Rapha 500

I am back on the blog starting now. I had a few attempts but no real heart or reason to blog. Had nothing to say that was of any interest to me or anyone else. But now that I am committed to bike riding and racing again for 2012 I think it will be good to blog about training and racing and the music that fuels it.

I started winter base training about 2 weeks ago and its been moving along slowly. I am terribly unfit and looking for motivation I stumbled on the Rapha 500 challenge. Its not too difficult really, 500km in 8 days, but considering its on during the holidays, typically a time of bad weather and snow, the challenge can be great. Luckily the weather has been very mild and it doesn't look like its really going to get bad over the next week so riding the bike outside isn't difficult at all. On the flip side, I do hope for one or two gnarly days of snow just to make it feel like more of an accomplishment. 500km in 8 days while pretty straightforward is still more than I have ever done in that time period and it is something I hope to maintain over the next 3 months.

Today I rode a steady 84km loop. There were a few nice climbs and it is one of my favorite loops in Rhode Island. I really should've done more because the weather was great and it would have been nice to get some miles in the bank but I was hungry and my one water bottle was empty. I visited White Electric for fuel afterwards. Yes, I was actually wearing a Rapha cap. I wear it all the time! I also got a Christmas gift from my mate Joe Savic at Providence Bike, a book called The Jersey Project. Its epic.

So tomorrow I will hit up 100 or so km's. I really want to ride every day between now and New Years so I can bring some fitness into 2012 and the start of the real winter base training, with workouts and everything. I have a new bike team I'm racing for in 2012 and the lads on their are tough and already logging the hard miles. Out team is called Upton Bass Racing and I will post more about it soon.

The music in 2011 has been average in my opinion. Let down by so many albums its been the worst year for music since I started the blog. There were some highlights for sure, really great tracks and records but compared to last year where my top 10 albums could change on any day/mood it is tough to even compile 10 albums that I really loved. All that is ahead too. For now its IPA in the form of DogFish Head 90 minutes and some music. Frankie sent me a record by a Canadian new wave group - Austra. They are a three piece electopop group out of Toronto with Katie Stelmanis  on vocals. The album has a bit of a Metric feel and even hints of Fever Ray, not just because of the female vocal either. You could put Natasha Kahn or Zola Jesus in the same genre - you get the picture. I've been listening to the album on rotation over the last few days and its really satisfying.

Peace and Love,
Kel