Let's Talk about FOOD!

Mike & I always thought that food would be a major part of this trip.  We envisioned working up a big appetite & enjoying delicious, relaxing dinners every evening.  After all, we could eat anything we wanted, right?  Well, it hasn't exactly worked out that way.  

Don't get me wrong, the food on this trip has been great but not in the way we had anticipated.  First of all, eating is a very primal thing.  You burn a lot of calories while cycling and when you're hungry, you HAVE to eat ... NOW!  We find that breakfast is must. Many of our hotels offer a complimentary breakfast, with the Holiday Inn Express serving surprisingly tasty eggs & sausage.  Cereal, bagels & hard-boiled eggs also work well.  We grab some snacks for the road (my favorite is bananas & peanut butter) & also carry Trio bars & HEED sports drink which isn't too sweet.  We eat every hour or two on the road & sometimes don't eat lunch until we reach our destination at 2 or 3 pm.  By that time, we're STARVING & nothing sounds better than a burger, quesadilla, or tuna melt.  

Here are some of our most memorable meals:
Fish & chips at Barbara's Fishtrap in Half Moon Bay with our friends, Mike & Mary,

Delicious Thai green curry, pad thai noodles & salad with tofu & peanut sauce at Thai House in Santa Cruz, 

Tuna melt on rye & grilled cheese with bacon & tomatoes on the patio of the Monterey Brewing Co. in Monterey,

Breakfast served in our room at the Spindrift Inn in Monterey,

A giant carnitas from the Burrito Bar next to the River Inn in Big Sur - split it & sat in the shade overlooking the river,

The Ambrosia burger at Nepenthe in Big Sur - how could anything taste bad with that view? So fun having Virginia & Joe with us!

Tuna melt & turkey/avocado sandwiches for lunch at the Ripplewood Cafe in Big Sur - I love old-fashioned places with counters!

Dinner in our cabin at Big Sur

Another tuna melt (split) at Whaler's Cove Cafe in Gorda.  It was SO hot out, we poured iced water over our heads before leaving,

Big, old-fashioned breakfast (Ortega chilie & cheese for me; sausages @ eggs for Mike)  at Pine Tree Family Restaurant in Cambria - one of our few 'big' breakfasts.

Black & blue (grilled with blue cheese) burger & beer battered fries (the BEST!) for me & a grilled flat iron steak salad with blue cheese for Mike at Schooner's Wharf in Cayucos with an amazing view of the ocean & wharf (yes, the photo is real!)

The BEST barbecued pulled pork sandwiches as Fireside Grill in San Luis Obispo,

Gourmet clam chowder & long island iced tea at Steamers in Pismo Beach,

Yummy fish & chips, coleslaw & salad also at the bar at Steamers in Pismo Beach,

Finally, after a tiring ride into Lompoc, we found El Toro Bronco which had terrific enchiladas, tacos & a my favorite:  a giant carnitas burrito.  

I still have half for dinner tonight & Mike will pick up a tuna Subway sandwich to eat in our room at the Embassy Suites.  We're too tired to go out!