off the front and no one said anything in protest. Dan Smith accelerated but the first couple of corners brought him back in. Hunter P rolled off the front and used one of the next corners to escape in pursuit. The two linked up on South Brooksvale with a 150-meter gap and got to work. A late-to-arrive to the ride Jason Williams was there on course and joined in the fun to make it a trio.

The breakaway lasted until about halfway down Mountain Rd. Steve Be then took a flyer but the light on Route 68 was red. Onto Moss Farms where Turner F, Little T, Chris C, and Noah B were active on the front, but it all stayed together. Hunter P tried once again to create a gap heading to the light on 322, to no avail.

On Mount Vernon, the pace settled as guys strapped in for the additional miles.
Heading to the corner for Reinhart, Steve B put in a dig and took along Dan S, Joe Rodrigues and Chris C. Those three were allowed to roll, as a couple of the other would-be sprinters looked around at each other. Sure enough, the new guys kept it going up front. Evan W and BDLB stayed active. The leaders hit the corner with a gap that was going out. Once the chase turned onto West St, it was apparent that no one would be catching them. Hons, the BOB guys Jeff Scala and Rich N, and a couple of others tried to bridge the gap with a strong surge but a little too late for that. Up front, Steve B rolled over the crest first to pick up the bonus points.

On the backside, sensing an opportunity, the leaders stayed on the gas and got thru the first couple of lights no problem. Behind, Hunter P jumped hard across the gap with Noah B in tow. At the light for Jude Lane, the leaders coasted thru the intersection (fair play), Hunter P and Noah B rolled thru at full speed, the pack had traffic to contend with. That allowed the two chasers to get up to the leaders, making it 5 up front (Joe R had come unhitched at the sprint)

Reports say the group generally cooperated up front, although some of the pulls were a bit too spicy for Chris C. Going under the highway on Atwater, the peloton came alive, with Turner F, Little T, Steve B, and others not wanting to miss out on any of the fun up the road. After the uphill. It all came back together before the light going back over 322.

The pace settled down for a while. Dan S and Steve B unsuccessfully tried to sneak the light at Route 10. Heading to the Greenhouse climb and sprint, there were no legit early moves, just solid pacing throughout. Turner F hit the base of the climb and rolled a steady 4.6-4.9 w/kg all the up the climb. Behind him, there was record-low churn and turnover. Proving the power and pace TF was setting, everyone was content to sit in line, and there were no attacks. Right there ready to pounce, was Little T, Jeff Scala, Hunter P, Steve B and Noah B. Steve B was the first jump, from 250 meters out. Hunter P responded and was able to come around. Noah B was right there second over the line, next was Little T.

Turner F and Rich N hit the front for the section right after the light at 68-70 but it all stayed together for the backroads. Turner F and Steve B attacked hard going over the top of Tuttle and rolled the descent with small gap, but nowhere near enough to hold on for the entire sprint. Little T got his revenge on the night by launching early and holding on, with Noah B fighting hard for it all the way to the end. Hunter P was a distant 3rd past the street sign.


 

Tuesday the 11th

The Stache Costs Him 5w, You Stare and Lose 8w 

The crowd was out tonight! Let's roll. Right from the get-go, Turner French was going. He hung out at the front for a while. No one was going to let him go very far though. Steve B then took a big dig off the front on Mountain Rd and held a solid gap all the way to the light. 

On the other side, Brian O pushed off the front. The rest of CW was there to keep the pace high. Former National Champion Cristian Velasquez pushed in pursuit and kept the rest of the pack close. CV would do a lot of mending the flock tonight. 

Little T hit the front going up to Marion, and that kept everyone motoring along. Hunter P had a dig off the front heading towards the light on 322, but it was red, leading to everyone being together for the start of Mount Vernon. Mike Hons and Turner F pushed off the front and stayed off the front for a couple minutes. The ride turned on to Prospect St, where Ben Bruce and Dan Smith hit the front. The tailwind was for real though, and no one was getting away. Turner and Steve B surged once onto Atwater, and that kept the pace high all the way back to the light. 

On the other side of the light, Steve B and Dan Smith attacked off the front, but traffic at the four-way intersection interrupted their action. All together over route 10. 

SGR rookie Evan Woodford took advantage of the downhill on East Johnson and hammered it off the front, getting the strava KOM in the process. It was all back together on Meriden Road, despite Ben Bruce, Sean Maher, and Tom K hitting the front hard. At the base of the Greenhouse Climb, Brian O jumped off the front and Turner F patrolled the rest. Big Red came to the front and brought the pace up, followed by a dig from Turner as the gap to Brian O was erased. The pace slowed a bit ahead of the sprint, which gave Little T a chance to jump on everyone and clear a gap quickly. Behind him, Hunter P was next over, followed by Sean Maher. 

Into the back roads, Dan Smith pushed the pace on the front along with Ben Bruce, but that didn't last too long. Sean Maher was next, and he kept a gap starting a kilo from the Boulder Rd climb and then up it. Fast forward to the descent on Tuttle, where Turner F and Brian O juiced it once more, but not enough to have a chance in the final stretch. Turner had one last dig off the front, but Little T covered that with his sprint up over the final rise. Hunter P once again behind, and then Ben Bruce coming over the line next. 

Great ride everyone! Next week the triumphant return of the long loop!

Tuesday the 4th

 

Week 3.... Gliklekh Dinstik!

It was another great night as the weather was great. Onto the Prospect St Loop!

Kudos to Mike Hons for struttin his stuff tonight. Notable attacks include on Marion when he got off the front with Steve B and Little T. The pack had to dig deep to bring them back by the crossing of 322. 

Steve B attacked up the Greenhouse climb first, but Sean Maher-big-blue slowly reeled him. Little T gets the spring point there. Steve B gets second on the night. Turd? 

After the traffic light the pack had a group slowdown for Turner French as his cell phone flew out of his loose Specialized team clothing pockets. The remainder of the ride was just a high tempo as errrrryone was pitching in. T jumped early and took the final sprint with a hefty gap. Not sure second or third. 

 Oh hey it was great seeing Yahor Buben back out!

Tuesday the 28th

Who got da points:

Steve B at the turnaround
Turner French - 2nd  
Little T - 3rd

Little T for the finish
Aaron B - 2nd
Jacob H - 3rd

Tuesday the 21st

The ride is back!

Cheshire Cycle hit the gas coming out of the parking lot and got a gap, but it was altogether by the turn-off of route ten. Things stayed pretty social, and even the stop signs were happily obeyed. Don't worry, in a couple of weeks, everyone will have finished growing a pair, and the ride can get back to its normal self.

Mountain Road where things heated up a bit. Dillon P and Steffen H, fresh off a successful off-season Zwift campaign, were up front pushing the pace. The dark pink jerseys from the magenta express were up there as well.

Onto Moss Farms where Little T led it off very quickly. He was immediately attacked by Steve B and a couple of other CW riders. Sean M, fresh off slapping around the newbs at Frozen Four was pushing the pace as well. The chance for a real split in the peleton was there but it all came together at the stop sign by the chicane as cars were passing through.

Little T had a strong dig up heading up Jarvis and he maintained that gap as the pack went into the industrial park. Steve B was next to jump but held up a bit to be sure for the correct corner to take. He was caught right at the right turn up W Johnson. The pace started high there, but then slowed a bit on the other side of route 10. A few guys were attacking here and there but nothing the pack couldn't handle. The most significant move came from Turner French, who struck out on his own. There wasn't much of a reaction from the group as there were lots of hard efforts stinging the legs prior to the dreaded Greenhouse climb. The pack closed in a bit and then Little T jumped from a good ways out for the sign. Steve B jumped with him. T was clipping at Turner's heels, but he held him off by a few feet, with Steve B coming in at third.

Fast forward to the end; the run-in was fast and steady. Dillon P was the first to jump for the final sprint, which dragged Noah B out and Little T right behind him. Little T crested the bump first and held off the rest. Noah B was second. If anyone had eyes on who rolled in at 3rd, leave it in the comments.

Great ride everyone!!!