Since Jo asked...

[Veronica]

Something I learned this year...

when you get to the top of a hill, don't stop pedaling. Yes your heart rate may be sky high, but pedal 8 - 10 more revolutions down the hill. You'll get up to your downhill cruising speed faster. You can then take your drink, let the HR drop a bit and then resume pedaling, or not if you're going fast enough.

It use to drive Thom nuts when I would stop putting much effort into my pedaling on the tandem as we crested a hill. On our last ride together on our singles, he noticed that I was taking off down the hill much faster than I use to.

V.