First time rider here! As someone who eats within 10 minutes of waking up everyday or I feel sick, how does breakfast work? Do you ride to the first town to eat or should I plan on stocking up on bars/bananas or what I can get my hands on for first thing in the morning?
Thank you!
18 Replies
Bring energy/protein bars. You won’t find any breakfasts (usually) that close to your tent. Plus you need to pack up your stuff and tent and get it on your support truck before you can find breakfast. I always bring energy bars along. My current go to are Quest bars
You will want to have something in camp then. Unless you have someone packing camp for you there would be little way to get anywhere in 10 minutes. You probably can’t make it through the Kybo line in 10 minutes unless you get up at 4:30 am.
The starting town will usually have a few stops on the way out. The first town or two are usually the “breakfast” towns. Although I have no idea how people eat all that for breakfast and then ride after…
I usually have a hammer gel to get me started that will hold me over until I find some food.
Don’t accept breakfast advice from anybody who rides for a team with “fungus” in their name.
Our first choice for road breakfast has been “Slipstream” for many years, a bowl of yogurt with Heidi granola topped with blueberries and or strawberries. Watch for their signs, they co-locate with a coffee vendor.
RIDE RIGHT
10 minutes is not nearly enough time to break camp and do other essential things and biological imperatives. I usually look for the Fire Department in the overnight towns as they usually have a good breakfast right there in town. Last year, we went to the Onawa Country Club for a “few” and then got food. But that’s just a RAGBRAI thang.
I have packed pop tarts in my pack. I am the same I want to eat right away before getting on the bike.
Then I head to the 2nd stop town (first one is usually very busy) to eat a better breakfast.
Everyone does it different though, good luck and have fun.
Last year I stopped at HyVee in the evening, after showers and the swimming pool, and after hanging my hammie. Banana, energy bar, fruit smoothie was enough food camp-side to get me started…and it carried me over until I could hit the Methodist church or the firehouse or the side-of-the road stops…slipstream, breakfast burritos, etc.
Our team has Clif bars (and a variety of other snacks) to get the morning started. There’s no way I can ride 10+ miles to the first breakfast town without some fuel. That said, you can also find food in the overnight town before you leave. But sounds like you have a limited amount of time before you feel ill, so I would recommend packing some sort of bar to get your day off on the right foot.
Cool thanks all! I prepped some oatmeal/raisins/walnuts in plastic baggies for each morning in the tent and will bring a little bowl along with me and mix it up with water. I just need a little SOMETHING before I start riding that’s not a load of bacon, eggs, pancakes or something my stomach isn’t familiar with. My husband says my life is based around my food schedule!! :)
It’ll work!! Getting excited!
What’s wrong with a little fungus for breakfast?!
Kelly, I have the same issue too. I have to eat something when I get up. I can go an hour but I usually eat my protein bar while I am packing up.
I take my Jetboil stove and make a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Nothing like sipping a cup of fresh instant coffee and nibbling a Clif Bar watching the camp come alive.
^^^^^^Like^^^^^^
Breakfast fungus…………….mmm…..could grow on you I suppose.
RIDE RIGHT
[quote quote=1309339]Breakfast fungus…………….mmm…..could grow on you I suppose.quote]
There’s nothing wrong with a little fungus for breakfast! Personally, I like my fungus sautéed in butter until tender, mixed into scrambled eggs and topped with hollandaise sauce. It’s called a MUSHROOM omelette.
Gee whiz, now I’m hungry and it’s not even dinner time yet. What’s a growing boy like me to do? ?.
See you along the I-O-Way next year.