Corsair, I am glad that you and Allez are ok. I took a spill like yours recently (although for a different reason) and, even though it didn't hurt much at the time, I was aching for a couple of days from the scrapes and bruises. I hope you heal quickly!

I can personally attest to the differences between men & women when it comes to carb loading. My BF can go on a long ride (~50 miles) and all he needs is water. Both times I've bonked, I've been out riding with him. Rather than listening to my body and insisting we stop for a snack, I just followed his lead, sipped some water and kept on pedalling. Then, all of a sudden, I just hit a wall and couldn't go on any longer. Except I had to... we were several miles from our destination and had no choice but to keep going. My BF rode next to me and would give me pushes to help me along.

OK, so I had to bonk twice before I learned my lesson. Now, I always make sure one of my water bottles has sports drink in it. Also, for rides over 25 miles, I bring an energy bar or two and nibble as we go along. I always thought that I was a wimp and just wasn't a strong enough rider to go as long as my BF without eating. But, better to be a wimp than to bonk. It's nice to hear that I'm not a wimp, my body just processes fuel differently.