outfitting a mountain bike for road application

I'm finding it harder and harder to bike offroad these days (no bike rack for the car means I'm jamming my bike in the back seat of my car, etc)

I'm wondering if there's a way I can make my mtb more road-comfortable- like any slicks you ladies can suggest, anything I can do to the handlebars to make for better geometry for stretching out and feeling my way into that 'groove' that takes you miles and miles and miles...

I did that 40 and it had me thinking "my god.... that was wonderful!" and then going "I need a road bike!" ...but I can't part with Miss 'Cakes so I need to just revamp her wardrobe, maybe...

She's a hardtail, if it matters terribly.

The most obvious is putting road slicks on for tires. You should also put bar ends on if you don't have them already, and adding aerobars will give the best solution to the limited hand positions of a mountain bar. But realize even with those changes it will still be heavier than a real road bike.

Yeah, I know... weight will always be a big factor, but as it is, it's a relatively light bike, and I've never had lighter, so I won't "know the difference" until some mean, mean person makes me try their feather-light road bike and ruins it for me. ;)

Aero bars, you say? I've already got bar ends... I'll look into the aero bars. I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean, but that's why google, etc exist, right?

Aero bars are those clip on thingies that you often see on bikes during time trials, or triathalons. What is nice is that they clip off and on easily so you aren't permanently altering the bike. I recommend something like this: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...eid=&pagename=