Bikeshop Girl, believe me, rest is indeed on my mind now. I am not a racer, just an older recreational rider who has only been riding about 9 years. But, I've been into physically active stuff pretty much my whole adult life, so I have learned the hard way about how much activity my body can take.
My winter training is going to be more focused this year, because of my tour in May. I need to be at the same level of fitness I might not be at until June or even the beginning of July. I know this means I might need a break when I get back from the trip, or it could be a very long season...