Aka_Kim:

Thank you for such an encouraging email. I had no idea Chalk Hill was semi-notorious I just knew it is one of the roads included in the Wine Country Classic Ride. I feel greatly encouraged by your email as I sensed that perhaps beginners don't usually attempt this road. I will keep trying it. It has to get better sometime. Since I am new to cycling I don't know what the Backroads company is. Would you please explain? You are right I am lucky to be able to ride in such a pretty area. I always knew I lived in the wine country but since I've started riding I've become aware that there are so many wineries even more than I realized. I usually pass quite a few on any given ride.

MightyMitre:

Thank you for those nutrition facts. I'm a type 1 diabetic and I had no idea that you should eat that often when you ride. On week days I usually ride for 40 minutes to an hour and on weekends an hour to two without eating. Well unless you count those gu packets which I use if my blood sugar drops to low. Tomorrow we are planning a ride for three hours one way then we'll stop at a winery and have lunch before returning home. That is, if I make it. Do you know if cycling books cover nutrition at all? I'm awaiting the arrival of the book the administrator recommended but I don't know if cycling books cover that kind of stuff as well as the others.