It was a cold grey day for the ride today and that matched the prevailing mood at the parking lot. Ron's health ( like it or not Ron ) was on most people's mind. That said it was nice to see Robyn out and smiling. Despite calls to have everyone go ride over to the Fantano's with last year's Giro on DVD, pizza, beer and Eric M's travel kit for a night of fun with Ron, everyone instead slowly rolled off into the headwind.
Once off route 10, Guido, Jacinto and Dillon P got things going. The ride collected all the late StopNshoppers and then it was Benje's turn to hit the front for a bit. Iden was up there and so was Mike McG. Jacinto looked like he was a little frisky early on but no doubt the headwind kept him close. Cosmo C and MaHoney were next in the cue up front. Aiden started turning screws once on South Brooksvale and it briefly got strung out for the lead in to Mountain raod. Everyone stayed together onto Mountain, and there was a consistent long line of willing guys at the front. Pace was respectable if not slightly faster then usual. Aiden, Guido, Eric M, Hunter P, CXChris, Mike McG, Chris C etc, got it going once onto Moss Farms and it was pretty quick thru there too. All in all, with the wind and the speed, no one was eager to attack.
Guido once again pulled a little extra out of his account going up to the Marion Ave corner after the chicane. This time, Aiden, Silent Steve, Jacinto, Hunter P and a Devils Gear rider all followed suit. Aiden and the Devils gear rider rode into a gap for a little bit but Tim Rattatattat and the Rivet Racing dude were there to close the gap so it was all together heading into the industrial park. The changing wind put a little zip into everyone step and it ticked up a bit heading to the corner for West Johnson Ave. Joe K was pushing it and finally got Aiden to come off his wheel thru the corner. Joe was all in for the sprint and he quickly tore off a 75 meter gap. The pace was still decent behind him as a couple of CCR riders ( Cosmo, Hunter P ) got up there and tried to give Joe as much breathing room as possible. As the road started to bite 300 meters from the corner to Reinhard Joe still had a decent gap and was looking maybe 50\50 that he could pull it off. Jacinto was keeping it real up front with Eric M right behind. Rattatattat hooked on to Merrill's wheel and the 2 jumped up in pursuit of Joe K, who was cobbling together a sprint but would need to stay on the gas the whole way up to stay off the front. Eric was able to catch and pass him with some room to spare but the Big Balls Award of the night goes to the Joe "imagonna break this bike" Kubisek.
It all rolled back up together on the descent. The speed heading to route 10, thanks to the tailwind, was quick. Some more punches from Aiden almost split the now reduced field in two but the turn onto route 10 was slow enough so that everyone caught back on. It was a good uninterrupted run-in to Stop n Shop. After Ratta and Larry M put in some good turns up front, everyone got to see a good duke-A-roo with a few guys. Eric M, Little T, Mike McG, Chris C, Jacinto, and maybe one other. Little T had a solid jump and was able to take this one.
As everyone rolled thru the center of Cheshire, Chris C snuck his way off the front, this time taking Rattatattat along with him. They dangled out there for a little bit as everyone was at warp 8 behind them and then got held up by a light. Those same 2 managed to sneak off the front like 3 times during the run into Hamden which if nothing else kept everyone on their toes. There was a crap load of guys all there for the ending. Guido and Eric M rocking their butts in the saddle strongly at 37 mph for the very last of it. MaHoney, Cosmo and Hunter P turned up Shepard ave for the road racers finish, MaHoney toughed that out. Good job.
Everyone missed Rondo. Maybe next time the weather sucks we will all get around to the Giro marathon.
Tuesday the 15th
Welcome to the 2011 Sleeping Giant Ride!
aka: The Throwdown , The Sword Fight, The Plainville Training Series Midweek Race , The Tuesday World Championships , Luigi's Ride , The Amity Bikes ride , Crazy and Stupid.....
Whatever you call it, it's back and better then ever.
There was a good size group out for the ride tonight. Maybe 35 riders. No, there was no celebrity rider out today. Right off route 10, Mike McG and Brian Suto rolled off the front and were soon joined by Guido, Chris C, Antonio D and a couple of others. They built up a gap of 12 seconds before the counter moves started. The catch was made right before Mountain road, thanks to some power riding by Jacinto, Joe K and Hunter P. Soon after that Eric M and Rondo got on and it became a good sized group barreling down Mountain Rd. With everyone ( mostly the guys who have been racing on the weekends ) taking turns up front, they quickly moved out of sight of the Peleton. It didnt help that power-house Dillon P got a flat on Mountain and couldn’t contribute to the chase. The light on route 68 stopped the front group and gave the ride a chance to regroup. With no red light, the group was gone for the day.
Rondo got things going on Moss Farms, and a couple of rider rolled off with him. A sudden attack from Mike McG nearly ripped the peleton in 2, as he drilled it 120% for a brief moment to get across the gap. Everyone stayed on for the most part though and it was all together for the chicane and the run into Marion Ave. Guido was the only one to test the frigid waters off the front, and he stayed off the front for half a kilo or so once onto Marion. The front runners started to look antsy again as the ride was preparing to turn onto West Johnson, but it stayed civil, with mostly new haven guys ( new face? ) up front.
For the run up to Reinhard, Rondo rolled off the front but it was others cuing up behind who were going to be contesting it. It started off lazy enough but Eric M hit the gas from the very base of the hill, taking Joe K along with him. Eric pulled away at first but its a super long drag and Joe got him self back into it, pulling neck and neck and then rolling thru the corner first... But it was nearly a tie. Jacinto, Chris C and one or 2 others were the ones well behind but still off the front of the main group.
Everyone got their composure back and the ride back onto Route 10 was normal. There wasn't any funny business till the Stop N Sprint, where it was Zane's in the familiar role of keeping the speed high for Eric M. Eric again started the sprint first, this time with the reliable Anthony, back-in-the-saddle-Alessio right on his six. Little T was able to pop around for the flowers there.
Heading into Hamden, Chris C and the Mountain Man tried to get off the front but that didn't last too long and it was all together for the ride back. For the sit sprint finish, Eric M scored some points, getting there first, besting Guido and Dillon P, who rejoined after fixing his flat.
Tuesday the 12th
The TWC serves up one more week of fun
The weather looked good and there was some yet still ansty legs out there so the ride continues for one more (last?) week. There was about 16 or 17 guys out for the ride.
Eric M, hot off a solid 5th place in Jamestown yesterday, was doing a lot of work tonight. The Rivet racing dude was up there early on. Joe K, Hunter P and Gregg F for Cheshire Cycling. MaHoney along with BenGe etc etc.
Chris C joined up midway thru Mountain Rd wearing a nuclear shade of neon yellow, sure to be visible to a blind person at midnight, and went straight to work, continuing his late season form.
Stefano attacked on Moss Farms, East Johnson Ave, and on Peck lane. Hunter P chased him down each time.
Chris C attacked on the hill to Marion with Antonio D from CCR and then when on to hold the a gap over the ho hum chasers up to the industrial park.
Joe K was forced to lead out Little T for the Rienhard sprint and didnt really have a chance in the end. Little T would also take the Stop n Shop sprint over Hunter P and Eric M.
See ya'll next year.
The weather looked good and there was some yet still ansty legs out there so the ride continues for one more (last?) week. There was about 16 or 17 guys out for the ride.
Eric M, hot off a solid 5th place in Jamestown yesterday, was doing a lot of work tonight. The Rivet racing dude was up there early on. Joe K, Hunter P and Gregg F for Cheshire Cycling. MaHoney along with BenGe etc etc.
Chris C joined up midway thru Mountain Rd wearing a nuclear shade of neon yellow, sure to be visible to a blind person at midnight, and went straight to work, continuing his late season form.
Stefano attacked on Moss Farms, East Johnson Ave, and on Peck lane. Hunter P chased him down each time.
Chris C attacked on the hill to Marion with Antonio D from CCR and then when on to hold the a gap over the ho hum chasers up to the industrial park.
Joe K was forced to lead out Little T for the Rienhard sprint and didnt really have a chance in the end. Little T would also take the Stop n Shop sprint over Hunter P and Eric M.
See ya'll next year.
Tuesday the 5th
Rained out......
Though there were reports of the 2 Richard Sachs dudes riding... If so, good on em.
Though there were reports of the 2 Richard Sachs dudes riding... If so, good on em.
Tuesday the 28th
Screw work! Let's ride at 5:30!
One of the last weeks for the ride was made pretty mellow by all-day rains. But that didnt stop a hearty crew of about 12 or so from rolling out. Mike McG, Rondo, Robyn, MoMoney Mahoney, Gregg F, Dillon P, Peter Kenny, Koski, Hunter P, Eric M, a new guy on a cross bike who would get left behind halfway thru, Stefano from Italy with the Paris Sports jersey, Richard Sachs Chris, and a couple of others.
The early pace was MoHoney and Dillon P. Then Eric M came up and would put in a long pulls with some help from Mike McG. Soon everyone was getting involved and it was pretty smooth to Route 68. A couple of guys would get left behind as as the pace picked up at the end of Mountain rd and as everyone hustled thru the green light. Eric M continued to do a lions share at the front, but the Paris Sports Stefano was chipping in more and more. At the top of the Chicane, Hunter P used some traffic to make a jump off the front that lasted into the industrial park.
Heading up West Johnson Ave, Stefano would roll off the front with Eric M right on his wheel. None of the Zane's would chase him down so the 2 hit the corner for Reinhard with a pretty substantial gap. The gap would keep going up as it was Hunter P and Mahoney left to lead the rest. Mahoney would jump cleanly into no-mans-land early on Reinhard as Eric M and Stafano were working well togetrher by avoiding a full out sprint. Hunter P jumped at the base of the sprint hill to try to cover the huge 200 meter gap. Mike McG jumped a little after that and would mark Hunter P all the way up. Despite the gap being all but erased, Mike McG would hold off on coming over the top and Eric M would get to sail thru the corner first.
On the backside, the 4 would team up and go to work right away into the headwind on Peck ln and that was more then enough to keep the gap over the remaining 5 or 6 riders that were behind. Hunter P took the Stop n Shop sprint uncontested. On the way back into Hamden, all four worked well. Mike McG was the last one to hit the front for the finale.
All in all a decent ride despite the rain. Thanks to those who braved the weather.
One of the last weeks for the ride was made pretty mellow by all-day rains. But that didnt stop a hearty crew of about 12 or so from rolling out. Mike McG, Rondo, Robyn, MoMoney Mahoney, Gregg F, Dillon P, Peter Kenny, Koski, Hunter P, Eric M, a new guy on a cross bike who would get left behind halfway thru, Stefano from Italy with the Paris Sports jersey, Richard Sachs Chris, and a couple of others.
The early pace was MoHoney and Dillon P. Then Eric M came up and would put in a long pulls with some help from Mike McG. Soon everyone was getting involved and it was pretty smooth to Route 68. A couple of guys would get left behind as as the pace picked up at the end of Mountain rd and as everyone hustled thru the green light. Eric M continued to do a lions share at the front, but the Paris Sports Stefano was chipping in more and more. At the top of the Chicane, Hunter P used some traffic to make a jump off the front that lasted into the industrial park.
Heading up West Johnson Ave, Stefano would roll off the front with Eric M right on his wheel. None of the Zane's would chase him down so the 2 hit the corner for Reinhard with a pretty substantial gap. The gap would keep going up as it was Hunter P and Mahoney left to lead the rest. Mahoney would jump cleanly into no-mans-land early on Reinhard as Eric M and Stafano were working well togetrher by avoiding a full out sprint. Hunter P jumped at the base of the sprint hill to try to cover the huge 200 meter gap. Mike McG jumped a little after that and would mark Hunter P all the way up. Despite the gap being all but erased, Mike McG would hold off on coming over the top and Eric M would get to sail thru the corner first.
On the backside, the 4 would team up and go to work right away into the headwind on Peck ln and that was more then enough to keep the gap over the remaining 5 or 6 riders that were behind. Hunter P took the Stop n Shop sprint uncontested. On the way back into Hamden, all four worked well. Mike McG was the last one to hit the front for the finale.
All in all a decent ride despite the rain. Thanks to those who braved the weather.
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