New Gear. What you want. What you can afford

With winter looming around the corner, all eyes turn to new winter and bad weather gear. I have lusted after this jacket, but can't balance the bigger than Assos price tag with my current pay scale. It was easier to pass on its predecessor with the Pink overdoses, but even an upgraded jacket is hard to comprehend at this price! For $350, it better peddle my bike or help me lose 15 pounds.
To ease my pain, I got a new sweatshirt from Trackstar. Regular clothes with jersey pockets are a good idea, I have an old cotton Campy longsleeve with jersey pockets and when I saw this one, I wanted it. It is a "basic black" sweat shirt with some thoughtful additions. The tougher material at the cuff and waist should help it last. It's light weight(think American Apparel not Champion) and just right to keep you warm without overheating. There are a couple minor complaints. The jersey pockets could have been wider. It might have been better to go with 2 bigger rather than a smaller than usual, but traditional 3. You can't stuff these like traditional jersey pockets. It will give you enough room to maybe skip a backpack, but it won't fit a lock, a 40OZ, or large sub.
Last gripe is the "sizing" which is "super slim jersey fit" which is more like NYC junkie model than euro cut. I got an XL and was glad cause anything smaller would have been way too tight. Sizes like this make it easy to pass on the nachos when you are watching football.
Check trackstar for some nice tee shirt designs as well

Rapha are apparently starting a

Lombardia predictions

Lombardia favorites? Ricco and Sammy Sanchez are lurking. Cadel and Frank Schleck. Cunego? Bettin obviously likes repeat wins. Horner riding hard for a new contract? Can't wait. It will be hard to match the tragedy and emotion of last year which was like an Opera on the bike. Race should be animated to say the least.
Shleck,Ricco, and Bettini will make up the podium.

Ohio Players Observations in Time

It's hard to believe the band on the back cover of this album is the same band of freaks featured on Pain and Ecstasy but it is. The music is also a surprise. Funky southern soul with some rock influences. All the ingredients(minus disco funk cocaine sex overload) are present. The bass stands out and the recording is real live and popping.
The back cover photo is pretty priceless for the dude with a brief case and a pipe. Clearly he would become more at home in leather hot pants and chains a decade or so later.
This Pre-Westbound incarnation of the Players were the back up band for a lot of other artists and live shows. You've got 2 covers "Over the Rainbow"?? and "Summertime"
"Mother in Law" has a hell no vibe that any married man can relate to. "Find someone to Love" is an instrumental, but may be the stand out track on here. Summertime is pretty sprawling at 7 plus minutes with some scatted vocals and a nice flute solo. "Bad Bargain" returns to the Southern Soul sound with lyrics on hard times in the city rather than freaky times.

A deep soul or southern soul surprise from these funky freaks.
Capitol. There is another pressing of this with a different cover-not quite as cool. There is also another album, First Impressions, that collects more work in this style from their early days.