*drooling* back to back centuries! I think I'd really love that...that's a great goal after Cycle Oregon. What a great idea. I can't wait for my knee to heal so I can do what I want to do and not hold back...

As for the drinking..I really don't drink much...it'd likely be only a beer or two, but still enough to relax and enjoy the "spoils" of the day. Oh! And thanks for the advice on eating and drinking before I feel it. As a woman, I always try to make sure I never eat unless I am truly hungry-it will be a weird thing to reverse that life-long training.

I have to say, Friday (the 40 mile trip) was SO much fun! It sucks so much having to wait out the rest of the week...bleh!

Oh, and thanks for telling me that all the people who will be "blowing past me" won't necessarily ride the whole day...I had no idea! I WOULD have tried to keep up, too.

The guy I'm biking with (and dating) has been biking so very long that I'm sure there are so many things that don't even occur to him to tell me. That's a big reason I'm here (plus guys have a different philosophy than women, although I share some of the "guy" qualities with my competetiveness I guess).

Ok, on to read anything else I might have missed here..

Really, thanks so much to everyone responding...I am taking it all in. And might I say, I felt so much better about falling flat over my first time out when I read all the other stories...stupid truck was rolling through the stop and I was on a tiny uphill...but I learned.

;-)