FOOD!!!

So this morning I woke up in a good mood! I went to PDQ and filled my mug with coffee. Same as usual (actually today it was mostly decaf.) But today the roast seemed so much better. It was the perfect roast and a great cup of coffee, I am so sad that it is finished. I might have to rock mostly decaf again but I am guessing that batch was just roasted a little different than other batches. Someone asked me if I was going to ride today. Huh. I haven’t even thought about riding despite the 40+ temps we’ve had lately. My new gut probably wouldn’t fit in my bib shorts anyways.

We leave tomorrow for our honeymoon! It’ll be some serious cruising. It’ll be the last bit of fun before hitting the grind of work, training and dieting. Dieting? Yes dieting. I’ve decided to eliminate ranch from my diet starting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, for at least a month. For those who eat with me this will come as a shock, can he do it? I figure no ranch will equal less fries and less other crappy foods and make me less likely to go out. I gave up potatoes for a month last year which helped out but it’s time to get even more serious this year. It’s on this note that I introduce my riding and eating stats for 2006:

Workout:
I played basketball 108 times.
I ran 524.9 miles
I swam 34,100 yards
I rode 4112 miles in 259.25 hours for an average speed of 15.86mph (includes mountain and cyclocross riding.)
I also rode 6.75 hours indoors, most of them during spin class.
Additional working out included about 6 dodgeball tournaments, 1 flag football game, many amusement and water-slide parks and some yard work and walking dogs.

Food:
I ate out 270 times (5 less than last year.) 20 of those were at JT Whitneys, 17 at Taco Bell and 10 at McDonalds. The 270 includes every time I ate purchased food, even if we just went out for some ice cream or for Brat Fest.

Best of 2006:
Best Meal: Spudmania, Jungle Jim Burger- Jungle Jims, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Best Breakfast: 2 Chocolate glazed donuts, vanilla coffee, Dunkin Donuts, Kissimmee, Florida
Best Burger: Melting Pot, Dotty’s Dumpling Dowry, Madison, WI
Best Appetizer: Spudmania - Jungle Jims, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Best Mexican Food: Tamales, Pike Market, Seattle, WA.
Best Pasta: Never-ending Pasta Bowl, Olive Garden
Best Fast Food: Chicken Quesadilla, Taco Bell
Best New Food: Cheesesteak, Dave & Busters, Columbus, OH- This cheesesteak is so good, I don’t even want to eat other cheesesteaks anymore…will be going to one in Chicago soon.
Best Wings: “Hot” Quaker Steak and Lube, Middleton, WI
Most improved: Panera Bread, Pizzeria Uno
Most downgraded: Taco Time, I hate to say it but many have went out of business and I had a bad experience this year. If I get to go to a real west coast one again it’ll likely get back up there but lately I’ve been disappointed.
Places to go in Madison: Tumbleweed, Dottys, JT Whitneys, Hubbard Ave Diner, Quaker Steak
Places to avoid in Madison: Fuddruckers (only went once, pretty half-ass,) Macaroni Grill (getting more expensive and less tasty each time I go,) Hooters (I foresee Hooters not being in business much longer,) Hawks (overrated.)

Notable restaurant virginities lost: Chick FilA (overrated,) Jack in the Box (underrated,) Kidd Valley (gross,) Krystal (good,) Potbelly (pricey,) Ruby Tuesday (pretty awesome,) Taco Del Mar (great.)

Other notable stats:
Waffle House- 2
White Castle- 2
Tim Hortons- 2
Taco Time- 1
Sonic- 3
Long John Silvers- 2
Jungle Jim’s- 2
Fuddruckers- 1
Dunkin Donuts- 2
Cheesecake Factory- 2
Checkers- 3

So there you have it. I’d love to hear your opinions and comments and questions!!!