I get what you're saying about the stops and I'm no spring chicken, either. For me, a stop is one just long enough to water up, make an adjustment on the bike, take a pic and so on. Anything longer and it takes a few miles for me to loosen back up.

I like Rebecca's idea of stretching, massaging or just taking a walk to prevent getting too stiff. I'm going to try it next time I take a long break.

Best of luck and enjoy your ride.