Will Ride for Pizza!

All bike riders are different; some race, some ride.  Some folks ride in order to race a clock inside their mind or to beat their personal best or to beat a goal they have set for themselves.  Other people tend to ride for the sake of riding; for the exercise, the sightseeing, the experience.  They ride alone or with others.  Given the day and the circumstances the rider or group of riders may be able to spend more time in the saddle, cover more distance and go to different places.  Chances are that on these long routes they will get hungry and if it is more of a leisurely adventure, the rider may want something more to chew on than the banana that has been riding along in their jersey pocket for miles.

The Sticky Bottle Team has been on these rides and it is very easy to stop for fast food but we realize that it’s just not a good idea.  Consider that most burgers have about nine grams of saturated fat and if you choose one of those double-patties-with-cheese behemoths you are looking at up to 24 grams of fat.  These burgers, when combined with the greasy fries and the sugary soda can take the total calorie count up to 1,100.  Plus, burgers are red meat--not exactly the greatest colon cleanser for that ride home and when we say red meat we say that knowing that it is a very poor quality of meat.  When it is all said and done you will spend about $7.  You will need to pedal about another hour to burn off the calories.

The SBT crew, when on these rides, prefers the pizza shop and we don’t mean the large corporate pizza places, we mean the mom and pop shop.  The odds are very good that what you will get is fresh and homemade and created by someone that you can picture as your long lost aunt or uncle.  Pizza is a good food choice if you want more than protein drinks and raw fruit.  You and your riding friends are enjoying the day and the ride; you want to make more of it.  We recommend pizza.   

Pizza, if it is not too greasy, is actually a decent meal.  It has bread, protein and veggies (add some green peppers, or onions, or mushrooms). Skip the extra cheese, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni and bacon.  It is much easier to make a good meal decision with pizza than with a burger and you will know it’s fresh.  One way to be sure of freshness is to look for a big dough mixer; if you locate one then chances are pretty good that the shop makes its own dough and fresh dough tastes better.  In terms of nutrition, a slice of plain cheese with a green pepper topping is 200 calories.  The bill will come to about $3 per slice because you don’t need the fries and soda--drink your water.  When lunch is over you will have made the better nutritional choice, splurged just a bit without the guilt and contributed to the local economy.   Plus, you will only need to ride about 10 minutes to burn 200 calories.  One last note: avoid the pan pizza--stick with the hand-tossed thin crust for better nutrition.  

Visit our website www.stickybotteteam.net.