I've been trying things out. Biking isn't the same as swimming for me. I know, duh, but I figured exercising is exercising. Up until very recently, I was almost exclusively a swimmer, with a little running mixed in. I've been swimming for eons, often for two hours a workout or more. I rarely hit the wall hard doing that, even on hard days. I guess my body, being accustomed to that sort of exercise, learned to operate on a nearly empty tank...? I remember days when I didn't feel like eating so early in the morning, so I just didn't, or I had a slice of bread and I'd be fine. Definitely not working at my optimum, but not completely useless, either.

Anyway, with biking, I've found that I need to eat a lot. I've been drinking a lot of water and having a bar or a gel midway and it's like I have new life toward the end. Y'all were right; my body really isn't that picky when it comes to snacks. I just need something. I've left the flavored drinks for after the ride, if at all. The group leader whipped up his recovery shake for me one day and I felt wonderful after a painfully hilly thirty-miler. I didn't trudge through the rest of the day like I thought I would, so I will probably add that to my arsenal of nutrition. Thanks, y'all, I appreciate the responses, really.