Luna Dark Choclate recovery drink. Two Thumbs Up!

As noted in previous posts, I am a sucker to try anything that will boost my feeble talents on the bike. Recovery Drinks are no stranger to me. I have chugged Endurox for years after hard rides, but I never really liked it. The pseudo flavors and chunky drink quality always made me feel like a failed body builder. Have probably tried them all over the last few years and still have to "settle"
Clif dropped a couple cool new products this winter.(and was smart enough to run them in single serve test packs-an irresistable impusle buy when wandering dazed and confused through REI looking for headlamp batteries!) Hot recovery drinks-nice idea. The "hot choclate" flavor is not so rad("healthy" and "choclate" don't mix well in my mind which impacts my taste buds), but the apple cider tasting one kicks butt. I have only drank about 4 of them so I don't think I can blame post consumption flatulence on them, but I have my suspicions..... Hot drink after some cold ass base miles is a good thing.
Next up is the Luna recovery drink. For those of you saying, "but it's for women", slow your roll. I have been eating luna bars instead of clif bars for a long time and still haven't grown a big rack so I think they're safe. Steven Tyler and Prince know that if you want nice clothes you shop in the ladies section and that holds true for sports nutrition. The "dark chocolate" Luna recovery drink I tested today was fantastic. Tasted like choclate -not a "healthy choclate" but the real thing. Half way through I added some soymilk and it was even better. This is one I will try and find again and am curious about other flavors they may try.
I have even been trying the luna electrolyte splash. In hot weather I am easy prey for Gatorade overdose so I am hoping this is a good alternartive.
I am not completely on Clif's jock yet as Sports Beans are still edging out Clif Blocks for solid food energy, but I will be trying the ladies "moons".
Clif Bar is a kick ass company and they make good shit. Check out the dudes book-it is a good read.

Druid 45 and why I hate the term "private press"

I picked this up in a bookstore in NH on route 124. They had a box of 45s buried on a shelf. Clearly heavy metal so I grab it for a buck. You've got an "eddie" style mascot in the stockades on the cover. Very budget-no back cover or information. 4 songs on 33-trying to pack in as much music as possible. . First track "The Robber" is pretty straight ahead Metal Massacre V1 fair. Heavy NWOBHM vibe maybe a la early Anthrax. (Not to be confused with NWOIIHM "new wave of ironic indie hipster metal"-thanks Aqaurius!) Followed by "Forced Entry" makes you think these guys might have a criminal bent. B-Side opens up with a midpaced and melodic tune "Legion(The Exorcist)" that kind of drags. They bring it home in style with "Godsend ". Good one if you can find it.

This is the kind of record that some would call private press. Private press is a term that gets used as inaccurately as KBD(see previous post) and it makes me crazy. A private press is an odd bird, but people are constantly trying to call records on failed indies "private press" to increase it's perceived rarity or collect ability. If a label only puts out one record because it failed, it is still trying to be record label. If it has a label name and address on the back it's probably not a "private press". This bad boy is on "Crossbone" records which makes you hope maybe the drummer was a skater or something, but my extensive research could yield only vague memories of them being an opening act at some Hampton Beach metal fests. Those more in the know should set me straight.
But back to my "private press" issue. What is the difference between a "DIY", "indie", or "private press" record? I cannot tell. But if this was getting hyped on ebay or gemm as "rare private press metal" I would bet I wouldn't have scooped it up for 50 cents in a NH bookstore.

Slipstream's Wardrobe

I have a soft spot for this team, but they make it hard. Look at the leg warmers the dude is wearing behind Millar.... Ouch.
I am afraid of what Big Magnus could end up looking like in a muddy rainy Roubaix.

January Cycling bits.

When he offered a carbon fibre bike mixed with flaxseed, I thought it was an ironic twist of fate that Sheffield and Bond's favorite supplement would be in the "wasps" bikes, but now Museeuw has opened an indoor cycling center I know he is off his rocker. Looks like a spin class to me, but maybe with a special back room for any and all of your needs? I don't think that even the lion of flanders can make a spin class look tough You can pick up killer Museeuw bandanas as well. I can only wait in anticipation for the Peter Van Petegam Frites francises or the Plankeart reality show (wait that happened already)
Tour of Qatar is showcasing some new bikes. Giant have the most radically updated frame from the looks of this. Not a big fan of curved seat stays like that and the head tube looks a little too downhill hummer. Must be stiff enough for TDU revelation Andre Greipel though!
Rock Racing are putting on a real circus in Cali. Supposedly this is what their DeRosa's will look like?? Green Giant, Hulk, etc. Rashan Bahati's website keeps the comical pictures coming. Trucker hats,mistmatched gear, and a chunky looking Botero. Not a good look.
Boonen took stage one of the Tour of Qatar a fast one, but was he on Rovals? No photographic proof yet. The Rovals here look like Fulcrums to me. Especially compared to this. Where's the starfish hub thing? And finally did Kevin Hulsman's tire explode or was it the wheel?
Wim Van Huffel maybe on the way to being replaced in my favorite name in the peloton awared by none other than Slipstream's flying Dutchman Huub Duyn. Preben Van Hecke is still in the running.