Flanders

It is hard not to go with Boonen, but I would love to see Hoste finally end the 2nd place curse. Tough to see Ballan and Cancellara not in their prime for tomorrow.
I also want last years young guns to have another good year-Maakant, Terpstra, and Langeveld for example.

Rabo and Quickstep have super strong teams and that favors Boonen and Flecha, but guys like Pozzatto have shown they can get it down with no help.

Well Museeuw made his call, so here is mine. Boonen,Flecha, and one of the three Hs from Cervelo (hushovd. haussler, or hammond).

Really I just hope it's as good a race as last year. The 08 DVD got watched back to back on multiple trainer sessions. Such a good race.

Fond de Jante

Velox rim strips are the best. Imitations always fall short. This point was driven home to me recently by a string of flats. I had just put on new tires. Open Paves. Feeling very euro hardman with the green paves glowing like the hulk. Then I proceed to get three flats on my next three rides. Who gets three flats on Paves? Unacceptable. The first one was obvious- a piece of gravel in the side wall, but the second not so much. I just threw in a new tube and road off. In the back of my mind a nagging voice said take the tire off and check for burrs or something weird between the rim and tube, but I ignored that voice.The next day when the third flat struck, I knew what the problem had to be. Sure enough, the generic rim strip on my wheels had slipped exposing the eyelets (single eyelets-always ready to eat a tube). Thus giving the tube the old pinch of death.
I ran out and picked up a coule rolls of Velox rim stips and problem solved.
I never really thought to translate what "fond de jante" meant. Despite taking French in HS and college, the words were lost on my. Over time, I built it up to be some major meaningful pithy phrase that some how summed up cycling. Tragically this is not the case as "fond de jante" means "inside the rim". Not so romantic, but at least it will prevent me from having anymore problems inside this rim. Merci, Velox.
It is extremely annoying to realize that if I had been a little more thorough on Sunday, I wouldn't have had this problem ruining a good nights ride (not complaining about missing the hill repeats-those will suck just as much tomorrow night). Doing your homework and paying attention to detail are the cornerstones to good cycling and I paid the price for cutting a corner on Sunday.
At least I fixed the problem. Otherwise there was a pair of Paves headed for craigslist. My infatuation with Italian tires took a hit with that first cut and the additional flats had me ready to run back into the arms of the dependable, but not even remotley romantic Conti 25mm 4 Seasons. The Paves have a new lease on life, but in the distance lurks the dependable deutsche replacement........ I have my break up song with Vittoria all ready if it comes to it....

MSR

Cavendish wins and manages not to point at his boner. Cycling fans everywhere rejoice.

Video is already up of the finish at cyclingnews. Such a fast sketchy finale.

One out of three for my podium picks. Haussler is flying. Huge win for Cavendish.

Rapid Fire Music Dump

Jerusalem S/T reissued on Vintage/Rockadrome. 1972 discovered,produced, and svengali'd by Ian Gillian. This is some classic 70s rock. Anthems are the anti-war "I see the light" and the knuckle dragging "Primitive Man". 9 songs and 5 more bonus tracks (demos and singles). More Sabbath than Zeppelin, but they have their own sound. Tragically the song "Midnight Steamer" doesn't end up being about some late night deviant sex act, but you can't have evertying...........

Obits-New Rick Froberg band. Not unlike the Nightwatchers, Rick takes a familar formula and reinvents it with good results. Also like the Nighwatchers vein it has its highs and lows, but the hits make up for the misses. Sub Pop gets to put this one out. Graphics are awesome.

Tombs Winter Hours on Relapse. Crushing. Get it. I have raved about all their previous releases so just watch this if you are doubting



Extra Golden Thank You Very Quickly. Some Afro-beat meets Chicago post rock and rather than a Graceland for Thrill Jockey , it is solid good listen. Not unlike the Ex with Getatchew Mekuria but more straight ahead(minus the anarcho yelping mainly). Worth your time.

New Breed tape comp was a classic. Website is pretty cool. Download it.

Sam McPheeters catches up with Doc Dart.... erhhh 26. Seems to be coping nicely in the post 9.11 world.

In a related music/literary note, the Oxford-American dropped its 10th music anniverary and included a double disc of music. Insect Trust blew my mind. Jerry Lee Lewis in a leisure suit on the cover might blow yours. Good Dock Boggs article too.

Krucial Kit

Chateau D'Ax Gatorade kit ruled. The green/black stuff is good, but the all green gear is unreal-even on Fignon.

MSR picks

With Cancellara, Freire, and Ballan all out it opens up the field.
I am going with Boonen,Gilbert(Lotto needs a big win), or Hushovd.
Top Italians Pozzatto Bennati and Visconti. Both Liquigas and Rabobank are fiedling strong teams, but I don't think they will prevail.
For such a long race it is pretty odd how its only the last 50K that really get you on the edge of your seat. I have always given this race less attention than other classics, but the finish is pretty amazing and the descent off the poggio is insane.


I miss Ferretti!

03

I miss Bettini too

Slacking Odds and Ends

If facebook is a gateway drug, Twitter is meth. Between that and trying to ride more, I have been slacking.
Watched the 05 Milan San Remo on the trainer last night. The last 50K of that race is insane. The climbs are super narrow and the descents-not for the faint of heart. Ready for Sat

Crucial info on old skatezines and (of course) a retrospective book. When will the nostalgia trip stop? Should underground history remain the realm of the packrats and archaeologists? Or is it good to repackage it and make it easily available to all? Based on the name of this blog, you know where I stand.

Complete your summer whites with these. Would a white sidewall have been overkill? Should come with a gallon of bleachy-white.

I know that when you want to be a top level cyclist you go to Europe, and I guess if you want to be an elite runner, you go to..... Kenya. Blog here and an article in Running Times as well. Some cool stories.

Less than 30 days til Battankill. Ouch