I love a good breakfast

Starting a day of riding with a good big breakfast is my idea of "fueling up," especially since most days I grab a bowl of cereal before heading to work. Over the years I have tried many places for breakfast and I have found four (two in Texas and two in Colorado) that stand above the others.

Bill Smith's Cafe in McKinney, Texas has been open for over 50 years and they cook up good food 365 days a year! Bill's is serve only breakfast and lunch. Doors close at 2pm M-S and 12noon on Sunday. The hash brown casserole is very good and a great departure from the common hash brown. The pancakes are fluffy and flavorful. The "Papa Smith's Special" consist of eggs, sausage, bacon, or ham, and pancakes or French toast. All of the food is fresh and is cooked to order. They also serve great omelets and big breakfast burritos. You will not be disappointed, but you will be fueled up for a great ride.

The second Texas cafe with top-notched breakfasts is Lucy's in Celina. Lucy's breakfast burrito is the best around. Filled with eggs, sausage or bacon, & cheese the big burrito covers the plate. Service is great and the atmosphere is country friendly. The renowned FM 455 runs right past downtown Celina and Lucy's so the ride to Lucy's is a great warm-up ride before breakfast. Drop by and you are most likely going to see bikes in the parking lot as this is a popular place for bikers and we all know that bikers enjoy eating, so it must be good!

Estes Park, Colorado lies nestled among the Rocky Mountains and is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. There are numerous eateries to choose from, but for breakfast the Bighorn Restaurant is the place to eat. The sizeable portions, fresh ingredients, and fresh mountain air makes this an awesome place to fill up before a day of riding and/or hiking.  The pancakes, homemade waffles, and huge omelettes will make you glad to stopped by.  This is a great place and you will enjoy it.

The Hungry Bear is my all time favorite breakfast place. Located west of Colorado Springs in the town of Woodland Park (8437 ft above see level and only a few miles from Pikes Peak) the Hungry Bear serves up fruit-filled crapes, awesome pancakes, fresh eggs, and many other tasty treats. The 4X4 will fill you up with 4 pancakes, 4 eggs cooked to order, 4 pieces of bacon, and 4 sausage patties. The crapes are a departure from the normal breakfast and when filled with fruit are very refreshing. This is one place I would without a doubt ride many extra miles to enjoy their food and atmosphere. Give it a try.