Tuesday the 29th

The Windy Return of Ben Bruce

   The ride showed no signs up letting up tonight. Yale came correct with a couple more loaded guns. Ben “the slackest of em all” Bruce was back out and ready to go with his mismatched Cheshire teammates.
    Right away off route 10 everyone was fighting into the head wind. Cross winds were pushing folks around and Hunter P and Mike McG would use it to drive out a couple of gaps before the ride hit mountain road. Chris C and Kyle were up in the front as well, keeping the pace high. After the dust settled from a couple of early attacks, Markowitz jumped out in front and Landry went with him. Those 2 held onto a respectable gap for the majority of route 10. Then Ben Bruce and Alan B took off on Moss Farms but that was corralled quickly. The headwind allowed another group to go clear when Hunter P punched it again with Mike McG. That led to a group of about 5 up the road and fighting for space but the pack would claw back thanks to the Yalies and Markowicz. The duo of Landry and Markowicz was back at it again in the industrial park but the tail wind erased most gaps quickly.
    Heading into the turnaround section it was Chris C leading the early charge, which morphed into a dangerous trip of Alan B, Ben Bruce and Markowicz off the front working a 50 meter gap thru the corner for Reinhard. Markowicz stayed on the throttle with Ben Bruce sitting tight. He was able ot jump out and around to get the sprint ahead of a late charge from Mike McG. The headwind brought it all back together on the descent. Markowicz would keep on it through Peck Lane but it was once again Alan B and Ben Bruce getting a bit of a gap. Once through the false flat, Markowicz was done with that and he tore across the gap with Hunter P and Cassie Max in tow. That led to Gibertoni and Hunter P striking out before the corner for route 10. Everyone slowed down a fair bit in the name of safety but Hunter P was thru alone and charging up the hill, aided by the tailwind. He nearly made it all the way to the Stop n Shop sprint but Markowicz once again was tear a swath thru the concrete. He led a strong select group up and thru the front. From there, Landry popped out and took the sprint point.
     No huge surprises going back thru town. The tailwind made it easy as pie. For the finale, it was Markowicz once again charging off, this time with Ben Bruce. Ben was allowed to roll thru the line in front for the final prize of the night.

Good ride everyone!

Tuesday the 22nd

Great ride!
No one steps forward to write the blog so all the points go to Dillon P!

Tuesday the 15th, 2016

IT'S THE SLEEPING GIANT RIDE PUT ON YOUR PAJAMAS!
Aaaaaaaand we're off! Crowds were on the thin side but it didn't keep the pace from being blisteringly fast for March 15th. The CCAP trio made sure to keep the speed up there, as well as the 2 Crowells and the ever stronger Yale duo of Big Red and Landry.

By Moss Farms, there was an A group and then a B group that threw in the towel. 


From the front fast group, 3 riders, Dave Hoyle, Hunter P and Alan took off to get the mid point sprint. Dave led it out with Hunter P coming around to get the first prize of the year.




Later on, it was pretty much that same group + Chris C blasting towards the Stop n Shop sprint point. This time Mike McG was close by and rocketed off with the tail wind to get prize #2. Everyone rolled in fast and together for the finale.













Let's keep this carbon fiber sword fight going next week!

Tuesday the 6th

Closing out the year the right way

    It could have been a boring night, as a re-route around the entire length of Mountain Rd was in order due to construction. It was decided to turn on Ward, get to Oak Ave and head down to get on to route 68/70 .5 mile east of where we usually come out. Most were no doubt thinking that it would be more of a casual ride but no so as the Cheshire guys animated and attacked thruout the evening. It was good to see Steve Suto back out on the ride. Right as everyone turned off route10, Dillon P attacked and got a gap that we would hold for 500 hundred meters or so. Alan B was there when he was being caught and then he went. Then, as everyone turned onto North Brooksvale, Hunter P attacked and drove up a gap that he held onto to another 500 meters. Behind, Big Red, Tall John, Chris C, Tall Dennis and a few others were doing most of the work to keep things together.
     As the ride turned onto Ward lane, Hunter P attacked again, this time with Big Red chasing but never quite covering the gap. As everyone got onto Oak, it was gruppo compacto and Chris C and Jordan L did a lot of the work as everyone barreled toward 68\70. With rush hour traffic in full effect, there was 7-8 cars stacked up waiting to turn in any direction. The pack got a friendly driver looking to turn off of 68\70 and French Casey literally rolled into the path of an east bound car to stop traffic completely for all. No doubt many motorist friends were not made tonight. The Cheshire guys had worked their way up to the front by then again and it proved to be big help as traffic was stacked up for ¼ mile. Everyone had to proceed single file toward Moss Farms and once there, Alan B and Joe K got things rolling again. Soon after it was just Alan B off the front with a 40 meter gap. Then Gregg F bridged up and the 2 were able to save their breakaway all the way past the chicane. In the front of the pack, it was Mike McG, The Sernyak, Chris C, Little T, Big Red, and a couple of others doing the work to bring it back.
      As everyone went up the rise to Marion, it was all back together again. After the corner, Joe K attacked and was quickly getting a gap going along with French Casey. Then Dave Hoyle, who had been lurking in the background, biding his time, shot up the road to bridge up to the 2 guys with a 100 meter gap. Hunter P was first to respond and that brought a handful plus some chasing up to the leaders. It was still strung out with a few gaps as everyone came up to the corner for the industrial park.... Joe K was still driving 20 pound tent pegs with 50 pound sledge up front. Once thru the corner, the pace slowed slightly, but Frnch Casey stayed rolling up front and that ensured that no one was going to get too much rest.
     With a few meters to the corner for West Johnson, Hunter P attacked as the paced came down a little bit. Again Big Red was there with him. Those two worked up a respectable gap up the rise after the corner. Behind, The Sernyak and Chris C had used the hill to springboard up to the leaders, making it four with a 40 meter gap. Once again, there was some traffic at the 4-way intersection for Peck lane and that brought it all back together again. Next to go was Joe K, who not so much attacked, but rather got to the front and just lit it up. A select group of the usuals were there and as everyone got toward the corner for Reinhard, there was a real-deal gap to everyone else. Just then Hoyle shot out from the front and power opened a gap. Low n behold though, he went straight instead of turning onto Riendhard. That pretty much slowed everyone down, which provided a brief reset before shooting up to the sprint point.
      It looked like there was going to be a bunch of guys ready to pounce on the sprint but it was pretty much Mike McG, Joe K, Hacker, Little T, Big Red, and maybe one or 2 more that had a chance. Little T got the better of all, getting thru the corner first. On the backside, Hacker drilled it briefly but nothing was escaping now that everyone's phasers were set to kill. Right away on Peck Lane, Hunter P attacked again, taking along French Casey. Those 2 were given a little bit of freedom at first amd they build up a gap that there were able to hold all the way to the first light on Route 10 (which was red). French Casey stayed on it going up the hill there (sight of Cheshire CX version 10.0 / November 14^th).
      There was some reshuffling up front after the climb, and a couple of guys were looking inches from going all in toward Stop n Shop. Instead it stayed civil and fast. Again, a few guys were in position for the sprint, this time Hacker getting the best jump out of the pack. Little T was able to sit in the draft for a few seconds and then come around. It was a fight to the last couple of meters, with T prevailing again. From there it was all together thru Cheshire. Nice and fast to keep things safe.
Heading out of town, with traffic stacked up at most of the intersections, Alan B threaded the needle along with Gregg F and Hunter P to get thru a green light ahead of the rest. Those 3 build up a small gap and held on for a few hundred meters but the pack was breathing fire. French Casey was drilling it, The Sernyak was going hard, Big Red and the new guy on the BMC (name?), the Full Nalini as well. For the finale, Chris C and Mike McG rolled out their familiar good leadouts for the the benefit of about 6 guys. Right there was Hoyle. He timed it well and shot off the front with enough speed to build up an insurmountable lead.

     Awesome way to end out the year everyone. Sunday rides, for those who are not inclined to CX, are heading out on Sunday's at 10AM (or so we hear). The rest of you are smart to take a break from the crazyiness for a few months. See ya'll next year!

(image dump!)

Tuesday the 29th

It’s the final countdown!

Just a couple more weeks of these shenanigans left kids. Despite the 5:30 start time, it was good to see a decent sized group out for the ride tonight. Things got going slowly, but then the pace turned fast with no one attacking. That all changed when after turning onto North Brooksvale, a mystery rider with a heavy accent in a Pro-team Giant team kit rolled off the front like it was ain’t no thing. Alan B gave chase, and then Ben Bruce and Chris C. Team Giant rolled on and despite a pretty stiff chase, was holding a 20-40 meter gap as everyone barreled toward the corner for Mountain Rd. Of course, the newbie went straight and missed the corner. Despite some efforts to get his attention, he kept going, seemingly oblivious to the miscue. Bummer. He do doubt would have continued to keep everyone on their best behavior had he stayed with the bunch. Getting back to the action, some traffic held up most of the peleton, but Ben Bruce, Gibertoni and Big Red slipped thru the corner first and held a gap up the first climb. They stayed away for a few hundred meters more, then Hunter P and Alan countered hard. That blew up the pack for the remainder of the way down Mountain Road. There were a couple of chase groups with Big Red and Nuemotion being the first 2 to bridge up. The 4 in front worked well on the pavement they had left. The potential and horsepower were there, but the light was red at the intersection and everyone else caught back on.
      Moss Farms was fast, but uneventful. A couple of gaps opened up but were covered quickly. Chris C led everyone up the rise to Marion, and that was enough to split a small group of 5 or 6 off the front, but the gap was small and it was covered very soon after. The pace stayed high into the industrial park, with Alan B taking a long pull on the front. Once everyone got thru the corner, it slowed a bit, and no one attacked off the front. Alan B was back up there in a couple moments, pushing the pace. He had Ben Bruce, Big Red, Mike McG, Chris C and a couple of others that were willing to work. A small gap opened up but as everyone closed in on the corner for Reinhard, it was back together.
      The pack rolled up the rise there and then down all together. Little T and Hunter P were the only ones to jump at the sprint. Little T led it out initially and then Hunter came around midway up the long drag to the corner. Little T traded into the draft then both were in full flight. Little T edged Hunter P out with about 30 meters to go before the corner. Despite the healthy gap on the pack, it was all back together before turning onto Peck Lane.
      Tall John rode off the front as everyone was pausing to collect themselves and he was off like a light. It took a little while for the chase to get going but the big guy was up the road, racking up as much as 120 meters or so on the field. The gap came down by the end of the rise up Peck Lane but John still had 10 seconds turning onto route 10.
      Alan B once again hit the front hard on rise there by Cheshire Park (site of Cheshire CX 2015 – The 10 year anniversary!). Alan pulled the pack up at 27mph and the gap was coming down to Tall John quickly. At the light by Maple Ave (“MANHOLE!”) Tall john slipped thru a green light whereas the rest were held up by red. That was more than enough for him to take the Stop n Sprint in commanding fashion. Good to see Interlandi can still throw down!
      He would end up getting caught thru the red lights of Cheshire, leading to gruppo compacto for the fast and dimly lit haul back into Hamden. For the final sprint, it was a close seated battle between Little T, Gibertoni, and Ben Bruce. Depending on where you are going to draw the line, it was Little T with the early lead, with a charging Ben B coming around Gibertoni directly in front of the light and intersection.

Tuesday the 22nd

When “clear” actually means ”CAR”

     Everyone was keyed up to race the dark on the short loop today. It was a larger than anticipated crowd as well. Soon after the ride turned off of route 10, Hunter P started going hard at the front. Soon after Nuemotion and Alan B followed suit and just like that the ride was on. The pace started respectable thru the opening 20 min, but no one was able to get any gaps.
     Hunter P timed the light on 68/70 well, leading to him rolling off the front for a bit on Moss Farms. Ben Bruce, Chris C, Nuemotion and a few others gave chase and brought it all back together. Then Joe K moved to the front and ramped up the pace to the point that no one was pulling thru on him. That strung it out “single file for a mile” and only the corner into the chicane brought any relief. Chris C hit the front heading up to Marion but everyone slotted in behind without trouble.
     As the ride barreled toward the corner for the short loop, a few guys were moving up and looking for a better spot in the pack, but the pace didn’t really pick up once everyone got into the industrial park. After the turn onto West Johnson, Chris C jumped off the front with a strong attack. Only Big Red went with him, those 2 started working together to get a gap and they had a solid 80 meters by the time they went thru the 4-way intersection on Peck Ln. The leaders went thru quickly, the pack had to come to almost a full stop as there were cars on all sides waiting to get thru. That was enough to seal the deal for the Chris C and Big Red, who had enough in the bank that the few guys who charged off the front on the hill weren’t going to close the gap. UP front, Chris C waited for the final 150 meters before kicking it into high gear and leaving Big Red for the sprint point. On the backside, it all came back together again.
     The next batch of attackers would be The Sernyak, Rob Dux and Big Red. They rolled away early on Peck Lance and didn’t look back for nuthin. It took a little but, but the chase got going, anchored by the Cheshire guys. The leaders worked well together, building up a gap and holding it all the way onto route 10. If it weren’t for the red light at the base of the first hill there, they may have rolled away on evening.
      Alan B led the pack up the hill there at a good pace and it stayed fast all the way to the base of the sprint. Mike McG was there, Ben Bruce, Big Red, the Full Nalini, Hunter P etc etc. Little T jumped from 4 or 5 bikes back and took along Nuemotion. There were a couple of others who went for it but it was quickly down to those two, with Little T edging out Nueomtion by less than a wheel length. Good sprint!
      The ride back into Cheshire was the same ol same ol. Somewhat dicey, pretty fast, everyone (probably too many!) pitching in at the front. With 600 meters to go, Hunter P jumped off the front and quickly got a 60 meters gap. The final push was one tho, riders charged past Dillon P and Mike McG, among the other last guys to offer a leadout. Hunter P hung on till nearly the end, but right in the final moments, Big Red came by to edge it out by ¼ wheel length as the 2 flew thru the intersection at 30+mph.

Great ride everyone. The start time may move to 5:30 next week. Stay tuned.