To heck with the ride, how's their ....

[Trek420]

.... food?

I thought we need a place for food reviews of organized rides. This is Zagat on two wheels (or three if you ride a trike).

Granted this changes from year to year, volunteer crews and donations. Which event has an after ride meal that made your suffering worth it. Where is the one that you rode off to find an alternative?

[Thorn]

In Wisconsin...the Dairyland Dare, Quadrupedal and anything run by Stewart Schilling. After suffering up hills (not mountains, but we're talking 75-90 feet/mile of 0.25-2 mile steep climbs), that bean burrito was to die for....oh, wait, I guess just to suffer for?

[Aggie_Ama]

I did the Wildflower something or another in Johnson City, Texas this year. After the ride there was spaghetti but it wasn't that normally ick stuff you get at rides it had homemade sauce and warm buttered bread. Plus homemade Snickerdoodles!

Bad food- I did a ride in San Angelo called the Biscuits 'n Gravy. The idea of biscuits and gravy after 100 miles of chip seal in August heat was awful. They have plenty of post ride sodas and cookies though.

[Flur]

DH and I are doing the New Belgium Urban Assault here in Minneapolis. New Belgium runs the race/scavenger hunt in a number of cities in the US and maybe Canada too. It's sponsored by Chipotle also, so the post race meal is burritos and fat tires. I have a feeling this is the main reason DH agreed to do it with me!

[Pedal Wench]

Ha! That's one of our main complaints after rides!

On Ride the Rockies, the organizers only supply oranges or bananas. But, there are vendors at most rest stops selling everything from bratwurst to fruit smoothies.

We just did Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. They had yogurt, granola and bananas at the first rest stop, Ritz crackers with sliced American cheese, bagels with cream cheese, trail mix, cherries, peaches, graham crackers with PB and bananas, and more throughout the day. I thought it was great, but others thought a few crackers and cheese wasn't enough. Guess it depends on your perspective.

[andtckrtoo]

The LiveStrong Challenge in San Jose had excellent food. Michelob Ultra (man, did that taste good after the ride!), spaghetti, a good variety of Subway subs (including vegetarian), pizza from a local pizzeria, and salad, fruits, and delicious cookies. I was glad I was with friends and didn't want to make a pig out of myself...

[ny biker]

They served pizza hut pizza at the Philadelphia Livestrong ride, but the sandwiches and salads were from a local catering company, and the sandwiches were real hoagies with italian seasonings. Absolutely awesome.

The Civil War Century has the most amazing tomato sandwiches. I really hope Tropical Storm Hanna doesn't prevent me from enjoying those tomatoes on Saturday.

[GLC1968]

I did the Tarwheels Bikefest Rural Heritage Tour Century (NC) two years in a row and man...do they know how to stock a rest stop! Different varieties of homemade baked goodies at each one. It made me want to stop a lot more than I should have!!

Oh, and our MS150 (Central NC) had Carrabas cater the dinner on the first day. YUM!

[Blueberry]

I did the Tarwheels Bikefest Rural Heritage Tour Century (NC) two years in a row and man...do they know how to stock a rest stop! Different varieties of homemade baked goodies at each one. It made me want to stop a lot more than I should have!!

Oh, and our MS150 (Central NC) had Carrabas cater the dinner on the first day. YUM!

Man, I'm doing that MS ride next year!!! The meals in New Bern was NOT great last year (at least for the meal I ate...). The rest stops were awesome, though. A couple of years ago, one of the MS groups sponsored a rest stop at Bike Fest. They had a chocolate fountain. Heaven on earth on a ride.

CA

[lauraelmore1033]

Tour de Lopez is a fabulous, scenic ride with home made baked goodies at the rest stops and a great barbeque at the end. The whole island shows up for the bbq, giving it quite a festive,welcoming feel.

The Levenworth Alefest ride is another fabulous, scenic ride, but the bowl of tomato soup at the end was a bit of a let down....

The spaghetti dinner at the mid point of the STP was the most delicious I'd ever tasted, in spite of the fact that the woman serving it reached into the sodden, lukewarm mass of pasta with her bare hands and slopped it onto the plate with an unappealing plop. I think that was just a matter of being ravenously hungry.

[Thorn]

I think that was just a matter of being ravenously hungry.

We call that the "Dog Food Principle"--after exercise, they could serve you dog food and you'd claim it was gourmet

That said, there's been some post-ride spaghetti that even the dog food principle just couldn't save.

[TrekTheKaty]

The St. Louis Moonlight Ramble just had White Castles, Fat Tire and root beer floats--I know that's why DH went! We were sorry we missed the Beer & Brat century--maybe next year :-)