its funny that i read this thread, because just this past friday, i was done work, and a little hungry and i thought, eh, i will just bike home. It was HOT. i had water, but boy it was a PAINFUL ride home. Its an hour bike ride (on the road) with a few long hills (including the brutal one to my house). i crawled to the kitchen and INHALED a sandwich and felt better.

Also, for carbo loading...it isn't a matter of eating lots of carbs (which many people do)
you have to deplete them COMPLETELY first. this means doing a few days of training and eating very high protein, very few cards. it makes you into a bit of a B**ch. then after 4 days or so you go nuts with cards. your body IN ThEORY will overcompensate and hence store extra carbs.

i have heard before that this doesn't work for women quite as well. but i asked my physiology teacher when we were learning about it and he didn't see why.