Power bar gel Blasts

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I wonder what sorts of nasty ingredients M & Ms have.

V.

Well here it is:
http://www.sugarstand.com/sc/sc0057-...ut-xxl-bag.htm

Yes they do have some non-healthy ingredients, especially the fake colors. But the substantial amount of chocolate and nuts in them are at least more real than just a sugar/gelatin combo. And m&ms are more earth-friendly packaged (in a giant bag rather than individual plastic foil packets), they're cheap, and they don't disguise themselves as a hi-tech sports wonder food and charge a fortune for basically just textured sugar.

That's a good idea, thanks! I think I may start carrying some peanut m&ms on long rides. Good to know they don't just melt into liquid in the heat. I like chocolate.

[GLC1968]

I love chocolate, but I cannot eat it when riding. It always upsets my stomach...always. Ick.


My favorite cycling 'real food' are PB filled pretzels. They handle heat well, they don't upset my stomach, they have a nice salty-sweet goodness and you can buy them in bulk at many stores. As long as I eat them before I'm seriously glycogen depleated, they work great!

[Veronica]

Well, there you go. Something you can feel good about on all counts.

I don't buy them in a giant bag. It would be too easy to eat them when I am not riding. They are one of those things I buy mid - ride when I need to get a receipt - along with Red Bulls.

V.

[SadieKate]

Petroleum-based waxed paper thrown out with each use. Any biodegradable coating better be made with food by-product or its not enviromentally friendly either.

Use of precious non-renewable water that's been treated and transported to your tap to re-use an item. It takes a ton of water (plus soap) to wash the goo off plastic wrap.

Sometimes you can only choose the lesser evil.

I love Nectar bars when I'm riding.
http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_nectar/

And the wrappers can be recycled.
http://www.clifbar.com/soul/sustainability/

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I don't buy them in a giant bag. It would be too easy to eat them when I am not riding.
V.

Hmmm... i didn't think of that.

Petroleum-based waxed paper thrown out with each use. Any biodegradable coating better be made with food by-product or its not enviromentally friendly either.

Use of precious non-renewable water that's been treated and transported to your tap to re-use an item. It takes a ton of water (plus soap) to wash the goo off plastic wrap.

I don't wash goo off plastic wrap with soap, I agree that it negates most of the re-use benefits. I hardly use plastic wrap at all anymore. I try to use plastic bags many times, as I also do with pieces of tin foil. But I admit I do use 'non-renewable water that's been treated and transported to my tap' for cooking, washing myself, drinking, flushing, and cleaning.
Here's an example of non petroleum based waxed paper:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/items...al_Waxed_Paper
Check your food co-op or health food store.

[Veronica]

And then there is the electricity we're using to be on the internet.

V.

[SadieKate]

Then some of us work from home and don't even burn up a bicycle tire to commute.

We have a friend who lectures us constantly on not washing every single jar so it can go into the recycling. Here in Central Oregon, all glass must be stored at the recycling collection site and then transported long distance to be recycled. He just cannot lift his eyes to the big picture of water use and transportation as part of the cost to the environment. A beer bottle that needs a tsp of water to rinse goes into the bin. A peanut butter jar? No. The fish need that water.

[Veronica]

Some of us are on vacation... I do feel guilty about the number of showers I take some days though. I shower after I run or ride in the morning. Then if I'm meeting with the trainer in the afternoon, I shower after my session with her. Don't even suggest Navy showers... hot water makes my sore muscles happy.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

And then there is the electricity we're using to be on the internet.

V.

Yeah. And the carbon dioxide we pollute the earth with when we exhale!
We should just kill ourselves, or eat ourselves. (Soylent green, like they do with cows?)
Well, as most people here have as well I'm sure, I've made an effort to make lots of small choices and changes, it can add up. I've found many wasteful or environmentally bad things that I used to do just automatically without thinking about it, out of longstanding habit, and I've tried to do them better.

[Veronica]

My carbon dioxide is good for my indoor plants.

V.

[OakLeaf]

Use of precious non-renewable water that's been treated and transported to your tap to re-use an item. It takes a ton of water (plus soap) to wash the goo off plastic wrap.

Not all of us live in the thirsty West. Some of us have plentiful, untreated ground water. Granted it still takes electricity to run the pump (and at 300 feet, a hand pump is out of the question), but in comparison it's a small usage. And when you're washing your plastic bags in the same load as your other hand-wash dishes, there's some extra rinse water but no extra soap or wash water.

[Dogmama]

I put my potentially gooey stuff in plastic bags. Afterwards, I have something to put the gooey stuff in when I stuff it in my pockets with the rest of my stuff. So my stuff doesn't get gooey.

And back to the topic, powerbar shots are great. I had one yesterday and FLEW through my ride. For lactic acid buildup, though, you can't beat Cytomax.