kimberly asks: "1. Shorts. Please ladies, your favorites?"

can hardly go wrong with PI, and then there's the ethereal shorts/saddle chemistry. some riders go as far as "these shorts with this saddle, these with that one". Buy the best you can afford.

2. "Do I really want to "butter" my butt?" technicaly you butter your shorts...which butter your butt ;-) I uses Assos (no pun intended) on most rides over 20 miles. Try different stuff.

3. "Aerobars!" can't help you there, never used them, I worry I would not get to the brakes in time if needed but then I don' race so......

4. "Food.Suggestions, Opinions?" I just think you train your stomach as well as the rest of you, don't want to change it drasticly during an event.

I like oatmeal before a long ride and no or less coffee, lots of folks have pre-post ride traditions like Spazz, why Red gatorade???

During a ride I go for bland stuff, bagles, bananas, oranges, avoid sweets and grease but after....outa my way, I'm heading in ;-)