All comments about the food aside for a moment...
This was my lucky thirteenth CO and I found the formula of more limited base miles daily a very refreshing change. Instead of a series of epic day endeavors it was a week long vacation.
There was time to sleep in a bit, linger in camp and visit with people.
There was time to slow down on the ride and visit between those of us that had only met via this medium and finally imprint faces and voices to the logins.
There was time to stop and drink in the majesty of the countryside we were pedaling through.
There was time to go with one's own whims.
There we options for the obsessively insane and options for those of us that just wanted to take in the experience.
It was all good.
OK that food issue...
Yep the food is consistently so/so. Been that way for years. When the local communities had the responsibility for feeding us from their own facilities, meals varied greatly from site to site, seasonings changed, style and servings changed. One day could be bland the other OH YEAH! only to be followed by an extended morning case of the "uh oh's".
My first time ever at Crater Lake was preceded by a vicious case of excessive food post processing. Managed to find some Pepto at a store we passed by that saved the day. So all that consistently commercial quality food just might have spared you some gastronomic distress in the long run.
There is nothing to stop one from bringing along some of their favorite table spices, condiments, drink mixes, etc. I bring bags of Good Earth decaf tea for the evenings for that taste of home every night. There are ways to "dress up" the food to your liking.
For a warm breakfast...
Bring a covered travel mug with an open bottomed handle so it will slip in a jersey pocket. Enter foodcortia at the beverage table and fill up on coffee/tea (if you desire milk/juice consider bringing a couple of small plastic bottles for this purpose and fill them then too) then go out to the food line. Once you've obtained the morning gruel it's direct to the table for consumptive processing. No balancing plates waiting to get to and use the beverage dispensers!
Each CO has had its moments but this year was the first one for me that felt less of an epic journey and more a vacation. That was truly wonderful.
Don "the Mexican place in Joseph was pretty good too" Bolton
SchleckJr wrote:It was great.
my first CO, gonna come back next year. Only comment: food sucked