First taste of cold. Fall is in here

No one likes dragging the bike out on cold,dark,rainy,freezing days to get the miles in. Winter makes you wish you choose a different sport cause the choice between Roubaix reruns on the trainer or the Andy Hampsten imitation outdoors, is not a great choice
But none of that matters on the first fall ride. The cold is a nice change, not a crushing pain. You can imagine you are in your own "Race of the falling Leaves"
Today was that day. It was 39' when I walked my dog and 44 when I started to get ready to ride.
First ride with knickers,toe covers,wool socks, and
embrocation. Fall in New England is here. Last weekend it was almost 90
and today it didn't break 50. This is my favorite time of year to
ride-even if it adds a few minutes to getting dressed. Where did I put all
that winter gear? Where is my other glove? All true cycling nerds get
pumped up at the smell of obscure embrocation potions.
Enjoy it while it lasts...............

Team America still in action in October -otherwise known as cyclingnews

Check this top ten from today's Giro dell'Emilia
1 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
3 Chris Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto
4 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
7 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital

Most of these guys have been at the front of races all year! That is impressive from Ricco and Shleck to Evans and Rebellin. But Horner, who still hasn't signed a new contract, is charging! Just goes to show you that maybe there is no off season and you need to be ready to go at all times.
Then in today's Belgian cross news 2 Americans are in the top ten at the Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne. Trebon th and Page 9th!! That is big.

Good Luck Jalabert

Laurent Jalabert was one of my favorite cyclists. A sprinter who remade himself into an all arounder capable of winning what he set his mind to. In Light of his long tenure in with Manolo Saiz, I would imagine he has as many skeletons as trophies in his closets, but none the less he animated many one day races and grand tours.
Since retiring he as run three marathons(including a faster NYC time than Lance) and is competing in the Ironman tomorrow in Hawaii.
Not unlike Zabel, Jalabert was a class act.

The Plot Thickens Hendrix vs There's That Beat magazine

Got a recent copy of "There's That Beat" fanzine last week. Didn't know what to expect, but man is this a good read. Extremely in depth run downs of records and personnel with a ton of info to help you dig.
The Johnny Brantley article alone got me searching for a bunch of records I never would have even looked at. Maple Records, Pre-Westbound Ohio Players, on and on.
A quick trip to a classic rock dinosaur shop got me this copy of allegedly early Hendrix. But thanks to TTB I realize I am holding a Herman Hitson album with him backed up by the Ohio Players and with most of his vocals scrubbed. Stumbling into research and knowledge on this level makes me feel like a kid at the adults table.
"All I want" is a killer track with most(?) vocals intact. Tracks run the gamut from up tempo blues to southern soul. "Psycho" closes it out with some fuzzed out horn driven instrumental madness. No Sonics cover, but not a slacker with Lonnie Youngblood honking away.
The best thing about this record is that almost anyone would overlook it assuming it is some bargain basement Hendrix rehash. It should be easy enough to find-much more so than Herman Hitson 45s or Maple originals! Also a good dose of "buyer's beware" cause if you were there are only trace amounts of Jimi Hendrix on this record.
Just goes to show you if you want to collect records, you've got to keep track of everyone's names on those 45s -then you might start making the connections.
Hat's off to There's That Beat for being a kick ass magazine and adding a half dozen or so records to my want list.

Props to Psychic Circle

Based on the monster "White Lace and Strange" comp, I threw down for 2 more Psychic Circle comps and while not the back to front killers that "White Lace" was , they all had some serious high points.
Mix a Fix features 20 tracks of "modish" soul aka "UK Floor Fillers". Which I guess is blue-eyed soul, but not necessarily? All from the UK is what ties them together. Most likely to be called "mod dancer" in an Ebay description. Elements of the Who and Small faces can be heard with some more poppy orchestrations. There are even a couple Sladey Pub-Rockers. Top 2 tracks are diamonds Gene Latter and the Detours "My Life Ain't Easy" is an upbeat rave up familiar to some as it was covered by the Plimsouls. Gene Latter is a dead ringer for Paul Weller (or perhaps vice versa given the chronology). Second banger on here is Louisa Jane White who despite her very plain name drops a funky gem "Speak the Truth".

Up next is the "Visit to the Spaceship Factory" which claims to cover "20 gems from the early years of Prog". No false advertising but also not a batch of Yes wanna bes. Hard rock and Psych fans will be stoked.
I don't know how many sub-genres they can manufacture but so far so good!

Bettini the Ruler and other cycling odds and ends

Despite the BS, the Italians and Bettini prevail!!! Excellent, Russian powerhouse Mikhail Ignatiev rode well and it can't be long before he says goodbye Tinkoff, Hello Pro-Tour.
Rock-Racing keeps grabbing dudes, but I hope Horner passes on them. Lotto need to pony up and keep him.
Quote of the day comes from Oscar Pereriro, "I didn't win anything this season. The only thing I won in 2007 is the 2006 Tour." Ouch!
Only a few races left before its time to settle in and ride the trainer.... damn winter.

Tire Balls and more interbike madness

Maybe some day I will visit this for real, but until then I get to anxiously await internet bulletins for things like tire balls and Brooks roll up panniers- so sick, but almost 300 bones
DiLuca sent home??? Bettini being questioned WTF. Cycling governing bodies need to get it together.