I do Mt Diablo ride once a week. This has made me VERY conscious about eating as I have bonked a couple of times after the junction (I'll still keep going, but often it's a walk the last part ). Although the ride is tough, it's great training for eating and getting in shape.

So here's my suggestion- if you can't eat on the bike (I have a hard time with that one too) then be sure you have a sports drink that you can tolerate. Personally, I use Cytomax.

I drink religiously every 15 minutes (or so)as I ascend the mountain. When I get to the junction, I'll have part of a Lunabar (or something similar) and some energy gel (not my fav, but it works for me). I continue to drink my Cytomax as I ride the final 4.3 miles.

This has become the standard for my other rides as well. I find that taking small amounts of sports drink often keeps me going strong. After about 20 miles or so on a training ride, I'll stop and eat a bar or whatever.

The other part of this is eating a good breakfast before I leave the house. For me it's a soft boiled egg, tea (with 2% milk- my English background), and 1/2 of a cinammon bar.

If I have to get up early (4:00,5:00, whatever) then I'll at least get something in my system before I leave and then snack on the way to the ride. If there is food to be had at the beginnning of the ride, I'll have some and then not start my drinking routine until about an hour into the ride (assuming cool temps in the early morning). I don't eat a lot at rest stops, just mostly oranges, dried fruit and nuts. I will eat a little more at the lunch stop (salty foods plus 1/2 a sandwich). I've learned that eating small amounts frequently is easier on my system.

Now, if you are a long long distance rider (like Veronica and Maillotpois) the the issue of eating takes on another dimension.