Meal Plan Yea or Ney

Date: Aug 6, 2006

Meal Plan Yea or Ney

Date: Aug 6, 2006

Over the last two rides, I have split by going half meal plans and half hopping the van and going into to town to eat. Going into town will give you the advantage of a variety of different types of menus but can be a little time consuming. This year, I plan on going for convience and will go with the meal plan. If, however, there is a day that I just have a craving for a big steak or seafood platter, then I will just hop on the van and I'm on my way. Either way, you won't go hungry.

Date: Aug 7, 2006

So, based on your previous experience, is the meal plan food "good", or just "edible"? Thanks.

Date: Aug 7, 2006

You can never be sure about the meal plan. In three years on CNC I have had one bad meal. I have had several that were not great but they were OK. Most have been fantastic. The problem comes in when we go to a new town every year some of the folks doing the meal do not know how much food cyclist eat. Also one time (the one BAD meal I have had) it was brought in by a vendor that was just flat trying to make MONEY, and he did $9.00 for sorry chicken that he ran out of and very little fixins to go with it.

Here is my plan, Large towns skip the meal plan and go with the van or walk to dinner. There is normally something around that you will like. Small towns or if we appear to be camping a great distance from town, then buy the meal. This saves on time and there are a few small towns that there are only local restaurants (I like these but not everyone does) or fast food.

The only other thing I can say is that if the tour goes back to Albelmarle, buy the meal it is at the First Baptist Church and those folks can flat cook.

Date: Aug 7, 2006

Towns and venders change from year to year. I never had a bad meal from the meal plan and only one breakfast (I believe in Little Washington two years ago) that was just adequate. When you get your packet just check and see who the venders will be. Civic clubs / church groups tend to do a very good job in food preparation and in amount of food served. Our overnight stay in Burlington is only a few miles from some really good places to eat near huffine mill road / church street and will be only a 10 to 15 minute van ride away from th ecamp ground. Hope this helps.

Date: Aug 10, 2006

This will be my eighth CNC so I do have some experience.

First and most important: If breakfast is important to you, definitely buy the meal plan breakfasts. (If you don't need a huge breakfast, the muffin and coffee detail can be a good substitute but don't depend on getting breakfast along the way. I did the first year and we didn't pass one fast food place in 800 miles from one end of the state to the other. My plan of McDonalds pancakes was a total washout and I suffered for it.)

Dinner is much more of a toss-up. If the meal looks interesting, and at a good price, I contract for it on the meal plan for that meal. Otherwise, I trust getting my food on the shuttle route. Almost always I can find an all-you-can-eat buffet for less than $9 so am not willing to pay more than that for a contract meal. Fish one night, italian another, chinease another, mexican another. You get the idea. (-:

For meal plan food, you DON'T want to be the last one in line. Nuf said. Veggie options are also usually somewhat limited.