Day 68, March 9: Pepperoni?

My Favorite Pizzas

I didn't eat a slice of pizza until I was 17 years old. My dad didn't like pizza, so we never had it. But I was at my first girlfriend's house one night and the family had Tombstone pizza on the table. The rest is history, even though I don't like a lot of toppings. Here are my favorites as I discovered them.

1. Tombstone: That night at Debbie's house, I managed to eat a couple of slices along with Fritoes and Pepsi.

I was pleasantly surprised.

2. Shakey's Pizza: One of my first non-frozen pizzas.

I really liked the thin crust and sausage topping.

3. Rocky Roccoco's: A very thick style made primarily in Madison, Wis. Still one of my favorites.

4. Pizza Pit: Another Madison staple, it tasted

much better than it sounded.

5. Gillette,Wyo.: Not sure what local place made it, but our newspaper staff ordered a few and one of them had pineapple

and shrimp on it. Again, pleasantly surprised.

6. Shot Tower: A popular Dubuque spot, this place has great thick and thin pizzas. Perhaps my No. 1 of all time.

7. Town Clock Inn: Another Dubuque hot spot, just a couple blocks away from the Shot Tower. Great all-you-can-eat lunch specials.

8. Happy Joe's: A third Dubuque offering, the kids can watch the workers prepare this tasty pizza.

The owners are some of the nicest around.

9. Pizza Hut: An old reliable, and still very good.

10. Kieler Greenhouse: A little bar in tiny Kieler, Wis., if you order sausage, you get a lot of sausage;

the same with mushrooms, pepperonis ...