Suckered in again (I Saved: $312.73!!!!!)

Ordered Items:

You got FREE shipping! These products typically ship in 1-3 business days.
Estimated delivery Friday, November 16th 2012 to Tuesday, December 4th 2012 

	The Beers Family Seasons of Peace (CD) Item Number: COL 6955	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	The Boilermaker Jazz Band Honky Tonk Town (CD) Item Number: COL 6957	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	James Scott Classic Ragtime From Rare Piano Rolls (CD) Item Number: COL 6958	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	The Dorsey Brothers / Red Nichols New York Jazz In The Roaring Twenties, Volume 3 (CD) Item Number: COL 6963	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Randy Weston How High The Moon (CD) Item Number: COL 6956	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Buddy Moss Atlanta Blues Legend (CD) Item Number: COL 6950	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Jerome Kern Biograph Presents Jerome Kern: Classic Movie & Broadway Show Tunes From Rare Piano Rolls (CD) Item Number: COL 6953	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Leadbelly / Blind Willie McTell Masters of The Country Blues (CD) Item Number: COL 6954	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	The Boilermaker Jazz Band Don't Give Up The Ship (CD) Item Number: COL 6945	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	The Jazz Modes The Rare Dawn Sessions (2-CD) Item Number: COL 6946	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Al Cohn / Dexter Gordon We Three (With Zoot Sims) (CD) Item Number: COL 6948	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Larry Johnson / John Hammond Midnight Hour Blues (CD) Item Number: COL 6949	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Various Artists The Modern Art of Jazz (CD) Item Number: COL 6935	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Johnny Shines Traditional Delta Blues (CD) Item Number: COL 6936	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Memphis Minnie Early Rhythm & Blues 1949 From The Rare Regal Sessions (CD) Item Number: COL 6937	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Johnny Shines Mr. Cover Shaker (CD) Item Number: COL 6938	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Fred McDowell / Furry Lewis When I Lay My Burden Down (CD) Item Number: COL 6942	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Kathy Hart & The Bluestars Tonight I Want It All (CD) Item Number: COL 6934	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Various Artists Boogie Woogie Blues (CD) Item Number: COL 6931	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Various Artists The Greatest Jazz, Blues And Ragtime of The Century (CD) Item Number: COL 6932	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Various Artists Jazzin' Baby Blues - Hot Piano Roll Solos (CD) Item Number: COL 6933	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Fats Waller Low Down Papa (CD) Item Number: COL 6930	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Benny Goodman The Early Years (CD) Item Number: COL 6927	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Jelly Roll Morton Blues And Stomps From Rare Piano Rolls (CD) Item Number: COL 6928	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Leadbelly / Reverend Gary Davis Good Morning Blues (With Dan Smith) (CD) Item Number: COL 6929	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Earl Hines Way Down Yonder In New Orleans (CD) Item Number: COL 6926	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Bukka White / Blind Willie McTell Three Shades of Blues (CD) Item Number: COL 6925	Qty: 1	$2.98
		Saved:	$9.99
	Various Artists Cobra Records - Treasures from the Vaults(CD) Item Number: ZVRF 61686	Qty: 1	$4.98
		Saved:	$10.00
	Various Artists Rare Blues from Deep in the Vaults (CD) Item Number: ZVRF 61691	Qty: 1	$4.98
		Saved:	$9.00
	Soul Stirrers / The Fairfield Four Gospel Legends, Volume 1 (2-CD) Item Number: ZVRF 61576	Qty: 1	$5.98
		Saved:	$11.00
	Various Artists Ultimate 60's Collection (2-CD) Item Number: ZVRF 61480	Qty: 1	$5.98
		Saved:	$13.00

On that clip of CSNY with Tom Jones and Neil bitching about the booking:
Neil Young = hippie
Tom Jones = hip

Also, on folk vs. rock, I'm sure this distinction is worn out, but it occurs to me as if an original thought:
acoustic = folk
electric = rock.
Thus, Hamell on Trial: folk. Or did he have a pick-up on that guitar?


My plan, after I get the lawn mowed today is to move my old iBook that still burns CDs over to my USB turntable which has gone neglected for a long time now and try ripping a couple of my vinyl LPs. I know I have a pretty dire collection, but if anyone sees anything here they might want, let me know!

playlisting

Fooling around with a compilation made six years ago: here's a download link. This is for an MP3 version. I think I might also do an ALAC (Apple Lossless) - might sound much better.

And it does sound much better indeed. So:

download alac (apple lossless)

Here's a link to the post with the playlist, but I recommend listening without knowing what to expect. As if you don't have too much to listen to already.

Having listened to the mp3 first and then the lossless today, back to back, I have to say that I'm loth to even offer the mp3 now. The lossless is so much closer to what I was hearing when I auditioned these things in the first place. In fact, I enjoyed revisiting #201 so much that I'm checking out #200 now too, and it is pretty good also, I must say. Here's the link to the lossless alac.
And its playlist can be found here.

demon's backbeats series by catalog number

Pretty much randomly picking up a "Recommended for Me" CD from Amazon at about the right price to bring my shopping-cart total up to the $25 for free shipping, the disc I ended up with is called "I Get My Groove: Crossover Soul from the Deep South." Turns out it is one of a series of what now consists of 30 CDs in Demon UK's "Backbeats" series. Now, unfortunately for my pocketbook but not too unfortunately because these things can be had pretty cheap, I have a hankering for the whole series. They come as three sets of ten issues, but I've had to re-do the list from alphabetical to come up with the with the titles in order by catalog number:

BACKB001

Backbeats: Livin’ The Nightlife – New York 80’s Garage

BACKB002

Backbeats: The House That Jackin' Built - The Roots Of 80s Chicago House

BACKB003

Backbeats: Philly Disco – Dance Floor Anthems From The City Of Brotherly Love

BACKB004

Backbeats: Boogie’s Gonna Getcha – 80’s New York Boogie

BACKB005

Backbeats: Saturday House Fever - 90's Garage Anthems

BACKB006

Backbeats: That Driving Beat – 60’s & 70’s Northern Soul Stompers

BACKB007

Backbeats: Gimme A Break – 70’s Breakbeats & Future Samples

BACKB008

Backbeats: Back To My Place Baby – 70’s & 80’s Seductive Soul

BACKB009

Backbeats: Windy City Soul – The Smooth 70’s Soul Of Chicago

BACKB010

Backbeats: Soul Steppin' - 80's Soul Steppers

BACKB011

Backbeats: Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah – New York 70s Disco

BACKB012

Backbeats: Love & Jealousy - The Deeper Side Of Southern Soul

BACKB013

Backbeats: Motor City Soul – 70’s Soul From Detroit

BACKB014

Backbeats: Gimme That Beat – 70’s Funky Floorfillers

BACKB015

Backbeats: Philadelphia Freedom – The Foundation Of 70’s Disco

BACKB016

Backbeats: Soultime! – 60s & 70s Big City Soul Anthems

BACKB017

Backbeats: The Big Apple Bites Back –80’s New York House

BACKB018

Backbeats: Crate Digging Fever –70’s And 80’s Rare Groove Gems

BACKB019

Backbeats: I Get My Groove - Crossover Soul From The Deep South

BACKB020

Backbeats: Jazzy Vibes – Soulful Jazz Licks From The 70’s & 80’s

BACKB021

Backbeats: Soul A La Mode – 1970s Modern Soul

BACKB022

Backbeats: What's The Word? – Socially Conscious Soul Music

BACKB023

Backbeats: Smooth Grooves – Sophisticated 80s Philly Soul

BACKB024

Backbeats: Phillybusters – Underground Philly Dance Floor Gems

BACKB025

Backbeats: Bustin' out – Ghetto Grooves From Dusty Cellars

BACKB026

Backbeats: 2 Steps To Soul Heaven – More 70s & 80s Steppers

BACKB027

Backbeats: They Call It Crossover – More Mid-Tempo Soul Gems

BACKB028

Backbeats: Mod Life Crisis – 60s Mod Anthems

BACKB029

Backbeats: Lost In Time – More Northern Soul Treasures

BACKB030

Backbeats: The Pain Goes Deep – More Deep Soul Gems

I had the first ten all ordered, but it occurred to me that maybe I could stream these on MOG. The second one I looked up (The House that Jackin Built) indeed was moggable, so I hurriedly canceled my initial slath of orders, figuring to maybe pick up the ones later that might not be streamable. Turns out Jackin was the only one on MOG, though. So maybe I could have kept the initial orders in place. But this is a lot of pretty obscure collectorama, albeit no doubt choice. I wonder how much of it I really need. Still, the urge is there to get it all -- or at least have this list to go by.

searching for 1969

(in my music collection database):
Abyssinians & Friends, The…    TREE OF SATTA    Blood & Fire    1969      
Bach, Johann Sebastian    MAGNIFICAT/CANTATA BWV 10/CANTATA BWV 140 (Münchinger) [in The Decca Sound box]    Decca    1969/1985/2011      
Band, The…    BAND, THE…    Capitol    1969/2000    Xgau: core  
Bartók/Ravel/Prokofiev    PIANO CONCERTOS (Katchen, Kertesz) [in The Decca Sound box]    Decca    1969/2011      
Beatles, The…    ABBEY ROAD    Parlophone    1969      
Beatles, The…    ABBEY ROAD [remaster]    EMI/Apple    1969/2009      
Berlioz, Hector    LES TROYENS (Sir Colin Davis)    Philips    1969      
Bowie, David    ESSENTIAL DAVID BOWIE, THE…: Best of 1969-1974    EMI/Capitol    1997    Xgau: CC  
Buffalo Springfield    RETROSPECTIVE    Atco    1969      
Byrds, The…    BALLAD OF EASY RIDER, THE…    Columbia    1969    Xgau: B+  
Campbell, Glen    GENTLE ON MY MIND/BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX/WICHITA LINEMAN/GALVESTON    Capitol/amazon    1967-1969      
Carpenters, The…    SINGLES 1969-1981    A&M/amazon    2000    Xgau: C+  
Chicago    CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY, THE…    Columbia    1969      
Cocker, Joe    JOE COCKER!    A&M    1969    Xgau: A  
Creedence Clearwater Revival    GREEN RIVER [40th Anniversary Bonus Tracks]    Fantasy/amazon    1969      
Creedence Clearwater Revival    WILLIE AND THE POORBOYS    Fantasy    1969    Xgau: A+  
Crosby, Stills and Nash    CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH    Atlantic    1969      
Dalton, Karen    IT'S SO HARD TO TELL WHO'S GOING TO LOVE YOU THE BEST    Koch    1969      
Davis, Miles    COMPLETE IN A SILENT WAY SESSIONS, THE…    Sony    1969/2004    Davis, Miles    FILLES DE KILIMANJARO    Columbia/Legacy    1969/2002      
Davis, Miles    IN A SILENT WAY    Columbia/amazon    1969      
Davis, Miles    MILES IN BERLIN    Columbia/Legacy    1969/2005      
Davis, Miles    MILES IN TOKYO    Columbia/Legacy    1969/2005      
Davis, Miles    PANTHALASSA: The Music of… 1969-1974    Columbia    1998    Xgau: A  
Delaney & Bonnie    ORIGINAL DELANEY & BONNIE, THE…    Elektra    1969    Xgau: A+  
Dibango, Manu    SOUL MAKOSSA    Musidisc (France)    1969/1994    Xgau: A-  
Donovan    DONOVAN'S GREATEST HITS    Epic    1969    Xgau: Core  
Drake, Nick    FIVE LEAVES LEFT    Hannibal    1969      
Dvorák/Tchaikovsky    CELLO CONCERTO IN B MINOR Op. 104 / VARIATIONS ON A ROCOCO THEME (Rostropovich) (in 111 Years of Deutsche Grammophon Red Box: Disc 50)    Deutsche Grammophon    1969/2009      
Dylan, Bob    NASHVILLE SKYLINE    Columbia    1969    Xgau: Core  
Everly Brothers, The…    WALK RIGHT BACK: …On Warner Bros. 1960 to 1969    Warner Archives    1993      
Fairport Convention    LIEGE AND LIEF    A&M    1969    Xgau: B-  
Firesign Theatre    HOW CAN YOU BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ANYWHERE AT ALL    Columbia    1969    Xgau: A+  
Flamin' Groovies    SUPERSNAZZ    Sony Collectors Series    1969/1990    Xgau: B+  
Garner, Erroll    CONCERT BY THE SEA (in The Perfect Jazz Collection box)    Columbia/Legacy    1969/2010      
Grateful Dead    AOXOMOXOA    Warner Bros.    1969    Xgau: A  
Grateful Dead    LIVE/DEAD    Warner Bros.    1969    Xgau: A+  
Guthrie, Arlo    RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD    Reprise    1969    Xgau: A  
Happenings, The…    GREATEST GOLDEN HITS    Wounded Bird    1969      
Henderson, Joe    POWER TO THE PEOPLE    Milestone/eMusic    1969      
Hubbard, Freddie    WITHOUT A SONG: Live in Europe 1969    Blue Note    2009      
Jones, Thad-Mel Lewis, Orchestra    CENTRAL PARK NORTH    Blue Note/amazon    1969      
Joplin, Janis    I GOT DEM OL' KOZMIC BLUES AGAIN MAMA!    Columbia Legacy    1969/1999    Xgau: A-  
King Crimson    IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING    Atlantic    1969    Xgau: D+  
Kinks, The…    ARTHUR    Reprise/Sanctuary    1969/2011    Xgau: A-  
Kirk, Rahsaan Roland    VOLUNTEERED SLAVERY    WEA    1969      
Kottke, Leo    6- AND 12-STRING GUITAR    Takoma/Fantasy    1969      
Led Zeppelin    LED ZEPPELIN (Boxed Set Disc 1)    Atlantic    1969      
Led Zeppelin    LED ZEPPELIN (Boxed Set Disc 1)    Atlantic    1969    Xgau: B  
Led Zeppelin    LED ZEPPELIN II (Boxed Set Disc 2)    Atlantic    1969    Xgau: B  
Left Banke, The…    THERE'S GONNA BE A STORM: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969    Mercury    1992      
Los Lonely Boys    1969    Playing in Traffic/Mega Force/amazon    2009       Lyons, Jimmy    OTHER AFTERNOONS    Get Back/download (flac)    1969      
Masked Marauders, The…    MASKED MARAUDERS, THE…    Reprise/eMusic    1969    Xgau: ?  
Mayall, John & the Bluesbreakers    AS IT ALL BEGAN: The Best of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers 1964-1969    Polydor    1998      
MC5    KICK OUT THE JAMS    Elektra    1969      
MC5    KICK OUT THE JAMS    Elektra/amazon    1969      
McLaughlin, John    EXTRAPOLATION    Polydor    1969/1991      
Mother Earth    MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE    Mercury    1969    Xgau: A  
Mystery of Santo Domingo de Silos, The…    GREGORIAN CHANT FROM SPAIN    Deutsche Grammaphon    1969      
NRBQ    PEEK-A-BOO: THE BEST OF… (1969-1989)    Rhino    1990      
Octopus    OCTOPUS    LP/ESP    1969      
Pacific Gas & Electric    PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC/ARE YOU READY?    Columbia    1969/1970    Xgau: A-/B  
Procol Harum    SALTY DOG, A… Plus!    Westside    1969    Xgau: A+(B+ now)  
Prokofiev, Sergei    SYMPHONIES No. 1 "Classical" & No. 5 (Karajan)    Deutsche Grammophon    1969/1982      
Rascals, The…    SEE    Atlantic    1969    Xgau: A-  
Redding, Otis    LOVE MAN    Atco    1969    Xgau: A  
Roach, Max    WE INSIST! FREEDOM NOW SUITE    Candid/eMusic    1969      
Rolling Stones    LET IT BLEED    Abkco    1969/1986    Xgau: Core  
Rolling Stones    LET IT BLEED    Abkco/amazon    1969/2005    Xgau: core  
Russell, George    ELECTRONIC SONATA FOR SOULS LOVED BY NATURE: 1968    Soul Note/amazon    1969      
Scaggs, Boz    BOZ SCAGGS    Atlantic/eMusic    1969    Xgau: B+  
Simone, Nina    BEST OF NINA SIMONE, THE… [PolyGram]    Polygram/amazon    1969   
Sly & The Family Stone    STAND!    Epic/Legacy    1969/2007    Xgau: RS4.5  
Smith, Lonnie    TURNING POINT    EMI/amazon    1969      
Spann, Otis with Fleetwood Mac    BIGGEST THING SINCE COLOSSUS, THE… (in The Perfect Blues Collection box)    Blue Horizon/Legacy    1969/2011      
Spector, Phil    BACK TO MONO (1958-1969)    Abkco    1991    Xgau: ?  
Spence, Alexander "Skip"    OAR    Columbia    1969/1991    Xgau: C-  
Spirit    CLEAR    Ode    1969    Xgau: C+  
Springfield, Dusty    DUSTY IN MEMPHIS    Rhino/Atlantic    1969    Xgau: Core  
Steig, Jeremy    LEGWORK    LPSolid State    1969      
Stewart, Rod    ROD STEWART ALBUM, THE…    LP/Mercury    1969    Xgau: A-  
Stooges, The…    STOOGES, THE…    Elektra    1969    Xgau: B+  
Sutton, Ralph & Dick Cary    RENDEZVOUS AT SUNNIE'S 1969    Arbors/eMusic    2005  
THE 1969 WARNER/REPRISE SONGBOOK playlist    DVD-R    stream    2011/2/22      
various    CLASSIC RHYTHM & BLUES COLLECTION: 1967-1969    2Time-Life    1999?      various    TURKISH FREAKOUT: Psych-Folk Singles 1969-1980    Bouzouki Joe    2010      
Velvet Underground    VELVET UNDERGROUND LIVE 1969    Mercury    1988    Xgau: A-  
Velvet Underground    VELVET UNDERGROUND, THE    Verve    1969    Xgau: A  
Vinson, Eddie "Cleanhead"    KIDNEY STEW IS FINE    Delmark    1969/1993    Xgau: A-  
Walker, T-Bone    FUNKY TOWN    Beat Goes On/download    1969      
Who, The…    TOMMY    MCA    1969/1996      
Williams, Tony, Lifetime, The…    EMERGENCY!    Polydor    1969    Xgau: A  
Winter, Johnny    JOHNNY WINTER (in The Perfect Blues Collection box)    Columbia/Legacy    1969/2004/2011      
Winter, Johnny    SECOND WINTER    Columbia    1969      
Wuorinen, Charles    WORKS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO (1969-1983)    Bridge    1988      
Yamaguchi, Goro    SHAKUHACHI MUSIC: A Bell Ringing in the Empty Sky    Nonesuch Explorer    1969/2007      
Young, Neil    EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE    Reprise/eMusic    1969    Xgau: B+  

A pretty slapdash list

Being represented as a "favorite" rather than a "greatest" or "best" 25 albums list, I went with what came to mind when I tried to look deep in my heart. Here's what I sent:

I was thinking tonight was the deadline and that Friday would be the results, but I guess Friday is the deadline. Still, I whipped this up so I'll send it. Despite myself though (not being much for lists, at least my own):

(in no particular order)

1. Beach Boy PET SOUNDS    10
2. Neil Young TRANS    10
3. Beatles WHITE ALBUM    10
4. Kinks KINK KRONIKLES    10
5. Beach Boys WILD HONEY    10
6. Kinks SOMETHING ELSE    10
7. Pink Floyd PIPER AT THE GATES    10
8. Sir Thomas Beecham MUSIC OF DELIUS    10
9. Duster Bennett JUSTA DUSTER    10
10. Kinks GREAT LOST KINKS ALBUM    10
11. Bob Dylan BLONDE ON BLONDE    10
12. Kinks ARTHUR    10
13. Shangri-Las GREATEST HITS    10
14. Lana Del Rey BORN TO DIE (yes, right beside the Shangri-Las; and not an ironical bone in my body!)    10
15. Rolling Stones FLOWERS    10
16. CHRONOPHAGIE    10
17. Pet Shop Boys VERY    10
18. Tradewinds EXCURSIONS    10
19. Insect Trust HOBOKEN SATURDAY NIGHT    10
20. The Zombies ODESSEY AND ORACLE    10
21. Chocolate Watchband INNER MYSTIQUE (don't try to listen to this on MOG -- it's a re-recording)    10
22. Spirit TIME CIRCLE    10
23. X WILD GIFT/LOS ANGELES    10
24. Go-Betweens 1978-1990    10
25. Nick Lowe BASHER    10

Too much Kinks, I know. Lots of stuff I remember fondly from my record playing days (going back to teen-age years), pretty much what I remember wearing out the most. Year of birth: 1949.
Now to give the albums on Raul's list a listen, and maybe a couple of mine I haven't heard in 45 years.

Of course plenty of afterthoughts. For example, can't believe I list all those Kinks albums but not Village Green. Stuff that might beat out some of the above if list were still open for changes: Marshall Crenshaw FIELD DAY, The Pretenders THE SINGLES (although I think I've listened to the first album more), The KLF THE WHITE ROOM, my Etta James LP LOSERS WEEPERS, The Foundations DIGGIN' THE... (picked up for 22¢ along with two Duster Bennetts -- the other one 12DB's might actually be the one that belongs on the above list, if either do), Syd Barrett BARRETT, Deep Purple MACHINE HEAD, David Bowie CHANGESONEBOWIE, John Lennon PLASTIC ONO BAND, Stevie Wonder ANTHOLOGY (1977), R.E.M. OUT OF TIME, Billie Holiday's GREATEST HITS (Decca, 1968), Colin Blunstone ONE YEAR...but that's just me and my what happened to be in my record collection.
And plenty of classical music albums got plenty of play for me back when albums had two sides and they took work to replace on the record player. Mostly budget labels: Vox, Seraphim, London Treasury, Nonesuch. Anything conducted by Beecham or Stokowski. Holst THE PLANETS. Berlioz SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE. And Mozart, big time. Schubert too.

Recent pick ups:
Dirty Water 2: More Birth of Punk Attitude

Various Artists

precipitated by its being Chuck Eddy's #1 reissue pick for 2011 -- also, I downloaded Dirty Water 1 from eMusic - $5.99 for 2 discs.

Plus these things (brought on perhaps from stray comments by the Expert Witness continguum or somewhere else):
The Bristol Sessions: Historic Recordings from Bristol, Tennessee

Various Artists

Cellar Full of Motown 2

Various Artists

Freakbeat Scene

Various Artists

Vol. 3- Cellarful Of Motown! Rarest Detroit Grooves

Cellarful of Motown

Cellarful of Motown: Rarest Motown Grooves

Various Artists

Sacred Chrome Orb

Joe Fiedler Trio

Classic Blues Artwork from the 1920's: 2012 Calendar (+CD)

Various Artists

 

And these books:

• All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis
  Bethany McLean, Joe Nocera
• 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism
  Ha-Joon Chang
• Griftopia: A Story of Bankers, Politicians, and the Most Audacious Power Grab in American History
  Matt Taibbi

Hard to believe it's the end of the first week in January and I am able to ride my bicycle the 13-14 miles round trip to Ankeny, like I only expect to be able to do during Spring/Summer/Fall. Last year I tried it one time when the roads were clear of snow, but it turned out the bicycle trail (Hi-Trestle, check out out, although I still haven't ventured north to the actual High Trestle) was clearly not. There was a bit of a breeze on the return trip and automobilers do like to exercise their advantage (pea brain attached to massive horsepower = ? [you tell me, and yes I do mean you]) , but the excursion went very well considering the time of year. Especially considering the time of year, or did I already say that?