I wrote a response just now, but hit the wrong key on my computer and it went...I don't know where. So here it is again...

Thank you all for the great tips and help. It is much appreciated.

A few responses/questions to your comments;

- Yes, I was wearing a borrowed helmet and gloves...thankfully. But perhaps full body armor would have been more appropriate given my tendency to hit the ground right now.

- I lowered the seat on my mountain bike when I first started riding it, then raised the seat when I felt more confident. I think it's where it's supposed to be, but I'm not sure. Any suggestions on where my seat should be adjusted? Right now it's about where I can barely touch the ground with my toes if I'm in the saddle. And with my lower pedal all the way down and my foot flat on it, I have a slight bend in my knee. Sound about right?

- I lowered the road bike seat as low as it will go, but the stem won't allow it to go any lower. I definitely cannot touch the ground with my toes when I'm in the saddle, and my leg position is a little bit straighter. Makes for very dramatic starts and stops... Should my seat be this high on a road bike?

- I definitely over-bought when it came to my bikes. I had a friend (okay, boyfriend), help me with choosing size, type, etc. However, I bought a very fancy, fairly expensive road bike - which is probably wasted on my at this time because I can't tell the difference between a $500 bike and a $5,000 bike. My boyfriend was certain that I would be happy with this bike very soon though, and I do trust his judgment. As for the mountain bike, probably over-bought there too, but its a sweet bike and I am having fun learning on it.

- I would join a bike club in a heartbeat, but I live in a pretty rural area (Jackson Hole, WY) and although there are a lot of people who ride here, there aren't any clubs to speak of. And I don't think there are any people here who own wind trainers, but I could check around. My boyfriend might even have a spare he could loan me. Hmmmm.....

- Steering... I actually had that epiphany on Friday when I rode my mountain bike and learned how to steer it without using the handlebars. And that's exactly why I ate it on my road bike yesterday...excessive use of the handlebars. I'm going to be reading that article on steering with your hips today before I go out on my bike again. Thanks!

- Gears... They are a mystery to me and there are so many. It's a bit easier on my mountain bike because they're right there on top and you have a visual for what's going on. On the road bike there are so many more gears and the shifters are in a different place. Also, I have no idea what gear I'm in or what gear I'm supposed to be in at any given time. The wind trainer would definitely help here. Great idea. Thanks!

My boyfriend is dying to help me learn to ride...and I would love it if he could, but he lives in another state so it would be a challenge. He's also certain that I will want to race once I get riding seriously (he races velodrome), and I absolutely agree with him. It's my dream to race the track someday and maybe do some road bike races too.

I am having so much fun learning to ride (despite the loss of skin and perpetually bruised body parts) that I can't believe I didn't do this sooner. Last Friday, when I rode around and around the parking lot on my mountain bike and had such a great ride, I really did feel like a kid with a new bike. I rode through the sprinklers and around the cars and practiced shifting and it was the most fun I've had in a very long time. Such a simple pleasure, but wonderful nonetheless.

Thank you all for your help and great advice. It is very much appreciated!